Tobago opening for Pan Ramajay 2003

THE 14th edition of Pan Ramajay opens in Tobago on Friday with a performance at Our Boys Steel Orchestra Pan Theatre on Fort Street, Scarborough,  starting at 8 pm.

In keeping with the renewed popularity of hosting panyard concerts, Exodus Steel Orchestra, producer of the three-night series of concerts, takes the event back to its source at the band’s pan theatre in St Augustine on Saturday and Sunday. Friday’s opening features appearances by Cuban jazz musicians Enrique Pia Garcia and Carlos Morales; Sandy Gabriel of the Dominican Republic; guitarist Maurice Gordon of Jamaica; Kingsley Etienne of Toronto; and locals Mavis John, Duvone Stewart, Delbert Henry, Anthony Williams, RBTT Redemption Soundsetters Steel Orchestra and host band Our Boys. Pan Ramajay started at the Exodus Pan Theatre in 1989 as a competition for small steelband ensembles in which players were presented with the opportunity to showcase their level of skills on the national musical instrument.

Over the years, the event was staged at the National Flour Mills compound on Wrightson Road, Woodbrook; St James Amphitheatre, Western Main Road, St James; and the Grand Stand, Queen’s Park Savannah, Port-of-Spain. In addition, the activity has evolved from a competition into a concert that showcases improvisational approaches to steelband music by soloists and ensembles, as well as popular Caribbean jazz artistes. Ainsworth Mohammed, manager of Exodus and producer of the programme, said the move to open the event in Tobago was the first step in the band’s plan to take the activity throughout the Caribbean. Saturday’s concert, which starts at 8 pm, will again feature the artistes from Cuba, the Dominican Republic and Jamaica, as well as Mavis John, in addition to Earl Brooks and Friends, Pantasy Steel Ensemble, Derek Ayum, Dougie Redon, Avis Bruce and Shakeer Mitchell. Sunday’s performance which starts at 6 pm will feature Raf Robertson and Barbados’ Nicholas Branker, Carlos Morales, Kingsley Etienne, Pan Maestros Steel Ensemble, Duvonne Stewart, Keisha and Cary Codrington, Darren Sheppard and host band Exodus. All artistes will be accompanied by the aggregation Pelham Goddard and Friends.