Pan Jamming with Jazz

[Lois Gilbert]

Pan Jamming with Jazz
Friday, July 28 2006

Organisers have taken this opportunity to celebrate three living musical geniuses Anthony Williams, Ray Holman and Len Boogsie Sharpe. This year’s Panorama champions Phase II Pan Groove, medium band champions, Sforzata, Renegades, Couva Joylanders and Sidiki sticks on steel (pan jazz) are among the bands participating in this night of sweet pan music. Lydians with steel led by Pat Bishop will also be on hand to entertain the audience. Admission to this event is free.



Art will also take prominence at the National Emancipation of Fine Art Exhibition which will also be held at the Lidj Yasu Omowale Village. Artists from all across the country have submitted works for the exhibition, which formally opens tonight at 6 pm. The display will be mounted until Tuesday and opens from 10 am to 10 pm daily.



Over the past ten years, the art gallery has been a major feature of the activities at the Lidj Omowale Village and has attracted thousands of visitors who would not normally be active participants at art shows in other established galleries.

Tomorrow the village will come alive with the scents of an assortment of tempting dishes. The Food Fair will run from 11 am to 2 pm and organisers are inviting the public to partake of delicacies from the African continent in the ambience of an open air food court.

A showcase of drumming entitled “The Rhythms of a Global African” people will begin on the same day from 2-6 pm. The Improvised drums of Woodbrook Playboyz, Molombo Drums Northwest Laventille Performers and guest appearances by a Central American group will perform and admission is free.

Tomorrow night at 8 pm the living legends, Bunny Wailer, Culture, Glen Washington and Shadow, will perform at the Hasely Crawford Stadium.

On Sunday morning from 10 am there will be a family day and an international forum at 5 pm that evening. At 7 pm there will be a fashion and folk expression show.

A highly anticipated feature of the celebrations is the “Three Queens in One Concert” in which Grammy-nominated Miriam Makeba will perform on Monday. The show, which begins at 8 pm, will also feature Ella Andall and Singing Sandra.

Makeba, according to the Emancipation Support Committee, has “helped bring dignity and beauty to Black women in the entire African world, all who are proud of their African heritage are able to stand and sing in their African personhood because of her.”

Ella Andall who has released “Sango Babwa” and is currently in the studio working on her tribute to Orisa Goddess Osun, is well known and respected by Orisa devotees and music lovers alike. Her powerful vocals have formed the backdrop for many a stage and theatre production. She has travelled the world promoting the traditional art forms of Trinidad and Tobago.

The people of Laventille will forever cherish former Calypso Monarch, Singing Sandra, for her devotion to them through her music. She has carved a name for herself in the male dominated world of calypso, performing credibly and consistently for many years.