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T&T Newsday, by JOAN RAMPERSAD Tuesday, January 29 2008
Picture: PAN IN A VENGEANCE: This panman was all smiles
as he performed with Phase II Pan Groove in Sunday's
Panorama semi-finals at the Queen's Park Savannah....
REIGNING Panorama champions Neal & Massy All Stars
continued their dominance of this year’s Panorama
competition when the band garnered 468 points in a
pulsating performance at the Panorama semis at the
Queen’s Park Savannah on Sunday — 8.5 points clear of
second-placed Phase II Pan Groove.
All Stars gave an exciting performance of “Thunder
Coming,” arranged by Leon “Smooth” Edwards that had the
crowd thoroughly entertained throughout its performance.
When Phase II arranger Len “Boogsie” Sharpe gave the
count to start the performance of “Musical Vengeance,”
his players gave a polished and almost flawless
rendition.
The combination of Sharpe and Ray Holman, the band’s
drill master, appeared to be unbeatable until All Stars
played.
Placing third was Sagicor Exodus who once again played
with its canopies off and gave a concert — style
performance of “Puncernelly”, arranged by Pelham
Goddard. They received 455 points, one more than
newcomer to the large band category, Silver Stars, who
played an Edwin Pouchet arrangement of “Thunder Coming”.
The crowd was of the general view that this band had the
best thunder-roll of the competition.
WITCO Desperadoes was musically sweet with an excellent
execution of Robbie Greenidge’s arrangement of “The Ten
Commandments of Pan.” But the ten-time Panorama
champions had to settle for fifth position with 450
points, while nine-time champions bp Renegades could
only muster 445.5 points for sixth place.
The other two bands which will be going into Saturday’s
final in Skinner Park, San Fernando in the large band
category are RBTT Redemption Sound Setters (444.5 points)
from Tobago and from the South/Central region, Tropical
Angel Harps (442 points).
As in the preliminaries, Courts Sound Specialists of
Laventille once again gave arranger Ken “Professor”
Philmore exactly what he wanted from them, resulting in
the band’s first place in the medium band category.
Their playing of “Hooked” sung by Destra earned them
444.5 points.
Placing second was one of three Tobago bands going into
the finals, Steel Xplosion (443 points). They played
arranger Brian “Bean” Griffith’s “Get Down”. The other
two Tobago bands which will be moving on to the finals
are Carib Dixieland (419.5 points) and NLCB Bucooneers
(414 points).
Putting huge smiles on the faces of the crowd was
conductor of the Sangre Grande Cordettes, Anders Koppel.
It was funny to see the Danish citizen’s effort at Latin
dancing while the band played “Latin On De Court,”
arranged by Dennis Noel. They placed fifth with 427
points.
Large Band finalists
1. Neal & Massy Trinidad All Stars - 468
2. Phase II Pan Groove - 459.5
3. Sagicor Exodus - 455
4. Silver Stars - 451
5. WITCO Desperadoes - 450
6. bp Renegades - 445.5
7. RBTT Redemption Sound Setters - 444.5
8. Tropical Angel Harps - 442
Medium Band finalists
1. Courts Sound Specialists of Laventille - 444.5
2. Steel Xplosion - 443
3. HCL Valley Harps - 435
4. CLICO Sforzata - 433
5. Sangre Grande Cordettes - 427
6. Carib Dixieland - 419.5
7. Arima Angel Harps - 414.5
8. NLCB Buccaneers - 414 |
