Web Posted - Wednesday May 21, 2020
When Steel Talks

Meet Jelani Cielto - Panist Extraordinaire

 

Trinidad & Tobago, W.I. - Jelani Cielto a special talent? Absolutely.  He also has that type of gift that makes a very select few see partial differential equations as child’s play. Blessed with the innate ability of a photographic memory, he has used his gift to play in multiple steel orchestras during the annual national Panorama season. This has become a point of focus. In a When Steel Talks exclusive - performing artist and panist extraordinaire Jelani Cielto - an individual of few words - gets his points of view across very succinctly, while leaving no doubt about the depth of his passion for the instrument, in this interview.
read more

Web Posted - Wednesday May 20, 2020
When Steel Talks

Panorama Skills on the Home Front? NO, MEMORIAL DAY 2020

by panist and Vietnam veteran Dalton Narine

Global - ....Grandfather was flown back to Venezuela, and later Trinidad, where they named Gonzales, Belmont, after him. Rudolph Charles [“Charlo”] insisted that I was born on the Laventille Hill. Little did he know I was born in Gonzales, a ritual for all our families. Charlo must have meant conceived, not born.

Anyway, in Vietnam, I was in the trenches, too — defensive perimeters made up of wire, mines, machine guns, sandbags and bunkers. I spoke to Grandfather one night when my company was expecting the Viet Cong (VC) to roll in. These night devils would disrupt your sleep in a minute. So I meditated with him as if he were prayers sent by the Almighty. I felt relieved.

On the battlefield, we played a game of survival, young uninformed Trini-American soldiers.
read more

Web Posted - Monday May 18, 2020
When Steel Talks

The Art of Dusk

by panist and Vietnam veteran Dalton Narine

Global - ....Indeed, the price we paid for dismissing nature’s painterly hands had rewarded us a full moon that rose up just so with a kind of religious zeal, eager to add its signature to the light show up and down the North Coast. We shifted gears up the incline, along a serpentine roadway, and there she was, fat and happy, with that big ol’ button-face of hers, stealing open space between twin peaks. The better to show off a million-carat sparkle, the Universe’s most wondrous nugget, She.

I crank up the volume.

As if for effect, Billie Holiday reaches the mind with an emotional power that American jazz disc jockey Phil Schaap calls “genius beyond words.”
read more

Web Posted - Thursday May 14, 2020
When Steel Talks

Pan Ramajay - Definition of the competition

Trinidad & Tobago, W.I. - Alvin Daniell interviews the late Amin Mohammed, manager of Exodus Steel Orchestra....as he describes what Ramajay is about, and the Pan competition itself. Pan Ramajay is a steelpan event which was established in 1989 by Exodus Steel Orchestra. Its primary objective was to provide a platform (other than Panorama and the Steelband Music Festival) for steelpan musicians to showcase their skills. The event is back for 2020, with the preliminaries carded for June 13 - 14.
more

Web Posted - Wednesday May 13, 2020
When Steel Talks

Exodus Steel Orchestra - Pan Is Beautiful VI - Steelband Music Festival 1992

Trinidad & Tobago, W.I. - Exodus Steel Orchestra performs “Academic Festival Overture” by Johannes Brahms as their tune of choice at the 1992 Steelband Music Festival - Pan Is Beautiful VI.
see performance

Web Posted - Wednesday May 13, 2020
When Steel Talks

When Boogsie played ‘Yesterday’

by Wesley Gibbings
Opinion piece

Global -  Len “Boogsie” Sharpe played ‘Yesterday’ on the pan at about 6.35 p.m. on Saturday May 9, 2020.

This story could have ended right there. But then somebody posted in the comments section of the YouTube stream: “I am in tears. Is this normal?” Fingers frozen, I could not type a response. We’d been busted. Many of us, I presumed. Someone else chimed in with something I cannot remember.

It happened so fast. Boogsie had been showing off on the double seconds with speed and an amazing command of complex riffs on The Mighty Sparrow’s ‘Rose’. Then, inexplicably, he changed mood with a Beatles/Lennon suite that eventually landed, near the end, on ‘Yesterday’.
read more

Web Posted - Wednesday May 13, 2020
When Steel Talks

Pan Ramajay Competition Returns

Global - Pan Ramajay is a steelpan event which was established in 1989 by Exodus Steel Orchestra. Its primary objective was to provide a platform (other than Panorama and the Steelband Music Festival) for steelpan musicians to showcase their skills.

This competition is open to steelpan musicians internationally, regardless of time zone/country and is designed to feature soloists, duos and quartets using any instrument in the steelpan family. 
read more

Web Posted - Monday May 11, 2020
When Steel Talks

Meet Debra “Sista Dee” Sarjeant - Massachusetts, USA

Celebration of Women and the Steelpan Art Form

 

Massachusetts, USA - “...People are just amazed at what comes out of the pan, they want to know if you can play all types of musical keys, they check underneath to see where is all that sound is coming from...” -- Debra “Sista Dee” Sarjeant

Her path and journey were essentially sealed from birth - what with her being Denzil Botus’ daughter, and her godfather being the iconic Rudolph Charles. A veteran in the game, her life journey has been for the love of Pan; performing artist, arranger, producer, educator, and more - all these describe this illustrious woman in Pan. In an exclusive interview with When Steel Talks - Boston’s Debra “Sista Dee” Sarjeant shares a snapshot of what has brought her to this point in Pan.
read more

Web Posted - Sunday May 10, 2020
When Steel Talks

Happy Mother’s Day to all the Steelpan & Steelband Music Moms

 

Global - Happy Mother’s Day to all the Steelpan & Steelband Music Moms, all over the world.
more

Web Posted - Sunday May 10, 2020
When Steel Talks

Len “Boogsie” Sharpe’s Live streamed concert

Replay

Global - Take in the replay of Len “Boogsie” Sharpe's concert as live-streamed on Saturday May 9, 2020.
click for replay

Web Posted - Friday May 8, 2020
When Steel Talks

Meet Tiajuana Hernandez - Trinidad & Tobago

Celebration of Women and the Steelpan Art Form

 

Trinidad & Tobago, W.I. - “The stigma of pan being from the bowels of society, involving “badjohns” or the thought that steelpan music is noise or “wine or jam” that exemplifies the devil... Because I believe it is so much more than this. The ability to play pan is truly a gift from God. The steelpan instrument can play any genre of music, that’s including gospel....I definitely would like to change this idea concerning steelpan and pan music.” -- Tiajuana Hernandez

She’s a passionate proponent of the steelband art form. In an exclusive interview with When Steel Talks, Tiajuana Hernandez does not hesitate to speak her mind as she shares her experiences, opinions, reflections and dreams on Pan, and the steelband art form overall.
read more

Web Posted - Monday May 4, 2020
Banglor Daily News

Flash! in the Pans cancels summer 2020 season

Maine, USA - Flash! in the Pans and Planet Pan steel bands will not be performing this summer due to COVID-19 and Maine’s Stay Safer regulations. Nonprofit organizations that were scheduled to host benefit street dances this summer will keep their dates for summer 2021.
read more

Web Posted - Friday May 1, 2020
Trinidad and Tobago Newsday

15 panists in Panograma online semis

Trinidad & Tobago, W.I. - The first-ever Panograma has named its 15 semi-finalists following prelims held on April 24 and 25. The semi-finals were held on April 30.

TT panist Nevin Roach is the founder and organiser of the event. As artistes and entertainers around the world have been finding novel ways to host events given the covid19 pandemic, Roach was inspired to put on Panograma to help panists earn some revenue.

Although there were some sound problems, the event saw hundreds of people log on to Roach’s live Instagram feed to view the performances and to support their favourite panist. Panograma saw 20 solo panists from around the region and internationally compete for a spot in the semi-finals. Panists from Jamaica, US and St Martin took part in the competition.

Ten panists will compete in the final on May 3 for the top prize of US$500 and an online session with a world-renowned panist.
read more

Web Posted - Wednesday April 29, 2020
When Steel Talks

‘Footprints’ performed by Garvin Blake

Belle Eau Road Blues

New York, USA - This is the Garvin Blake-rendition of Wayne Shorter’s classic “Footprints.” This performance is part of the Belle Eau Road Blues CD as produced, recorded and mastered at Basement Recordings.

Everyone knows that When Steel Talks called the young Jonathan Scales a “bad man” many moons ago. However, before Scales there was another young cat named Garvin Blake. In many ways the polar opposite of Jonathan Scales, Blake is the silent, methodical and strategic type - but just as potent.

It was on hearing this track “Footprints” that Max Roach (considered by many to be the greatest drummer/percussionist to ever live) moved to calling Garvin Blake a major talent. And that says a lot coming from a man who played with many of the musicians that walked with the gods of American music.
take in ‘Footrpints’ audio

Web Posted - Tuesday April 28, 2020
When Steel Talks

Meet Sadé Adams - New York, USA

Celebration of Women and the Steelpan Art Form

 

New York, USA - “....Our bass section is mainly made up of females, and we all stick together strong. We are more than a band, and way more than friends; we are all family. We’ve grown together, failed together and accomplished much more together.” -- Sadé Adams

She is confident in who she is, with a love for Pan and her own place within the steelband landscape. In an exclusive interview with When Steel Talks - student and panist Sadé Adams shares her journey in Pan to date: her perspectives and dreams - unfiltered, all relative to the steelband art form.
read more

Web Posted - Saturday April 25, 2020
When Steel Talks

Meet Yasmin Brito - Ontario, Canada

Celebration of Women and the Steelpan Art Form

 

Ontario, Canada - “Time waits on no one. If you enjoy the musical instrument, find a band and become a member. Don’t keep saying “I always wanted to... Just Do It! .....” - Yasmin Brito

At 12 years old she was playing pan in a steelband. And while the neighbors had less than kind things to say about this - she had fun. Much fun - made history by becoming one of the first of the firsts in the annals of pan - an unwitting trailblazer with memories and experiences that have lasted a lifetime. In an exclusive interview with When Steel Talks - panist, mom and former corporate Yasmin Brito shares her joys of her remarkable life long story with Pan, and the steelpan art form.
read more

Web Posted - Thursday April 23, 2020
When Steel Talks

‘No Wuk for Carnival’ - Moods Pan Groove - Arranger:  Robert Greenidge

New York Panorama Steelband Music Competition

New York, USA - Basement Recordings captures Moods Pan Groove’s performance of “No Wuk for Carnival” as arranged by the great Robert Greenidge. The performance was captured with a special 24-bit digital recorder that Basement Recordings was testing out for the Yamaha Corporation of America. As far as we know this was the first MultiTrack digital recording of a steel orchestra ever. Clyde Durant is the owner/manager of the orchestra. This Basement Recordings-recording was done in Moods’ Brooklyn outdoor panyard a few days before they took the stage for the 1994 New York Panorama. The band would come in third position.
take in audio

Web Posted - Tuesday April 21, 2020
New York Times

New York Times Commemorates Pan Icon Martin Douglas

Martin Douglas, Who Set Tone for Steel-Pan Brooklyn, Dies at 71
A deft musician and beloved mentor, he helped keep steel-pan music — his bridge to the Caribbean — a vibrant part of New York life. He had the coronavirus

New York, USA - On summer nights in central Brooklyn, the roar of traffic gives way to the twinkle of steel-pan drums as musicians of all ages rehearse, improvise and compete in sidewalk lots.

Chances were good that if a steel-pan band was hitting its stride, Martin Douglas was close by.

For over two decades Mr. Douglas was a leader in Brooklyn’s steel band scene, playing his music everywhere, mentoring generations of young players and keeping steel-pan music a vibrant part of New York’s cultural life. He was the founder of Crossfire [Steel Orchestra], a steel-pan band admired across the city and beyond, and president of the United States Steelband Association.

He died on March 31 in a hospital in Brooklyn, less than a week after he was admitted there with complications of the new coronavirus [COVID-19], his family said. He was 71.
read more

When Steel Talks

Steelband Community On the Front lines Against COVID-19

Global - When Steel Talks (WST) extends our sincere appreciation of all those on the front lines in the battle against COVID-19 aka the Coronavirus.

BigUp to all our steelband family in the health care and first responder trenches, and related services.
read more

2020 Trinidad and Tobago National Steelband Panorama Info - Complete

Global - PanOnTheNet/ WhenSteelTalks is Panorama Central! Complete information on the 2020 season of the Trinidad and Tobago National Panorama, and competitions:  Schedules, Orders of Appearance for preliminary, semi-final and final phases for large, medium and small conventional steel orchestras, and single pan bands; arrangers’ bios, bios of steel orchestras; full results, panyard addresses, history of previous Panoramas, and much more!
see complete information index

Web Posted - February 2020
When Steel Talks

Complete Summary of Results of all Conventional Steel Orchestras - 2020 Trinidad & Tobago National Panorama

Trinidad & Tobago, W.I. - At a glance and on a single page, access the comprehensive summary of results for the Small, Medium and Large conventional steel orchestras that participated in their respective categories in the 2020 Panorama.

Follow the musical journey of respective bands through all three phases - compare side-by-side preliminaries, semi-finals and finals through data on band info, scores, tunes of choice and arrangers - on one page.
access full summary