Carnival Tuesday, masquerade

On Carnival Tuesday I was awoken at 6am by convoys of large trucks going by. They were the DJ trucks and support trucks (bathrooms, bars, etc) of the large "mas" bands for the day. Tuesday morning begins the big day for the modern large "mas" bands. These are the ones that include the most "bikinis and beads" such as is popular in Brazil Carnival. This is big business and attracts tourists and Trinis alike. Though I'm told there was more of the traditional "mas" themes this year (indians, sailors, devils, etc.) there is also the concern that the old traditions are dying out.
There are a lot of pictures so I'm spreding them out over a few posts

big costumes

The big costumes, sometimes called "king" or "queen" costumes are amazing!
Here are some being set up on a side road.
also some from the road. The last one is the back of the costume of the man in the white with blue jacket and 3 corner hat.

Steelbands on the road

Pictures of Desperados steelband and Exodus steelband. Exodus was using 2 trucks running alongside each other.

sailor mas

Sailors have been a tradition for a long time. Originally mocking the British or whatever European country that was in power, but taking on the US Navy after WW2.

“Fancy Sailors” take the sailor theme and elaborate on it.

Also a pic of a sailor. The briefcase is a way that is used to add importance to the masquerader.

Some steelbands have always held the “sailor mas” tradition. Here you can see the Pan Knights from up Laventile hill, who followed the Trinidad All Stars, amidst a sea of sailors. (Do you like my metaphor?)

Some traditions "mas" styles

Here are some of the traditional "mas" styles. Every one of these have a history I'm only beginning to learn.

Some minstrels; or you might say reverse minstrels, blacks playing whites playing blacks. I only saw this mural and not the real thing.

A "wild Indian."

Devil mas. These I think are bats.

bikinis and beads

A picture of my companions for the day, (not the ladies)
Also a trio af masquaraders.

J'ouvet and Carnival

For J'ouvet and Carnival the steelbands go out "on de road" on large floats that are built specifically for steelbands. The people or supporters will "chip" along which means they're basiclly stepping to the beat of the tune the band is playing. Realize that the band starts playing the tune, sometimes it's the Panorama tune, or sometimes it's the "road tune," which is an quickly learned tune, just a verse and chorus usually, and they'll play that tune for 2 to 3 hours straight! Non stop!
Though a still picture doesn't capture the "chipping" of the supporters, here is one anyway. Also some of the band on the float.

J'ouvet

J'ouvet means (I think) break of day. Someone who knows French might be able to say for sure. J'ouvet is the official opening of Carnival. It starts at 4am and is in many ways the most traditional "mas." ("mas" as in masquerade) The steelbands go out and as far as I know there are not supposed to be any DJ trucks. Revellers will tend towards the wilder side, a lot of "devil mas" and blue and black paint, or even mud are used. It's common to find yourself covered or smeared with paint, mud, oil or, something I think is new and very creative, chocolate. I confess, that by staying on the steelband float and playing the whole time, I avoid the mud thing. However that isn't always the case.
Notice the picture of Dylan, 13 years old, playing pan next to me who smelled of chocolate.
Also some pics of a large crowd of blue paint and some mud revelers.

The school where we set up

Here are pics of the school where the band was setting up.

packing and unpacking pans

Here are pictures of pans being unpacked for Panorama. No padding in those cases. Of course the tuner was traveling with us.

Here's an interesting thing about life and pan playing here. It seems as the racks were being transported down to San Fernando for the Panorama, the rhythm stand, the taller stand in the middle of the band, where the drums and percussion are centered, fell and was severely damaged. When we got there that afternoon they were welding it back together. The spot where I hung my pan to play wasn’t the same and my pan was hanging at an angle. Not too bad though, nothing to complain about. Everyone had their hands full.
2 pics of them rebuilding the stand, although late in the process. I didn’t see any MAJOR reconstruction.
Another pic of someone tuning their iron (like a brake drum) with a blow torch.

Finals!!!

Phase 2 lost by 2 points. Check out http://www.panonthenet.com/tnt/2007/summary.htm to see results and hear samples of the bands. (Mostly just the introductions).
We are all disappointed. Being so close it seems we should have had it. Everyone has ideas of what went wrong. I have some too, but it would be unwise to speak them so soon on an open forum. Passions are still too high. Either way, I think most feel that it should have been ours. Some say that the judges would never let us have the championship 3 times in a row, the "hat-trick" as they say.
Sometimes, when onstage, the "magic" just happens, and EVERYONE feels swept away by the music. That has almost happened in practice. But when it happens in performance, there is no questioning it. But to get there requires work and discipline. And even then it's unpredictable. Sometimes you got it...
Either way the experience is really quite beyond explanation. This, and last years, are up in the ranks of the most exciting performances of my life. Many things are involved that take it up to that level. The location, the crowds surrounding you as you play, the hype that you see in the media, and not least of all the talk, the “vibe” of the band and its supporters, up to and including the “psyching up” and the energy onstage right into the count off, the “knocking” on the pan by Boogsie as he gives us the start. It IS intoxicating!

I've included some pictures. There's me and Rayann, who played next to me on the rhythm stand, (where the drum set, congas and iron play). There's also one of pushing the racks onto the stage. It was a long push from where we assembled the band to the stage.

getting close to finals

We're in the final strech to Panorama finals. Things are tense in the panyard. There's a feeling of confidence, that we'll win. But that can be dangerous. OR, it could be just what is needed to give the performance that extra edge. If you're feeling strong, and you DON'T make careless mistakes, you can play with a flare and a passion that might be missing if you feel cautious. Then you're fully into making music happen. I'll try to get pictures soon. I still can't get audio online, but I do have some. The video is really no good so that's out too.

more Junior Panorama

Here'a pic of the St. Augustine band

Junior Panorama

I also went to the Junior Panorama competition. This is a competition of school bands. Schools around the area have bands that may or may not be connected to their music classes. They run the competition much like the big Panorama.
One band I followed as I knew some of the members from Highlanders Steelband was the Success Stars from Success Vilage in Laventille, Port of Spain. The arranger was a 13 year old girl! Very impressive! She’s someone to watch for in the future. They’re the band in red with blue pans. I heard others including the winners who were from St. Augustine, (and using Exodus Steelband Pans). I also followed the Woodbrook Government School who practice at the Invaders Panyard and use their pans. Invaders of course were one of the original bands in the Woodbrook community which is where Ellie Mannette played and came up with his pioneering instrument designs.

Single pan band competition

I went to the Single Pan Band competition. That used to be the "Pan around the Neck." This is traditional pan bands meaning each instrument consists of a single pan. A bass is one barrel, a cello pan is one barrel, a second pan is one barrel. Of course the instrument has developed a lot and the individual instruments have expanded to full chromatic voices, whereas the “single pans” will have a limited number of notes. There just isn’t space for all the notes in a chromatic scale on the lower voices. Sometimes the limitations necessitate the greatest creativity.

Videos

I won't be able to post videos at this time. The camera I have available doesn't work well. I'm checking on other possibilities. I could also use the web cam but I cannot take that places easily.

pics of Panorama

The Desperados have the coolest racks for their pans.

Other pics are of the pans being transported to the Savana for Semi-finals

The latest

I've mentioned that Phase 2 won the semi-finals by a point and a half. There is full listing of scores on the website on the right. Being on top is a precarious position. We could be too confident; possibly lacking the fear that drives one to push beyond their expectations. Either way we must work to hold the lead and take it to victory. I tried to record a run-thru from Sat. night, but it didn’t work. As I was up on the rhythm stand in a prime spot, I wasn’t really free to devote time to the technology. I was supposed to play!
As for other information about this trip. I'm sorry I cannot get more information, pictures, video and audio, online. First of all, taking pictures or video can be seen as intrusive; not for a player but expected of tourists. For example, the tuners were tuning before semis. However they don't allow photos or any interruptions. I watched last year as some filmmakers tried to get film of the tuners and they were essentially sent away. This would be very informative and (I think) interesting to see. The process of tuning is almost like watching magic. How they do it is incredible. BUT... I'll try and find sources for folks to get some experience of this. Of course in Aug. and Sept. at Mt Morris there will be live experience of this.
We started learning a tune “for the road.” That’s what we play during Carnival Mon. and Tues. The tune is much easier and we just learn it by watching the lead player in each section and joining in. It’s just a verse and chorus. This one is a Jackson 5 tune from what, 1970? Old R and B tunes are a big hit. They also work well on pan.

Some culture and beach

Culture. I'm trying to show more and will continue to do so. I'm trying to get my feet here, how to get around safely and such. I got myself to another beach. This one is Maracas beach. This is a place mostly for locals and not so much for tourists. The beach is big and has lots of facilities for parties and bar-b-ques. Also it’s known for the "bake and shark" which is a coconut bread (bake) and shark meat served as a sandwich. All is cooked fresh in a deep fryer. Though it's all fried, it's quite good! There is a selection of things there to put on your sandwich, peppers, pepper sauce, a mango chutney, (my favorite) some BBQ sauces, tomatoes and greens, fresh pineapple and such. The place is very popular on Ash Wednesday, the day after Carnival, when all of Port of Spain goes there to picnic and rest.
Travel to and from the beach is by Maxi-Taxi, a minivan/microbus kind of thing that is part of an extensive public transport system. You have to know where to get it as it isn’t published anywhere I’ve seen. The cost is about $9TT, about $1.50US each way. The ride through the mountains is wild, no guardrails and very narrow roads. You get used to it.
Sorry, no pictures. My camera batteries died.

Phase 2 wins Semifinals!

Taking the stage at 2:20am Sunday night (Mon. morning really) as the second last band to play, Phase 2 won the semi-finals at 280 points, 1 and 1/2 points above 2nd place All Stars. More later!!

band scores and info

For more information on Panorama national steelband competition scores try the link on the right.

Some beach

OK, so I got to a beach. After 8 days I thought it wasn't too soon. The beach is Macqueripe on the northwest coast. It was taken over and developed by US servicemen in WW2 when they pretty much took over that corner of the island for a navy base. It's just a bit run down now but it was beautiful to me. We hiked through the rainforest to get there; a bit of a climb over the ridge. We heard howler monkeys in the distance. That is a spooky sound. It would frighten me at night. Then again I wouldn't want to be out in the jungle at night anyway. My companions are Josh from Michigan and Fidel, son of Charlie Pinder, leader of Highlanders. You guess which is which.
From on top of the ridge we could se dolphins jumping in the bay. My camera could never catch that.

Phase 2 panyard and pans

Here are some pics of Phase 2 panyard and pans.