N&M T'dad All Stars shining brighter
Posted: Tuesday, February 14, 2006
by Terry Joseph
Members of a rhythm section do their thing on Sunday at the North Stand of the Queen's Park Savannah, Port of Spain, during Panorama semi-finals.
Neal & Massy Trinidad All Stars not only retained supremacy among the large conventional steel orchestras at Sunday's National Panorama semifinals, but shone even brighter, extending its distance from the nearest contender.
In a marathon event that stretched diehards from well before 9 a.m. on Sunday to circa 3 o'clock the following morning, 45 orchestras fielding some 4,000 pannists performed for three separate adjudication panels and over 15,000 steelband music fans in an incident-free second-round playoff at the Queen's Park Savannah, Port of Spain.
The continuing tribute to (the late) master arranger Clive Bradley presented the small and medium band categories (14 of each configuration) the opportunity to drum out their aspirations. Seventeen large conventional orchestras performed the same ritual, at the end of which Pan Trinbago announced the 24 groups (eight from each category) that will advance to next weekend's final.
Playing in the penultimate position with a maximum complement of 120 members, Trinidad All Stars came to the stage shortly after 1.30 a.m. and cleanly executed a Leon "Smooth" Edwards arrangement of De Fosto's "Soca Warriors" to cull 454 points, leaving second-placed Phase II Pan Groove trailing by nine, although the Woodbrook band now sits well ahead of bpTT Renegades with whom it tied at the end of the preliminary round.
In fact, Renegades only slimly secured inclusion in the final eight, slipping from second to seventh position, scoring 19 points below Phase II's 446. Witco Desperadoes notched up to third berth but now find themselves 12 points behind Trinidad All Stars, while PCS Starlift moved up to fourth.
The success story of the large bands semi-final, though, was Sagicor Exodus, who was slotted at second to last position among the 17 orchestras playing the preliminary round but leapt to fifth place, although still some considerable distance behind even the lowest of the top four. Both Tobago bands in this category have been eliminated, as was the case with Bucconeers, the lone second-round qualifier from the Sister Isle in the medium band class.
Topping the heap of medium sized orchestras (minimum 60/maximum 90 players), scaling past first-round leaders HCL Valley Harps and Clico Sforzata, was Sound Specialists of Laventille, its work on Ken "Professor" Philmore's treatment of Destra's "Colours Again" earning the band 455.5 points, eight and a half ahead of the new second-position holder (up from fourth), Excellent Store Silver Stars; who played Edwin Pouchet's arrangement of Eunice Peters' "High on the Pan".
Sforzata dropped to third place and Valley Harps to fourth in the reshuffle, while Parry's Pan School moved up to fifth, displacing Arima Angel Harps. Harmonites and Sangre Grande Cordettes also switched positions (the latter now seventh) to take the remaining two slots in the final round of the medium category.
Among the small bands (35 to 55 players), Merrytones, playing Destra's "Colours Again" (arranged by Seion Gomez) raced up from its fourth position at the end of the prelims to cop top spot with 435 points, pushing first-round leader Siparia Deltones to third, while Pan Elders retained its second place as they go into the final.
Crescendoes Musical, under arranger (and former Desperadoes captain) Curtis Edwards, stayed at fourth position but Tamana Pioneers moved from the cellar slot among the 14 entrants to earn fifth place, with Fascinators Pan Symphony, Starland and Southern Marines Steelband Foundation now nudged down to fill the final three berths in the eight-band final.
Single Pan bands will play their semi-final round from 6 p.m. this Friday outside City Hall in Port of Spain, qualifiers joining small bands for the ultimate playoff, which takes place at the Downtown venue, South Quay, on Wednesday, February 22, from 6 p.m. Medium and large conventional orchestras have their final on Carnival Saturday night at the Queen's Park Savannah.
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