Monday, 28 January 2002
Hello, everyone! This is Wanda, writing to let you know I've reached
Trinidad safe and sound, and I am having a ball! I can feel the stress
which had built up on me through the 2nd half of 2001 melting away moment by
moment, my fast-paced NY walk is slowing down to a Trini stroll, and I find
myself smiling and laughing more than I have in a long, long time.
Since the semi-finals were on Sunday, I had planned to wait until Monday
(today) to begin learning the tune. But I listened to a recording of
Thursday night's performance on Saturday afternoon, and the tune was sounding so
good my hands started to itch! Of course I had walked with my sticks in my
bag, so I grabbed one of the senior bassists before practice to have him teach
me the first time through the verse and chorus. When the band began to
learn the changes Smooth had made to the introduction I picked up that part of
the tune. By the end of the night I knew the introduction, the first time
through the verse and chorus, and a little of the key change in the middle of
the tune. By the end of yesterday afternoon, I knew another minute or so
from there. All in all I know about 1/4 of the tune, and that in only two
days. I am shocked at how quickly I am picking up the music. The
other players are telling me they are sure I'll have the tune by the national
finals in two weeks. They are real supportive and want me to play, which
makes me feel real good. They even set up an extra bass so I could drill
with the band while they are practicing in the evenings, even though Smooth had
said only those who were actually performing on Sunday should be playing.
I was practicing yesterday before the band rehearsed for the semi-finals when
I got a huge, huge, surprise. One of the senior players came to me and
said, "Seeing as how you are not playing tonight, would you like to carry the
banner for the band?" What a question: of course I grinned and accepted right
away. Ever since I first saw the video of Panorama 1997, I have dreamed of
carrying a band's banner, but I never, ever expected to carry the banner for
this band. It was a huge honor to be asked, besides being a dream come
true. So when the band entered the Savannah and got to the top of the
track, I took my place at the front of the band with the other banner carrier
and led the way to the stage.
We played 32nd out of 34 bands, so went back to the panyard and didn't have to
wait too long for the results. Only the top 11 bands would make the
finals, so I held my breath until they counted up from 34 to 12 and our name had
not yet been called. When they called Desperados in 3rd place, and we
still had not been named, we all held our breath, again. The announcer
gave the scores for the 2nd place and 1st place, then called the name of the 2nd
place band... Phase II Pan Groove. Well, really though, we only heard the
announcer say, "Phase T...", because by then we were screaming and dancing about
in victory! So we won the national semi-final, and did it with 8 points
between us and Phase II! We have our work cut out for us still, so we
cannot relax, but man was it nice to know we came first in the semi-final!
Thursday, 31 January 2002
Last night was the North Zone Steelband Finals, where Trinidad All Stars
defended their crown. It was a long night, because we played 10th out of
10 bands; we took the stage around 1 AM. We rehearsed until well after
midnight the night before, so people were tired. In spite of some short
tempers, people were able to pull it together before we left the panyard so we
could go up the road with decent vibes. We had a great pep talk and prayer
before leaving, so folks seemed in high spirits by the time we started up the
road. At one point the skipper commented we had not yet returned the North
Zone trophy; the band was supposed to carry it up the road to Pan Trinbago
earlier in the week, but had not yet done it. When he asked if we wanted
to carry it up with us to the Savannah one fellow replied, "Why bother, when
we'll only have to carry it back down, again?" We all liked that! So we
left the trophy behind when we went up the road.
I was asked to carry the banner for the band again, which I did with great
joy. When we were about to take the stage, the announcer said, "Be
careful, a firestorm is coming!" The crowd responded with shouts. (Each
band had to play both a tune by Merchant and their Panorama tune; we played
Merchant's "Be Careful", and our Panorama tune is "Firestorm"... speaking of
which, I have about 2 more minutes of music to learn, and I've got the whole
thing on bass.) The roar of the crowd was deafening as we took the stage
and were announced, and we responded to their excitement with spirit and
enthusiasm. We've been told the importance of putting on an exciting
performance, so that's what we did. The band jumped up like mad, and so
did the crowd. When we were through, they even called for more.
Since we played last, we were carrying the pans back down the road when the
results were announced. Those of us who had already arrived had to wait to
find out the results... suddenly there was much noise and shouting and beating
of drums on the street behind the panyard... our percussion float was coming
down the road and the band members riding it were giving shouts of excitement...
WE HAD SUCCESSFULLY DEFENDED OUR CROWN!!!!!! We came in first, Despers
second, and Phase 2 came third. It didn't seem the quite the same not
hearing the results as they were announced, but it was exciting nonetheless.
We hung around the yard blasting music for hours afterwards... when I left with
friends around 4 AM, the yard was still packed with jubilant band members.
I am off to the yard now to finish learning the Panorama tune... according to
a couple little birds, I am playing for the finals on 2/9!
Wednesday, 6 February 2002
The race to the Panorama finals is on. The competition is on Saturday
night. Today was the drawing for playing position. Out of 12 bands
Trinidad All Stars will be playing 10th, right in front of the defending
champions Exodus. We are very happy with our playing position.
We've been working very, very hard ever since last weekend to spruce up the
tune and tighten up our performance. It's made for some late nights, with
the last couple of rehearsals ending well after midnight. There has also
been much more emphasis on drilling, with the drill master going so far as to
drill individual groups of players in front of the whole band, to make sure
every player is pulling their own weight. Monday night was the first time
I had ever seen that. He started by drilling each of the four middle
section racks one at a time on the difficult run at the end of the tune.
Then he started on us basses, taking us a row at a time; there were three of us
in each row. The whole band watched as the players either played through
or choked.
The first basses to play were our three section leaders, who were visibly
relieved when they made it through that monstrous run without a hitch. The
next row was three seasoned players. The third row was two stage side
players... and yours truly, the only foreigner in the bass section. How I
did it, I do not know, but I managed to finish out the whole run without a
hitch, in spite of the girl on my left choking and stopping midway. My
section leader was grinning his approval when I breathed a sigh of relief and
put down my sticks. We all had fun with it, though, cheering each group
which succeeded and encouraging those who had trouble. There's sure to be
more of that, as Saturday approaches.
Tonight is a 1-1/2 hour performance for tourists coming through. It will
be my first time hearing the stage side perform its repertory, so I am really
looking forward to that. Then it's back to work on the Panorama tune.
We are gunning for victory this year... it's so close we can almost taste it!
Friday, 8 February 2002
Well, people, we are in the home stretch! Tomorrow night is the National
Steelband Championships, and the excitement is building. My section leader
officially asked me to play for tomorrow night. I did the happy dance all
the way back to my bass rack, boy!
Our rehearsals have been very, very intense for the past couple of nights.
They have been fun, but we have worked hard, and according to the skipper and
our arranger it truly shows. I mentioned last time sometimes the drill
master will have a rack or a row of people play a portion of the tune to make
sure they are all pulling their weight. He did that again last night, with
a challenging run for the single tenors to play; he had them go row by row and
play that run. The first row was a group of 5 or 6 girls all between ages
10 and 14. Do you know they played the run flawlessly, as one voice? They
put the rest of the tenor section to shame, let me tell you! With young
players of that caliber coming up in the band, All Stars will be doing well for
years to come.
Wednesday night was a very long night, as the band performed for the Panyard
Vibrations series. I don't know how many hundreds of people crammed into
the yard, with hundreds more lining the streets watching the show from the two
large screens set up outside. The band went through its entire Carnival
repertory; I played the songs I knew, and sat and enjoyed the rest. The
air was electric when the announcer said our final selection would be Firestorm;
at that point you could probably hear the crowd for quite a distance. We
played our hearts out, and it was the first time we performed that wicked bass
solo at the end of the tune for the general public, outside of our rehearsals.
From what I could hear, the crowd LOVED it, and they screamed their approval
when we were through with the tune. It was an exhilarating experience.
After that, even though the concert did not end until 10:30 PM, we still had
rehearsal! I think we left the yard around 1 AM. Last night was
another late night, with practice ending around 1, again. But they fed us
and gave us drinks, so we could keep up our strength. I expect tonight
will be another late night, as it is our last panyard practice before heading up
the road tomorrow night to attempt to dethrone the reigning champions, Exodus.
The general public is really pulling for All Stars, this year, as they feel the
band has not gotten its proper due from the Panorama judges in past years, and
this year's arrangement is a real hit with them. It's fun to walk about
town sporting my All Stars jersey and see people grin and nod in support and
approval... or to meet another player in town sporting their jersey, and
exchange happy looks with them. I really feel like a part of the family.
Wednesday, 13 February 2002
WE WON!!!!!!! WE
WON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! NEAL & MASSY TRINIDAD ALL STARS ARE THE 2002
NATIONAL PANORAMA CHAMPIONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Last Saturday night we gave a
sizzling performance of DeFosto's "Firestorm" to decisively capture the
championship by 2 points over the solid performance of Phase II Pan Groove.
Phase II performed 9th and we followed performing 10th. From what I could
tell when I listened to a recording later, Phase II got a rousing response from
the crowd with their performance of "Do What Yuh Want". While they were
performing All Stars was in formation out on the drag rousing the crowd outside.
Our uniforms were an army motif: red pants and vest with cream jerseys, and
camouflage hats. We said we are going to the competition to do battle
against all of the disrespect the band has endured from the judges in the past
16 years since their last Panorama victory. And so, just before we took
the stage, we played "The Battle Hymn of the Republic". Then we rolled our
racks to the base of the stage and prepared ourselves for our performance.
This year was even more
electric than last, because we were intent on winning this year. We knew
we had the material to win, and we knew we had to execute it (and all
doubts/biases in the judges' minds!) to the best of our ability. Needless
to say, we were quite hyper as we set up on stage. We went around hugging
and giving high fives to one another for luck. My bass was set in the same
spot as last year, so once again I could see the North Stand patrons: that end
of the stand was full, and the patrons were very, very excited to see us coming.
When we were announced, the crowd roared... I have never heard anything quite so
thrilling. I twiddled my bright purple sticks between the fingers of my
right hand, took a deep breath, and then focused on the task at hand.
We played our hearts out,
including me. Last year I focused more on the music, because I had just
finished learning the tune by the competition. But this year I had known
the music for a week, so I was able to really enjoy the music and display
showmanship as I played. As one appreciative person who watched me play on
the road said, I put my whole self into the music. I'm told I came out
clear on the TTT footage, which did not surprise me: every time I looked
up, a different camera was stuck in my face. But I didn't let it distract
me at all.
When I say we put on a
sizzling performance, I mean in more ways than one. For the finale of the
tune, just before our wicked bass solo (a.k.a. gymnastics), the entire band did
a catchy syncopated rhythm, and then the pyrotechnics attached to the top of the
percussion float were set off at the exact moment we all hit our next note.
The crowd ROARED at the effect. They were still roaring when we did the
runs at the end of the tune, and they roared louder still at the fireworks we
set off outside the stadium after we hit our last note. And we all danced
and cheered because we knew come what may from the judges, we had done our very
best that night and had really pleased the crowd, which is one thing All Stars
is notorious for doing.
Two bands played behind us,
then the results came around 2 A.M. We all waited with baited breath as
they went up from 12 to 5, then third place was announced as Exodus, last year's
champions. It was between us and Phase II, as many people had been saying
around town during the week. The announcer gave the points for the first
and second place, then she dramatically said, "The second place band played the
tune 'Do...'," and that is all we heard, because we were too busy running about
the panyard like madmen to hear anything else. It was the first time in
sixteen years All Stars had won, and believe me when I tell you we WORKED for
that win. The party lasted all night.
I am absolutely, positively
thrilled at winning the Panorama with my band. If I thought I felt proud
when I walked through town wearing my All Stars' jerseys before Saturday night,
I was mistaken: now I really feel proud. And I was very impressed with
Renegades, whose panyard is a few blocks up from ours. For Carnival
Tuesday we passed their yard on the way up Charlotte Street to the Savannah.
They were to swing into the parade route right behind us, so they were gathered
on their racks. As our truck slowly passed in the parade, their players
applauded us. That show of respect warmed my heart, and showed me how far
steelbands have come from the days when rival bands meeting on the street meant
a major street fight.
I still can hardly believe we
won and will perform at Saturday night's Champs in Concert as not just the North
Zone champions, but as the national champions!!!!!