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Phase II Pan Groove |
Well - so much happened on the
interim stage erected at the south-western end of the Queen's
Park Savannah in Port-of-Spain. There was so much
pan, so much great music. It was a long day, and
night into morning. The semi-final rounds reigned
for about seventeen hours straight at the savannah
featuring the small, medium and large steel orchestra
categories. The musicians all came out to 'lick
up' their competition. In the end,
Merrytones from Diego Martin, and
Dixieland hailing from the sister isle of Tobago set
the standards by which the other orchestras in their
categories would be up against going into the national
panorama finals.
February 4, 2007 is a historic day to
begin with, because it is the first time ever that a
panorama event has taken place at the Queen's Park Savannah,
and not been staged before Grand Stand and North Stand
crowds. The event took place at the interim staging
area mere yards away, because the traditional area is
earmarked for demolition. But moreover, it is a day
that will live on, because it was the day that the large
conventional steel orchestras were thrust into a 'sudden
death' situation without having judges' scores and
notes as a guide through to that stage. With the
elimination of the preliminary round for the first time
ever, sixteen bands faced the semis, with eight being sent
home for good, and eight going on to the finals.
So the fire was hotter than usual for the
large steel orchestras, and it was only about five minutes
before three in the morning, Trinidad time, when the last
band Our Boys Steel Orchestra played their final note, that
the embers began to cool. South-based Skiffle Bunch
Steel Orchestra who brought back Ken 'Professor' Philmore as
their arranger, after a three-year orchestra-arranger
relationship with Liam Teague, took the stage first in the
large band category, and put down such a session on steel
with Len 'Boogsie' Sharpe's Sharin' Licks, that many
had them as a definite favorite to make the final cut.
But there was a shocker in store.
When the dust settled and the results
were finally announced, Skiffle was not among the finalists,
to the shock and chagrin of many pan lovers. With 252
points, they missed the mark by eight. Desperadoes
beat them to the punch with 258. But 'Sharin Licks'
was Phase II Pan Groove led by Boogsie Sharpe, who delivered
the cut..se as promised - at least in this crucial round.
On February 17, in a little less than two weeks from now,
the matter will be settled for yet another year, and the
national Panorama champion will be known. And going
head to head with Phase II who are seeking the elusive
three-peat, a feat only accomplished by the legendary
Renegades from 1995-1997, are the latter, Desperadoes,
Trinidad All Stars, Tropical Angel Harps, Invaders, Exodus
and Starlift.
click
for complete lineup and point breakdown