Web Posted - Monday June 26, 2017
Cayman Compass

Cayman Islands - Hurley’s Supermarket shoppers were entertained with lively steel pan music Saturday as Cayman Pandemix took to the supermarket front to raise money for an upcoming trip to Canada.

Thirteen members of the group will travel to Toronto from July 27 to Aug. 10 to compete in the Pan Alive competition. Donations were collected for accommodation, transportation and airfares at Hurley’s and the Foster’s Strand Supermarket.

Marlique Muir, a member of Pandemix, said they are looking forward to competing alongside “Afropan.”
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Web Posted - Monday June 26, 2017
The Daily Herald

Marigot, St. Maarten, W.I.  -  Preparations are well under way for Gunslingers tenth Pan Revolution which will be held for the first time in the Layzy Bay parking lot in Marigot on the evening of Saturday, July 8, 2017, a concert that will be as much about the famous Gunslingers Steel Band legacy as the quality of the other artistes invited.

It promises to be an evening of excellent musicianship and vocal performances. The central performers will be the Junior Gunslingers from the music school, Senior Gunslingers of a certain age and experience, and the Advanced Gunslingers together with invited steel bands Flabej from Trinidad and the Nevis Pan Ensemble.

The tremendous line-up for the evening is complemented by featured local artistes Benjamin Bell, Tamillia Chance, Malaïka Maxwell, Shadz, Shakya, Baker Jr, Anjolie Sassy, Shanae Rumer, Royalty, Natisha Hanson, Kenyo Baly, and two surprise acts.

Layzy Bay parking lot will be transformed with a giant tent for the audience, VIP area, dance floor, and a big stage to accommodate 30-40 musicians and equipment.

“This is a Pan Revolution times ten, a culmination of all the concerts that have gone before,” enthuses Gunslingers’ music arranger Aldrich Benjamin.
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Web Posted - Thursday 22 June, 2017
When Steel Talks

New York, USA - Recently When Steel Talks (WST) was presented with an opportunity to experience another chapter in the musical adventure, journey, and burgeoning chronicle that is the career of Brooklyn’s own Kendall Williams. Indeed there are many facets and sides to the multi-talented, multi-dimensional composer, arranger, panist, performing artist, PhD candidate and educator. The occasion was the 30th anniversary of the world-recognized and respected ‘Bang on a Can Marathon’ at Brooklyn Museum’s Beaux-Arts Court.

Already known for his popular music Panorama arrangements through his work with Skiffle Steel Orchestra in Trinidad and CrossFire Steel Orchestra in New York, Williams allowed the world to experience another side of his compositional skill-set.
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Web Posted - Monday June 19, 2017
When Steel Talks

New York, USA - A pictorial look at the Bob’s Music 1^st Annual Anniversary Concert, and participants.

....Damany took on the role of concert organizer, promoter and difference-maker, as he held his first annual Anniversary Concert at Meyer Levin School for the Performing Arts.
see pictures

Web Posted - Saturday 17 June, 2017
When Steel Talks

New York, USA - He a multi-talented musician. An awesome panist. He is the current defending champion New York Junior Panorama arranger. Moreover, he is a young man with a plan and he has hit the ground running. We are talking about Damany James, the CEO of Bob’s Music.

Although only 20, Damany has embarked on one of the great challenges within the Brooklyn artistic community. That is, in spite of an abundance of tremendous local talent and history, credible options and performance opportunities for performing arts practitioners within Brooklyn neighborhoods—at both the amateur and professional levels—are almost non-existent. And in this regard, recently Damany took on the role of concert organizer, promoter and difference-maker, as he held his first annual Anniversary Concert at Meyer Levin School for the Performing Arts. 
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Web Posted - Thursday June 8, 2017
When Steel Talks

Trinidad & Tobago, W.I. - It could be deemed “Carnival in June” as this year’s edition of WeBeat St. James Live comes to an end on Saturday (June 10).

From early as 4:00 am, invited Jouvert Bands will start the revelry along the Western Main Road, from the St. James Amphitheatre. Then later in the evening, the Steelband and Traditional Mas Street Parade gets under way from 7:00 pm til 2:00 am.

Participating steelbands, the majority of which hail from the West, include PCS Nitrogen Silver Stars, St. James Tripolians, Phase II Pan Groove in association with HADCO, Woodbrook Playboyz, CAL Invaders, Scrunters Pan Groove, Harvard Harps, Musical Gems, Newtown Playboys and Brimblers. Both Massy Trinidad All Stars and bp Renegades Steel Orchestras have been invited to participate.
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Web Posted - Wednesday June 7, 2017
When Steel Talks

Trinidad & Tobago, W.I. - The Pamberi Steel Orchestra is pleased to announce that Andre White will be the band’s arranger for Panorama 2018. Andre is a twenty-seven year-old New Yorker and graduate of the Berkeley School of Music. He began playing the steelpan at age six. Twelve years later he won his first New York Panorama with the band ADLIB. After placing second in the next two panoramas, Andre returned to winners row with back-to-back victories in in 2011 and 2012 in the New York Panorama. In 2011 Andre also registered his first triumph in the London Panorama with the band Mangrove. In the Trinidad & Tobago Panorama competition, Andre has played with the Renegades Steel Orchestra and arranged for Tamana Pioneers, Sforzata and Desperadoes steel orchestras.
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Web Posted - Saturday June 3, 2017
When Steel Talks

New York, USA - A pictorial look at the 2017 NYU Steel Spring Concert and participants.

The doors opened a little after 7:00 p.m. to let the sizable crowd lined up outside, into the Frederick Loewe Theatre on the NYU campus. Within minutes the theatre reflected near-capacity - to be later completely filled with some of the late arrivers on this Friday evening.
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Web Posted - Thursday June 1, 2017
When Steel Talks

Trinidad & Tobago, W.I. - It will literally be a (steel)pan explosion as the St. James Community Improvement Committee kicks off this year’s edition of WeBeat St. James Live.

With a playbill comprising the dynamic sounds of National Panorama 2017 champion Trinidad All Stars, Junior Panorama winners Renegades Youth Steel Orchestra, evergreen Samaroo Jets and past Panorama and Pan in the 21^st Century winner Silver Stars, the event showcases the best of pan in a concert format.

“Pan Explosion” is carded for Sunday June 4 at the St. James Amphitheatre, Western Main Road, St. James, from 6:00 p.m. Admission is TT $150.00 with advance tickets at Crosby’s, St. James and Cleve’s. Limited tickets will be on sale at the venue on the day of the show.
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Web Posted
When Steel Talks

Trinidad & Tobago, W.I. - The 2017 Trinidad and Tobago Panorama season—and by extension the Carnival season—was a tumultuous one that was overflowing with enough drama, intrigue, passion and controversy to field a season of Scandal, Empire or Game of Thrones. But in the end there was the music. An abundance of great music created by the finest arrangers, and outstanding performances delivered by the best steel orchestras in the world.

Two songs captured the imagination of Trinidad and Tobago for this 2017 Panorama and Carnival season - “Full Extreme” by Ultimate Rejects and “Good Morning” by Peter Ram. In fact, “Good Morning” became sort of the de-facto “test piece” as no other tune of choice has endeared itself to the steel orchestras as much in recent times. However, on closer inspection Bunji Garlin & Machel Montano’s “Buss Head” or Crazy’s “Gee Gee Ree” would be apropos to telling the complete Panorama season’s story.
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Web Posted
When Steel Talks

Global - Within the historical context, a look at the impact of American movies on the naming of early steelbands of Trinidad and Tobago.
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Web Posted
When Steel Talks

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 participating in their respective categories in the 2017 Panorama.

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

 Tunes of Choice - Trinidad & Tobago Steelband Panorama 2017

Trinidad & Tobago, W.I. - A unique playlist featuring only the music selected as Tunes of Choice for the Trinidad and Tobago 2017 Steelband Panorama and Carnival.
listen to playlist

Web Posted
When Steel Talks

Upcoming

Global  - Upcoming Steelpan music events from all over the world
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Web Posted
When Steel Talks - Special

Champion Panorama Tunes of Trinidad and Tobago

Global - A critical component to winning any panorama competition is the song the orchestras choose to use as the basis of their panorama arrangements. Over the years these songs have inspired classic panorama arrangements. When Steel Talks invites you to take a look at and listen to, these famed tunes which have played more than just a cursory part in the history of Pan, and the lives of the players and fans.
click to hear and/or view