Posts

Showing posts from May, 2023

Kendall K. Williams receives PhD from Princeton University - Congratulations!

Image
Kendall K. Williams at the Princeton Graduate Hooding and Recognition Ceremony When Steel Talks extends congratulations to Kendall K. Williams on his achieving his doctorate degree in music from Princeton University.  We are immensely proud of you... Kendall Williams Related content: Meet Kendall Williams 1000 Shades of Kendall Williams - Composer, Arranger, Performing Artist and Educator CrossFire Steel Orchestra - Outta Da Box - Tempo Mix - Kendall Williams More @  kendallkwilliams.com

Panorama Skills on the Home Front? NO, MEMORIAL DAY

Image
  Panorama Skills on the Home Front? NO, MEMORIAL DAY 2020 by panist and Vietnam veteran Dalton Narine Global - ....Grandfather was flown back to Venezuela, and later Trinidad, where they named Gonzales, Belmont, after him. Rudolph Charles [“Charlo”] insisted that I was born on the Laventille Hill. Little did he know I was born in Gonzales, a ritual for all our families. Charlo must have meant conceived, not born. Anyway, in Vietnam, I was in the trenches, too — defensive perimeters made up of wire, mines, machine guns, sandbags and bunkers. I spoke to Grandfather one night when my company was expecting the Viet Cong (VC) to roll in. These night devils would disrupt your sleep in a minute. So I meditated with him as if he were prayers sent by the Almighty. I felt relieved. On the battlefield, we played a game of survival, young uninformed Trini-American soldiers. See complete article 

Pan Trinbago Proposed Original Headquarters Model - WST News

Image
If it ever gets built, this is a possible model of what the Pan Trinbago's headquarters would look like This a model of the original controversial proposed new headquarters of Pan Trinbago in Trinidad as captured by When Steel Talks. Pan Trinbago is the governing organization for steelpan music matters in Trinidad and Tobago. Relevant content Pan Trinbago President: We will complete headquarters on our own PM: Govt will build pan headquarters  - 2001 

Singer Tina Turner has died at 83

Image
  Tina Tuner "Tina Turner, the Queen of Rock and Roll, passed away peacefully today at the age of 83 after a long illness at her home in Küsnacht, in Zurich, Switzerland 

PM: Govt will build pan headquarters by Terry Joseph

Image
PM: Govt will build pan headquarters Sunday Express - November 18, 2001 EVEN as he handed over instruments of ownership of a parcel of land valued at some $9 million to Pan Trinbago, Prime Minister Basdeo Panday yesterday said Government would fund the cost of constructing the pan body's headquarters on the site.  He was, at the time, delivering the feature address at a ceremony on site to mark the occasion. "You come up with the plan for your headquarters and I will find the money to build it." Panday also pledged Government's financial support for next July's World Steelband Music Festival.  The eight-acre parcel, situated off the westbound lane of the Churchill Roosevelt Highway (Orange Grove Estate) near Trincity Mall, was acquired from Caroni 1975 Ltd. In addition to Pan Trinbago's headquarters, the building will house a performance centre and offices for the body's eastern region.  Saying pan would become even swee

Hells Gate Steel Orchestra 2023 Panorama Launch "The Meeting Place"

Image
  Hells Gate Steel Orchestra 2023 Panorama Launch Come feel the heat where Steelbands meet! The Caribbean Union Bank Hells Gate Steel Orchestra presents its Panorama Launch entitled "The Meeting Place" on Saturday, June 3rd, at 7:30 p.m. at the Villa Primary School. Join us as we gather for an action-packed kickoff to the Panorama season with guest performances from Panache, Harmonites, Original, West Side Symphony, and many more. Admission is $25 for adults and $15 for children under the age of 16. Food and drinks will be on sale. Don’t miss this session, meet we down dey! Time:  June 3, 2023  from 7:30pm to 11:45pm Location:  Villa Primary School Street:  Amy Byers Street City/Town:  St John's, Antigua & Barbuda Website or Map:  https://www.panonthenet.com/h… Phone:  2684624137 Event Type:  launch Organized By: Hells Gats Steel Orchestra

Gustav Holst - The Planets - Mars, the Bringer of War | NYU STEEL | NYU Steel 2023 Spring Concert

Image
    Mars Bringer of War | NYU STEEL | NYU Steel 2023 Spring Concert Josh Quillen - conductor When Steel Talks captures NYU Steel performing The Planets - Mars, the Bringer of War by Gustav Holst -  arranged by Mia Gormandy-Benjamin at the 2023 NYU Steel Spring concert. Captured at the New York University's Frederick Loewe Theatre Related content NYU Steel Josh Quillen and Kendall K. Williams , Directors NYU Steel members Benji Prickett Jacky Xu Brendan Williams Tom Cobb Shane Corwin Abigail Rodriguez Tim Topoly Nicholas Urbanic Adriana Harrison Grace Sprecher Ryan Learned Abigail Morrissey Carter Way Jessie Ong Xingyu Guan Shun Kodaira Lopez McKenzie Squires Jessica Diaz Shiqi Zhong Pei Hsien Lu Nancy Pan Debra Amata Abby Davis

Pan In Motion at NYU Steel Concert

Image

Party Tonight - Pan in Motion Steel Orchestra at NYU Steel 2023 Spring Concert

Image
  Pan In Motion Steel Orchestra When Steel Talks captures Pan in Motion Steel Orchestra performing the classic "Party Tonight" by Clive Bradley, arranged by Kendal K. Williams at the 2023 NYU Steel Spring concert. Captured at the New York University's Frederick Loewe Theatre Related content “Ah Goin’ An’ Party Tonite” | Lord Nelson | 1982 Performances of Masterful Steelband Arrangements by the Legendary Clive Bradley Desperadoes Steel Orchestra - “Party Tonight” | Clive Bradley | Trinidad & Tobago Panorama 1982

Be Afraid, Be Very Afraid... Unless you have the number one pick

Image
  Victor Wembanyama The New King on the Block? Victor Wembanyama He is widely projected to be the first overall pick in the 2023 NBA draft and is considered one of the greatest prospects of his generation

When Steel Talks extends condolences to the family and friends of former Pan Trinbago president and panist Patrick Arnold, on his passing

Image
Patrick Arnold has passed Patrick Arnold Growing up in Tobago, Arnold began playing the steelpan with the Symphony Stars Steelband at the young age of twelve and, very soon after, was playing with the band at hotels and other venues in Tobago. Following a dispute, he was expelled from Symphony along with Lennard Nelson, Neville Defreitas, Ronald Campbell, Cecil Louis, and Earnest Lyons.  With the money received by some of the expelled members from Symphony, three oil drums were purchased for the formation of a new steelband. Arnold was elected as the captain of the new steelband and he chose the name " Our Boys " while he was attending St. Mary's College in Trinidad and came upon the name in a magazine.  Attending high school in Trinidad, Arnold played pan with the Casablanca Steelband where he became interested in tuning pans after observing the work of band members Oscar Pyle and Patsy Haynes . He later moved over to the Invaders Steelband where he was able to learn t

When Steel Talks extends Happy Birthday greetings to world-renowned master bassist Bakithi Kumalo

Image
Bakithi Kumalo recording at Basement Recordings Bassist Bakithi Kumalo Bakithi Kumalo is one of the iconic bass players in the world. He is a featured bassist on the ground-breaking music production "Belle Eau Road Blues" by panist Garvin Blake . Found at the heart and soul of modern-day anthems that have shaped our sense of music and culture as we know it, award-winning, multi-instrumentalist Bakithi Kumalo (Bah-Gee-Tee Koo-Ma-Low) is ranked among the top 50 bass players in the world by Bass Player Magazine. With a career spent touring alongside artists including Hugh Masekela , the Grateful Dead, Sting, Stevie Wonder, John Legend, Gloria Estefan, Derek Trucks, Miriam Makeba, and many others, his abilities extend to his solo work as a singer, percussionist, pianist and songwriter—in addition to his bass playing—presenting a culmination of diverse influences from th

Rudolph Commissiong - a pioneer of steelband music - Arranger & Captain of Esso Dixie Stars - UpClose!

Image
  When Steel Talks - Reboot Meet Rudolph Commissiong - a pioneer of steelband music - Arranger & Captain of Esso Dixie Stars - UpClose! by Rudolph Commissiong Rudy Commissiong, captain of Esso Dixie Stars is on left. Steve Dupres - at centre - was the arranger and player of the “Echophones” made by [Herman] “Rock” Johnston, who's at right in picture - photo © Lawford Dupres   Global -  "One day during rehearsals I took a break and walked through the terrace, which was part of the building at the back and side of the nightclub to a bar, which I thought was part of the hotel, and called Casey’s Bar. There were about half a dozen white men drinking and talking. I ordered a beer. The bartender stood there rather frozen, then one of the men who I assumed knew who I was told the bartender something about the band. The bartender then said: “OK, but you will have to take it with you.

Were You There When...

Image
Ralph McDonald, David Rudder, Robert Greenidge performed at Lincoln Center New York New York - Pannist Robert Greenidge, percussionist Ralph MacDonald, keyboardist Onaje Allan Gumbs, drummer Buddy Williams, saxophonist Arturo Tappin, guitarist Scott Galt, bassist Nicholas Brancker, trumpeter Etienne Charles, vocalists Rhea and David Rudder commanded the attention of the audience at Jazz at Lincoln Center's Allen Room on Saturday June 16, 2007. It was a musical aggregation looked forward to by many, one that fulfilled expectations, and that prompted a sell-out of tickets to the event at least two weeks prior. The people in attendance had discerning palates when it comes to Caribbean culture, and by the end of the evening their appetites were fully sated. But maybe if you ask the 'Rudderites' who were in attendance, they would tell you that they were still ravenous

Big Up to the graduate and Happy Birthday to Mom

Image
 When Steel Talks extends congratulations to scholars and standout panists Jona and Angela... Angela and Jona Relevant content Steelpan Mom and Daughter - Then & Now Meet Angela Howard - Brooklyn, New York

‘Godfather of AI’ leaves Google, warns of tech’s dangers - AP Technology Reports

Image
By MATT O'BRIEN and WYATTE GRANTHAM-PHILIPS Computer scientist Geoffrey Hinton, who studies neural networks used in artificial intelligence applications, poses at Google's Mountain View, Calif, headquarters on Wednesday, March 25, 2015. Hinton, the man widely considered as the “godfather” of artificial intelligence, has left Google — with a message sharing his concerns about potential dangers stemming from the same technology he helped build. (AP Photo/Noah Berger) WASHINGTON (AP) — Sounding alarms about artificial intelligence has become a popular pastime in the ChatGPT era, taken up by high-profile figures as varied as industrialist Elon Musk, leftist intellectual Noam Chomsky and the 99-year-old retired statesman Henry Kissinger. But it’s the concerns of insiders in the AI research community that are attracting particular atte

Legendary panist Robert Greenidge speaks on the Rudolph Charles version and origin of the Triple-Second steelpan

Image
A When Steel Talks Exclusive   “About the triple-second; yes, Rudolph came up with the Idea when we wanted to extend the range of the double seconds so we could get lower notes. But he went even further, and came up with the Quadrophonics using four drums and even a wider range, to play melodies and harmonies. So that took the place of the triple-second. Even though I still have my set and use them when I am doing recording sessions. I think D’Radoes uses them; also Despers in NY - But Desperadoes in Trini does not use them..."   Robert Greenidge See complete special