Entertainment

Pandemonium at Botanical Gardens

On Sunday July 24 sweet steel pan music moved from the sands of Brandon’s Beach to the lawns of the National Botanical Gardens without missing a single beat. With this year’s Crop Over Festival entering its final week more Barbadians are attending events that were taken from them for two years due to the Covid -19 pandemic. The renaming and relocating of this island’s mega steel pan concert was a major success. Shedding the name Pan Pun De Sand and adapting a new one Pandemonium made little different to the glorious music rendered by a large cast of panists- most of them secondary school students.

From as early as 3 o’clock and under a warm afternoon sun thousands of Barbadians and visitors gathered under trees with their picnic baskets, fold-up chairs, and blankets. This Crop- Over events can truly be billed as a family event. As you look across the vast area of the National Botanical Gardens it was easy to see clusters of family groups. From granny and granddaddy to young toddlers came to take in the activities.

It was a day for pan and pan we got. The sound of pan music permeated the air and with that a spell was casted. As the music resonated people responded with -‘ movementations’ -dance

Pandemonium was properly planned by the National Culture Foundation (NCF) and credit must be given to them. The idea to have the smaller pan orchestras, groups such as Let we go, The Barbados Community College, Pan Ensemble, Phoenix Steel Orchestra and the National steel Orchestraplaying on trailer trucks and moving through the crowd bought about intimacy of pan and people. On the main stage Barbados and the world were treated to an outstanding performance by the National Youth Orchestra. This orchestra consist of secondary students from a variety of schools. Apart from the manifestation of their musical talents these young Barbadians gave solid evidence that more constructive and productive young people than we are led to believe.

The blend of singing to pan music is fresh and give a new dimension to well-known songs and singers. The huge crowd was treated to performances from Red Plastic Bag, Lil Rick, Allison Hinds, Nikita, Leadpipe, Sadis, Biggie Irie , Peter Ram the Mighty Gabby and many others.

There was no mayhem, no havoc or no chaos as most people would expect at a pandemonium. The Pandemonium in the National Botanical Gardens was a musical uproar which energized the thousands who attended.

Entertainment

Let us celebrate Jackie Opel

Tuesday 27^th August was a significant day in the history of local music. It marked the birthday of Dalton Bishop better known as Jackie Opel. The musical icon would have turned 84. Jackie Opel was an outstanding singer, composer, and creator of the Spouge music genre who was born on August 27, 1938, in the inner-city area of Chapman Lane.

*Shantal Munroe Knight, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office*

In 1962 Jackie migrated to Jamaica where he lived for six years. He was influential in the formative careers of some of Jamaica’s iconic entertainers. From Bob Marley to Jimmy Cliff, Ken Hopeton, Alton Ellis, and the early days of the band The Wailers.

On his return to Barbados Jackie Opel was gearing up to take his career and his newly created spouge music to a higher level. Plans were afoot to produce a concert, but fate was not kind, and he died in a car accident on Bay Street on March 9, 1970.

Special Free Concert Yesterday

The National Cultural Foundation (NCF) hosted a special concert, last night, in Freedom Park to honour Jackie Opel.

A cast of some of the island’s top singers graced the stage to perform a wide range of spouge songs. The modest audience can count themselves lucky to have attended an event that will be a benchmark in local music history.

Artists thrilled those in attendance

Performers included the following, Wendy Alleyne, Shadia Marshall, Keisha Christian, Mickey Dee, Mike Grosvenor, Colin Spencer, Desmond Weekes, Jamal Slocombe, Simon Pipe, D J Simmons, Bit Bit, Ishiaka, Romario Greaves, Alix Cage, Adrian Clarke and Edwin Yearwood.

Senator the Hon. Shantal Munro-Knight, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office delivered the opening remarks, and Ambassador to CARICOM David Comissiong delivered the feature address. It was generally felt by those in attendance that a Jackie Opel Birthday Concert should be held annually. (Article and photos by Christopher Williams)

Entertainment

VYBZ KARTEL LOOKING TO RUN FOR OFFICE IN JAMAICA

Dancehall artist Vybz Kartel, acquitted of murder, seeks to transition into politics by running for Parliament in Jamaica.

Kartel has pinpointed South St. Catherine, currently represented by Fitz Jackson, as his desired constituency, expressing his intention during a TikTok live alongside attorney Isat Buchanan.

This move is motivated by Kartel’s desire to combat social injustices in Jamaica.

Entertainment

Musicians benefit from expert luthiers’ training

The National Cultural Foundation recently concluded the island’s first Luthier Training Workshop.

Over the two-week period, nine local musicians received hands-on training in beginner restoration and repair of violins and bows. Each participant underwent intense instruction in the areas of instrument and bow assessment, proper usage of tools and materials, varied technical approaches, measurement, instrument care specific to our climate and understanding client requests, among others.

The workshop, an initiative of the National Cultural Foundation and The Ministry of Education, Technological and Vocational Training was produced in conjunction with Luthiers San Frontieres of the United States.

It is strategically linked to the ongoing Strings Project, where students from each of Barbados’ 68 primary schools will benefit from music education with practical application through violin.

*Completed repairs at the end of workshop.*

Experienced luthiers, Sarah Peck of the United States of America, and Natasha Sealey-Worrell of Trinidad and Tobago conducted the sessions at the Queens Park Steel Shed, Queen’s Park, The City. Trained in violin restoration and repair were: John Matthews, Andria Rouse, Roger Jordan, Sergio Smith, Romel Richards and Anthony Hood. While Shalon Parris, Graham Hutchinson and Dwain Gill were taught bow restoration and repair.

Coordinator of the workshop and NCF’s Cultural Officer for Music Organisation, Aisha Butcher, expressed satisfaction with the outcome of the workshop.

“The desired objectives were met and for that I am extremely happy. For some participants, it was a new learning experience and for others it was an unlearning and relearning exercise as some were self-taught in a similar area. Whatever the level, they all were open minded to the very intricate process and made the most of the two weeks”.

At the end of the workshop, the instructors were impressed with the work completed, lauding the participants’ achievements given the relatively short timeframe.

Joy Knight, Strings Project Coordinator and Director of the Barbados National Youth Symphony Orchestra shared her view on the value of this training.

“Barbados doesn’t have any trained personnel who can repair the body of the violin nor the instrument’s bow. This workshop would ensure that we can care and maintain our string instruments. In addition, as we restart the string program in the schools, we will be increasing the number of violins, violas, cellos and double basses. Therefore, we will need repair persons who can handle the volume. We have always had repair persons here for winds and brass but never trained string luthiers. It will also create jobs for these newly trained luthiers”.

On the final day, certificates of completion were awarded to the participants along with a donation of startup tools. Each participant will also have access to other tools and materials at no cost to them, through a rental/donation agreement at the National Cultural Foundation thus equipping them with the necessities to continue honing the skill on their own. (PR)