The women are now an integral part of any steel orchestra as can be seen by these lasses in the front line Scrunters Pan Groove at Friday’s Panyard Sensations in Petit Valley, hosted by Valley Harps Steel Orchestra.

By Cori Baynes & Peter Ray Blood

They came from all corners of the nation; pan lovers in their hundreds, drawn like moths to light to the sweet strains of the national instrument. A joint collaboration between Pan Trinbago and Tidco, the 2004 edition of Panyard Sensations came to a climax last weekend in the west and south, at the panyards of Valley Harps and NLCB Fonclaire steel orchestras.

Causing traffic to snarl at snail’s pace along the winding and narrow Morne Coco Road in Petit Valley, host Valley Harps produced a wonderful programme which was enthusiastically enjoyed by an audience which spilled out of the band’s spacious base onto the roadway.

Like the previously held productions, hosted by Curepe Sforzata, Witco Desperadoes, Tobago’s Katzenjammers and BWIA Invaders, Valley Harps offered a wide mix of entertainers. Rising to the occasion were St Anthony’s Folk Choir, rapso artistes Brother Resistance and Karega Mandela, saxophonist Jesse Ryan, pannist Darryl Reid, Black Sage and Scrunters Pan Groove.

On Sunday, visitors to Fonclaire’s Dottin Street panyard in San Fernando got a first hand taste of the much bandied “southern hospitality.”

Honoured to have his band close the 2004 series of concerts, Fonclaire patriarch Milton “Wire” Austin played host to an impressive turnout of dignitaries, headed by President George Maxwell Richards, his wife Dr Jean Ramjohn Richards and their daughter, Maxine.

Sunday’s event featured some of the best talent south Trinidad has to offer, including Point Fortin’s Jeunes Agape, ace guitarist /producer Kenny Phillips, and world renowned pannist Ken “Professor” Philmore.

The programme started promptly at 8 pm with Jeunes Agape, followed by Fonclaire’s interpretations of Hikky Burr and Killing Me Softly.

Up next, Philmore was greeted by loud cheers and applause, no doubt as his performance marked his return to the band he almost helped to a national Panorama title.

The emotion felt by many when Professor played Maximus Dan’s Carnival 2004 hit Soca Train was further heightened when he was joined by Fonclaire to play Third World’s smash hit Now that We’ve Found Love.

Other memorable performances came from vocalists Andre Williams and Marsha Charles and Phillips who performed Masquerade, Feel Like Making Love and Master Blaster respectively.

Approximately 90 minutes after the show started, with each succeeding act taking temperatures and excitement higher, Baron was introduced and given a rousing ovation. The veteran entertainer had both old and young singing along, and aloud, as he performed many of the hits in his arsenal such as Sweet Soca Man.

The highlight of the evening however came when Baron and Fonclaire joined forces to perform a medley comprising Feeling It, Say Say and Tell Me Why.

It was just around 11 pm when the final note was played and patrons, hesitant to leave the venue, lingered with nothing but praises and compliments for not just the artistes, but for Pan Trinbago and Tidco for once again producing a superb event.

In this time of social problems nationwide, Panyard Sensations sought to return to us as a nation the best of us as a multi-plural and multi-cultural people.

Sweet soca man Baron is accompanied by NLCB Fonclaire as he renders the medley of hits including Feeling It, Say Say and Tell Me Why.

Southern songbird Marsha Charles sings Feel Like Making Love at NLCB Fonclaire’s panyard, at Sunday’s Panyard Sensations.

Rapso star Karega Mandela gives the national instrument a play as he is accompanied by Valley Harps Steel Orchestra at Friday’s Panyard Sensations in Petit Valley

Former NLCB Fonclaire arranger Ken “Professor” Philmore returned “home” on Sunday to present a sterling performance at Panyard Sensations.

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