Memorial Service for Asami Nagakiya

Asami Nagakiya, a thirty-year-old professional musician from Japan who had been coming to Trinidad for seven years to play the steelpan, was murdered during the 2016 Carnival celebrations. Her body was discovered on Ash Wednesday in the Queen’s Park Savannah near the Queen’s Royal College.

Desperadoes 2016 Victory Celebration: ”Nobody Badder Than We”

On Sunday 14th February, 2016, the 2016 National Panorama champions of Trinidad & Tobago, WITCO Desperadoes Steel Orchestra, proudly presented their trophy to Laventille residents during a motorcade throughout the community starting from Picadilly Street. This band now has eleven Panorama titles making it the band with the most titles in the history of the National Panorama Competition. This year also marked the fiftieth anniversary since the band’s first victory in 1966.

Courts Sound Specialists 2009 Christmas Party

The Courts Sounds Specialists Steel Orchestra held their Christmas Party on Sunday 20th December, 2009, at their panyard in Eastern Quarry Laventille. Included in the celebrations which involved treats to the kids in the community was the launch of the Courts Sound Specialist Youth Steel Orchestra.

Panaide – The Benefit Concert

On Thursday 17th December, 2009, “Panaide – The Benefit Concert” was hosted by the newly formed Panaide Foundation at the Neal and Massy Trinidad All Stars Steel Orchestra panyard in Port of Spain. Sponsored steelbands in Port-of-Spain and environs performed with the aim of raising funds to assist unsponsored bands in that geographical location.

Rudolph Edwards: Journey with Desperados

Mr. Rudolph Edwards has offered, in this piece, his history and the history of his involvement in the internationally acclaimed steelband movement, Desperados. Mr. Edwards is one of the founding fathers of the Desperadoes pan organization and has enjoyed many victories with this pan-side. Along with his outstanding awards and achievements, it has been said that Mr. Edwards is the oldest and longest playing panman around. Surely, his contributions in terms of his commitment to the Desperados pan movement as well as the pan movement in general must be recognized. Mr. Edwards now shares with us his journey with the Desperados pan movement and some of his life lessons acquired along the way.

‘Bertie’ Marshall Speaks on the Steelpan

Bertie Marshall (1936- ) is one of Trinidad and Tobago’s living icons who has made an invaluable contribution to the evolution of the steelpan instrument. Marshall, an adept pan-tunist, introduced several fixtures and accompaniments to the instrument that are evident today such as the canopy, and the popular double tenor pans. He is also responsible for other innovations made to the pan such as the introduction of the chromatic scales to the instrument and adding a “keyboard face” to the pan for greater proficiency. Bertie Marshall was also the leader of the “Armed Forces” band and later ascended in the ranks of the band “Highlanders” and became captain, as well as its tuner and arranger.