We start on the far left, with (half) a 'high cello rack', that holds 3 sets of 3 cellos. Under the mango tree is a loopy single '9 bass rack' in the background, with a singles '6 bass rack' in front of it.

  In the middle is the monster 'rhythm float', with loopy hangings around the sides for the lead-pans. Note the number plate, XBH5613; this allows it to be legally 'on the road', provided the 'paper work' is up to date. Peculiar to TT road licensing only, the 'X' in the numberplate denotes a 'Steelband Transport Device'.

  Next along in the near view is a 'melody rack', 4 rows of players deep, and 4 pan instruments wide; you can do the math. On the far right, a single '6 bass rack' is parked in front of another 'high cello rack'. Other 'racks' are scattered in the grass, in an empty lot, across the road from Hatters panyard.

  So there you get a flavour of some 'pan racks'.

  Hatters, going through a little lean period here, are in 'Preliminarys' practice mode. This means that their racks are not arrayed as they would be on stage; as they may cluster them by 'type', so that players may learn the tune from each other, and practice together.

  It's not often that you can get a clear view of the front racks of a band, so you can see what's in there; as they are usually blocked by a long row of 'crack shot' lead players fronting the band with 'pan stands'.

  Seen from the left; the 9 basses; the high 3-cellos; a string of melody racks; three quadro racks that we have not seen before, one behind the other; and finishing with a 9 bass at the end. The 6 and 4 basses will be around at the back row.

  The melody racks will be populated with the single and the double-pan instruments. With the lead pans; tenors, double tenors and double seconds, mixed as required, to the front of the rack. The mid-pans; the two-guitar (double guitar or also called the 2-cellos) pans, populating the back of the melody racks.

  When the band goes stage-side, the configuration will change. The 9-basses will book-end the band at the flanks; then the high 3-cellos next in. So on with the 'onion peel' idea, the melody racks come next. The quads will be split to each side of the central melody rack. The back row, still flanked by the two 9's deep; will have the 6 basses next in; then the 4's; with the Engine Room, rhythm float as usual, in the middle.

  Other steelbands, with different sets of instruments, will however follow a similar sort of 'outer bass to inner mids' arrangement when they set up. A 'large' steelband can be two to three racks deep; taking up the whole width of a Panorama stage. But the main high rhythm float is always in the middle of the band.

  Don't forget the flagwoman or flagman of a TT steelband. They are an integral part of the steelband tradition. They should be waving colourful embellished flags that sport the essence of the steelbands name. As we see here with this Trinidad All Stars version. And we should recall that flag waving here, is a TT dynamic art form. Though somewhat forgotten of late.

  I purposely regress with a very fond memory. Trinidad All Stars, by tradition, always seemed to lead the field with their outstanding flag and flagbearers antics. They once had an immensely large and round flagman. He was always immaculately dressed. The flag he carried was red, embraided with gold and blue, was so thickly covered, had so much tassel, that you would think he brandished a carpet. When the music started, he would duck-walk the stage in a bobbing rhythmic way, surround himself in an arching glow of reflected sparkle and light, as he effortlessly whirled the mighty flag, spinning it like the propellor of a large steam ship. He was absolutely magnificent. This grand fellow has since passed.

  Beware of false flags. Flags should have short but sturdy poles, just as seen in this flagwomans hands. Any other construct, is out of order.

  To notice here, at the left of the front line is a single large shiny pan. This is the Lead or soprano pan of the Genesis type. In front of 'Boogsie' and at the nearer end of the line, are pairs of large pans again; these are the Double or seconds of the Genesis type. The type are also known as G pans.

  Genesis pans are oversize pans made of sheet metal. Their face is of special steel specific to steelpan note manufacture. The drums are made at a facility close the University of the West Indies (UWI), Trinidad, where the drums were first developed by Dr. Brian Copeland with the help of the master steelpan maker/tuner Bertrand 'Birch' Kelman.

  The suite of Genesis instruments were conceived and designed, from the start, to contain all necessary steelpan voices to form a complete, stand alone, steelband. The Genesis suite comprises 4 steelpan voices. The Lead (soprano), a single pan; the Double (seconds), a pair of pans; the Mids (mid-range), 4 pans; and the Bass (bass), 6 pans.

  Despers unique Rocket Pan, an experimental 6 pan voice that remains only within the Despers pan fraternity. According to arranger Robert Greenidge, who was a young player with Desperados at the time; says he was the first panman to play the instrument made by the talented tuner and tenacious bandleader Rudolph Charles, now deceased (RIP 1985). Charles was later eulogised by TT calypsonian David Rudder in the tribute song The Hammer (1986).

  Ranging from low tenor, through double guitar, to high bass; Greenidge explains it was conceived by Charles to be 3 instruments in one. Others describe it as having a barking sound. The cones were only added later, as an exercise in acoustic engineering; to ostensibly make the voice 'woosch' some more.

  In actual use, the cones are an integral part of the pan-rack; and the drums, which are separate, are placed into their holders for playing. In the picture shown, the lower 3 cones have been removed from this pan rack.

Woman on the Bass

  Scrunter (Irwin Reyes Johnson), together with producer Art DeCoteau, recorded a favoured calypso classic 'Woman on the Bass' in 1979. The song was about a real person, Annie Lopez, the first woman bass player in Desperadoes. A dougla girl out of the steelband Sforzata; but little known to those on the hill, she was also a superb 'limbo' dancer, being able to clear a bar supported by 2 coke bottles. Despers erasable Rudolf Charles started her off on a flat upright 6 bass, but his restless head intervened and he built her a special 'Soca 6' bass rack with a forward facing 3 pan row. Scrunter saw her in the Savannah with Desperadoes, at the start of the failed TT Panorama of 1979. Despers were one of the few steelbands to perform, despite all the seasons bacchanal. The rest is history, except for the footnote that Scrunter later went to meet Lopez and told her "I wrote the song for you".

  Scrunter uses artistic licence to describe 'dis indian gyul' in his song, but his sentimental chorus line 'We want de woman on de bass', is as down to earth rootsy TT as you can get.

Scrunter - Woman On The Bass ( Classic ) [1979]
Posted by Edward Spencer, Jul 22, 2012

  Catelli Trinidad All Stars wins the TT Panorama 1980 playing the Leon 'Smooth' Edwards arrangement of 'Woman on the Bass'. But we would need to wait another 17 years before Simeon Sandiford of Sanch recorded the 'slow jam' version. It was reluctantly played by All Stars 'stage side' but nevertheless recorded in All Stars panyard, a tune that has now become an internationally known classic, an icon to the sweet sound of TT steelband.

Trinidad All Stars - Woman On De Bass (slow jam) [Sanch 1996]
Posted by IsDePanInMe, Aug 22, 2010

  The Genius of Woman On The Bass - Three stars align to bring new definition to longevity By Dalton Narine, WST, 20120924

  Ooooooops! Don't let this happen to you!

  Always have an extra pair of pansticks hanging around in a 'quick access' handy place. In your pocket, in your belt, in your hair, in your hat, in your pants, in the pan stand, in the pan rack. Extras are good!

 

Ooooooops! Junill Penny on 4 bass looses panstick; but recovers to play on. Hatters Steel Orchestra
At the Medium + Large TT Steelband Panorama Semi-Finals 2012, Sunday, 5th February 2012
Grand Stand, Queen's Park Savannah; Port of Spain; Trinidad, TT - A super pic by Edison Boodoosingh - Blog Laura Dowrich-Phillips

Some Other Juniors

  As we are on Junior steelbands; we review here, some reminders of what our very precious, really young TT Juniors, are all about.

Fifth Company - Rising Stars - Merikins

  Rising Stars are a very special group of players from a historical perspective in Trinidad. Among this group are some children who are the descendants of the military 'Companies' - 1st to 6th - but here specifically the 'Fifth Company' village; villages plying East of Princes Town, going down South to Marouga; on the South Coast of Trinidad. Here are the proud descendants of 'The Merikins', soldiers of the British naval and military forces, who were settled in Trinidad between 1815 and 1816. It's a long and complicated story; but we take these notes from our Trinidad archives (Nalis) as brief explanation.

THE MERIKINS (edited - short - Nalis) 'During the War of 1812-1814, known by some historians as "The War of Faulty Communication", the British made similar promises of freedom to slaves who joined their naval or military forces. These black soldiers were told that at the end of the war they would remain free men and earn 16 acres of land per head of family. Historians document that these black soldiers/marines were runaway slaves of the American slave owners who made up the British army and that they were recruited into a total of six (6) military companies. They were recruited mainly from Chesapeake Bay, shores of Virginia and Maryland, as well as from the coast of Georgia' FIFTH COMPANY 'Retained its original name. It is well known for its rich agricultural land and oil bearing areas. Streets or areas named after settlers include Mitchell Block, Weston Road, Mother Kelly, Brankar Trace, Teesdale Road and Samuel Cooper Road.'

Wow! This whole scene blows me away, every time I think about it. tobagojo