Panorama 2002 Results

Neal & Massy Trinidad All Stars

After being in the Panorama wilderness for the past 15 years Neal and Massy Trinidad All Stars, became Panorama champions 2002, scoring 482 points for their scintillating performance of Winston Scarborough's tune "Fire Storm". It is the fifth time the band has achieved the crowning glory of pan, the first being in 1973 with the late Kitchener's "Rain-o-Rama".

The Duke Street band led by Beresford Hunte edged out by two points, a pretty strong performance by Phase II Pan Groove, playing the band's own arranger/composer Len Boogsie Sharpe's "Do What You Want".

Last year's champions, Exodus, filled third berth with 473 points for their performance of Pelham Goddard's "Good News".

Two of the top guns in the north - WITCO Desperadoes, playing "Savannah on Fire" and BP Renegades, performing Edwin Ayoung's "Ramona" were pushed into fifth and seventh spots respectively. Despers with 467 points and Renegades with 460. Between the two was Tropical Angel Harps in 6th position with 463 points, playing Anselm Douglas' "Pan Dispute".

Overall, the level of pan music by the various competing bands was good reward to the patrons who packed both the Grand Stand and North Stand. Despers set the pace with a very spirited performance of the tune "Savannah on Fire" composed by New York-based Anthony "Pra" Trebuse. The band, like many of the others, had done their homework after the semis.

Solo Pan Knights followed with "The Bomb" composed by Robbie Greenidge.

The band that won the hearts of patrons was the Tobago band - Redemption Sound Setters. They indeed rendered "Music for the Soul" for the thousands of patrons who applauded them loudly.

A mediocre Starlift came up with "Dr Mannette" by arranger/composer, Ray Holman. Although well played, it did nothing to move the audience.

The carnival tempo moved to a higher level when the La Romaine band, TCL Skiffle Bunch performed Preacher's "Meh Dulahin". But they paid the price for a fast count. As a result, the tune was racy and had lost much of its musical flavour from what was dished out at the semi-finals. They placed 10th with 456 points. It was when the bands at Nos 9, 10 and 11 - the "guns" as they are known in pan talk, began to bunch, patrons knew it was going to be a close
light. Indeed it was close.

Phase II seemed to have left nothing undone. At least up to the time they had completed their piece. But when All Stars began to perform, I recalled the good old saying of Renegades arranger, Jit Samaroo. He usually told me, if there is one band that has a cutting edge in a final, it's All Stars. Well, they did not disappoint. From midway in the tune, my eyes and ears were open for the surprise. The music was clean and crisp and full of tonal resonance. Towards the end of the tune, there it was - the explosion of fire, backed up at the end of the final musical bar, by fireworks. That was it. The presentation was a holistic one of a fire storm permeating a carnival-type atmosphere among the thousands present. It was all over, bar the shouting.