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United Kingdom - The 8th Annual
British Association of Steelbands’ Awards was hosted at the
Holiday Inn, Bloomsbury on the 2nd December 2006. This event
has evolved from its humble beginnings in the Tabernacle,
Ladbroke Grove in 1999 to recognise and honour the
contributions of individuals, groups and organisations to
the promotion of steel pan music, culture and heritage
throughout the UK. Since its inception, the event has grown
in stature and has now established itself in the UK
community’s calendar. It provides the steelband community
with an opportunity to reflect on the past, cherish the
present and plan for the future.
Guests
on the evening included Ashton Forde, from the Trinidad and
Tobago’s High Commission, Directors of the London Notting
Carnival Limited, Executives from the Notting Hill Carnival
Arts Arenas and Arthur France OBE whose most lasting
achievement is his promotion of the first ever Leeds West
Indian Carnival in 1967. Throughout his life, he has had a
love of steel pan music and has had ambitions to raise the
profile of steel pan. In the 1960s he established 'The Gay
Cavaliers Steel Band’ and, in an effort to continue to
encourage young people to learn to play, formed New World
Steel Orchestra in 1984. Now in retirement, he continues to
press for the establishment of a fully funded centre for a
Leeds Steel Youth Orchestra in Chapeltown, Leeds.
It
was an evening filled with honouring individuals and groups
for their outstanding performances as well as their
unselfish dedication coupled with undying drive and
determination in the promotion, and development of the steel
pan art form. Four of Trinidad’s outstanding ambassadors in
the likes of Floella Benjamin, Rudolph Walker, Andrew
Ramroop and international singer, Billy Ocean were
recipients on the night for their contribution to the
promotion of steel pan music, art, culture and heritage. Two
anniversaries, eight competitions and the BAS Hall of Fame
awards were also presented on the night.
Entertainment
was supplied by Engine Room featuring Carlene Etienne, Pan
Explosion 2K6 Champion soloist and DJs Sugar K (Unique FM)
and Mike Forbes dishing out some rather catchy numbers that
had everyone on the dance floor until the wee hours of the
morning. Roy McEwen of the Caribbean Music Association was
the M.C. on the night.
BAS continues their sterling work in promoting this
wonderful art form. It is without a doubt the perfect
machinery for bringing together the UK’s diverse population
and for reflecting and promoting the culture of Trinidad and
Tobago.
They
achieved a number of their planned initiatives, which
included the creation of their youth forum – The Future
Development Forum, affording all member bands web pages and
email addresses, initiating the formation of a network of
regional committees and hosting an international conference
on pan to name a few. Future initiatives will see the
Association play an active role in London and Paris in 2007
to mark the 150th and 200th anniversaries of the abolition
of slavery.
For more information visit
www.panpodium.com .
Email:
panpodium@aol.com
| All photos Robbie Joseph | From the News Desk of R. Joseph
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