Four-time national Panorama champion Republic Bank Exodus Steel Orchestra is holding firm to its decision not to reattach canopies to its pan racks for its appearances at this year’s national Panorama competition, says general manager and leader Ainsworth Mohammed.
Nine years after the celebrated steel orchestra took the scientifically sound decision to remove the heavy metal roofs (canopies) to perform at the celebrated pan music contest in Carnival, conceptualised and produced by Pan Trinbago, the jury was still out on whether the move was prudent, as the music world waited to see if any conventional bands, particularly those in the category large, would follow suit, stated a release from Exodus.
The objective back then, said Ainsworth Mohammed, was to allow greater clarity in the musical outpouring to be heard not only by the panel of expert music adjudicators, but for the listening pleasure of the wider audience, too.
South/Central-based Hatters Steel Orchestra, back in the 80s reportedly thrilled steelpan music lovers on a Panorama final night appearing without canopies. In 1991, BP Renegades removed its canopies at the final round. The Charlotte Street power-house placed second playing Christopher “Tambu” Herbert’s Rant and Rave arranged by the late Jit Samaroo.
But the decision by Exodus’ leadership did not occur by vaps, said Mohammed. The Exodus executive reached out to University of the West Indies steelband research engineer Dr Derek Gay for guidance.
Mohammed recalled Gay’s findings revealed that the move which was actually a reversal of the well-entrenched practice during the golden age of pan, had a place in the modern era of the Panorama also.
Citing that sound was affected in two ways, the scientist deduced that vibrations from the steel girders, when removed, created less background noise.
Exodus was also advised to do away with its nine and 12 basses, which were thought to be passive resonators. In Gay’s expert view, reducing the configuration of instruments allowed for a better distribution of sound to Exodus’ benefit.
Almost a decade on, Mohammed maintained the position that the use of canopies originated as a shield from the impact of the Carnival sun as recorded in the annals of history when the late legendary pan maker/tuner Bertie Marshall used them to protect highly-tuned instruments belonging to Hilanders from the hurt of the heat.
Implementing the band’s new look and sound was made easier by the quick buy-in of the band’s performing cast, said Mohammed.
He said:
“Every year, we test the decibel levels of Exodus against levels of other bands. Those tests prove we are not at all disadvantaged. Canopies were introduced for sun and rain: not acoustics. They are not used for any other event but Panorama. Where in the world do musicians play under a canopy? The removal of the canopy doesn’t lessen your decibel level. Without the bounce of the sound waves against a canopy, the sound is clearer. We tied the racks as closely as possible for a concert type presentation with almost each row of pans at different elevations. And we added an acoustic shell at the back of the band.”
Mohammed continued, “People will eventually come around to it one day. No one wants to seem to be following Exodus. Panorama, while it is first a business of sound, is a business of showmanship. A huge part of the Panorama is the player: the movement of pan people (when in the spotlight); the panmanship is crucial to the entertainment aesthetic. The players don’t mind playing at the back of the band. They are elevated. They can see the audience. The audience can see them.”
The steelband leader went on to laud the sterling contributions of pan maker/tuners Anthony Williams, Leo Coker, Wallace Austin (deceased) Herman Guppy (deceased) Lincoln Noel, Ellie Mannette and Bertrand Kellman.
Their contributions to the global music landscape, he said, in just 50 to 60 years using discarded oil drums, was amazing, and for that the national musical instrument is internationally known and still spreading.
“We owe those pan tuners a great debt. Panorama should be television friendly. The canopies are a hindrance to the international viewing public. We have all spectrums of society involved in the pan…all levels of the society. People who can represent themselves in any business forum, but people don’t appreciate it. We have to take some blame for that. We take it for granted. It’s like the weather. We have great weather in the Caribbean. People pay to come and experience it, but crime is affecting us all. Was it not for crime, the Caribbean would have been benefiting from more tourists dollars and the steelpan would have been a key enabler of that attraction,” Mohammed said.