Pan Family stardom bound

The popular Pan Family Steel Orchestra from Bath Street has been playing pan since May 1999 under the astute management of parents, champion pannist Cary Codrington and his wife Karen. The other band members are children Kareem, 17, Khari, 15, Kaijah, 14, Keisha, 12, Kamau, eight and Kizzie, six.

The panside will be part of a 25-member delegation from TT which will be taking part in a music festival in Hollywood.

The Pan Family has been performing at events, national functions, dinners and events at the Crown Plaza, Hilton, Ambassador and Chancellor Hotels and Kariwak Hotel and several restaurants in Tobago. The band also performed for Prime Minister Patrick Manning, former first lady Zalayhar Hassanali and former Miss Universe Janelle Penny Commissiong. The talented family has also entertained international figures such as Prince Andrew, the Duke of York and Dame Pearlette Louisy, Governor General of St Lucia on their visits to TT.

The Codrington family lists among its achievements Pan Ramajay 2002, third in the Duet Category; Pan Ramajay 2002, first in the Duet Category and in the soloist category, second and third; in the 2004 World Steelband Music Festival Soloist category, second; Duet category and Quartet category, first.

And at the 2005 School Steelband Music Festival in which the children participated, they placed first in the Under 13 Soloist category; first in the Under 16 Duet category, third in the Under 21 Quartet category and third in the Under 21 Ensemble.

This year the family started with a winning streak capturing the Jouvert Bomb competition for Single Pan Bands at the bp Renegades Panyard, Charlotte Street; and also Pan Trinbago and the Northern Region Pan Trinbago competitions at Victoria Square.

The band’s repertoire exceeds 130 songs of all genres and the group is aiming to be the best steel ensemble in the world and to become cultural ambassadors for TT.

Cary who is the band’s musical director and arranger has been playing and arranging for steelbands for over 20 years. He is the holder of a Grade II Solo Performance from the UWI Creative Arts Centre and a Grade 5 Certificate - Royal School of Music, 2000.

He has performed extensively, locally and internationally, and has arranged music for several bands at the National Panorama competitions, National School Panorama competitions, Music Festival and Pan Ramajay. He has also performed alongside distinguished calypsonians and other artistes. His wife Karen is also a talented pannist. She plays the percussion and rhythm bass for the orchestra and at age ten, played pan with the Tunapuna Nightingale Steel Orchestra.

Kareem, the oldest child, is an extremely gifted soloist who plays the tenor, seconds, percussion and bass. Some of his favourite tunes on the pan include “Voices of Spring”, “Brazilia De Zuleia” and the theme from the movie “Lion King”. He toured Barbados in 2001, Curacao in 2003 and did several performances in Tobago.

Khari is a brilliant pupil who plays the tenor, rhythm and bass and has placed first in the finals of the Pan Soloist Under 15 Competition. He also toured Curacao in 2003.

The tenor, bass, jam block and African drums is the forte of Kaijah who is being hailed as a prodigy by her parents and those who have heard her perform. She entered a Pan Soloist Under 15 Competition in 1999 and placed fifth at the finals. She placed second in the soloist category of Pan Ramajay 2002 and teamed up with her father to win the duet category. In 2003, she won the Citigroup’s Twelve and Under Series for which her prize was a trip to Disney World.

Keisha is presently the champion soloist of the World Steelband Music Festival (WSMF) 2004. She teamed up with her father to win first runner up position in the duet category and along with her father and two of her brothers placed first in the quartet category of the WSMF 2004.

Kamau’s repertoire includes ‘Never on a Sunday’, ‘Don’t Cry for me Argentina’, ‘Somewhere My Love’ (Theme from Dr Zhivago), ‘Tequila’, ‘Cuando Cuando’, ‘Red Red Wine’.

The youngest Codrington, Kizzie, plays the tenor, jam block and bass.

The Codringtons extend special thanks to Tsunami Marine Ltd, SWMCOL, Sun Tings Souvenir and Gift Shop, Ministry of Sport and Youth Affairs, Juan Hospedales, Herman Andalcio, Councillor McDonald Morris, Dr Anne Osbourne, Mario Joseph, Malomo Joseph, Ben Jackson and Kareem Brown for their assistance to the family on their journey to Hollywood.