Parang divas join forces for

Allard explained: “Caliente means hot. The word guarapo means ‘sweet sugarcane juice’. With this is mind we went on to create lyrics that centred not only on the sugar cane juice but the sweet bananas and juices that are typical of Trinidad.”

She said the lyrics deal with the idea that the subtle fire and sweetness of the guarapo are reflected in our warm and rhythmic Trinidadian people. Allard and Piper worked on the music together and the result was a rhythmic, melodious harmony.

The duo spent a great deal of time with pen and paper composing, then spent many hours fine tuning at a recording studio in San Fernando. Allard’s brother Plillip, Dinamicos members Sabina and Sepherina Allard and Maxime Caliste of Carib Santa Rosa also worked on the recording. The music was performed by Michael Simpson, Kevin Fraser, Arnim Thomas (Carib Santa Rosa) and Hilton Lewis and Floyd Ravello (Din?micos).

Piper, who started singing parang as a teenager, has been singing for 30 years. In 1978 and 1979 she sang with San Jos? Serenaders junior group, then from 1980 – 1982 she performed with the senior Serenaders. In 1983 she joined Carib Santa Rosa Serenaders as their lead singer — a position she still holds.

She is also PRO and Musical Director of her group. With her input Santa Rosa placed first in NPATT’S 1982 competition and second in 1983. They stopped competing, assuming professional status in the early 80s and have toured the Caribbean and Latin America. The group has produced three CDs.

Allard has led Los Dinamicos since 1986, the year they joined NPATT and placed first in the competition. For five years they placed first in various parang competitions. After winning the popular National Parang Fiesta Competition (now defunct) in 1990, they assumed professional status and stopped competing.

Los Dinamicos has toured New York, the Caribbean and Latin America. Din?micos has produced four CDs. Allard did a successful collaboration with chutney artiste Heeralal Rampartap in 2008, a chutney parang fusion called “Paarosin”.

Allard plays the pianoforte, the guitar and the cuatro. She won the COTT award in 2006 for the parang song of the year “Yo me voy de parranda” Notable songs by Dinamicos are: ‘Asi es la Vida’,’Borracho’, ‘El Sombrero Grande’, ‘Give me a Parang’, ‘Me voy a Belen’, ‘Muevete’, ‘Oye mi Tierra’, ‘Recordando a Daisy’, ‘Solamente’, ‘Soy Mujer’, ‘Trinbago’, and’Yo me voy de Parranda’

In 2004 Allard appeared as a finalist of the Chutney Soca Monarch with the song, “Choonkey De Dhal”. In that year the Allards were nominated for the COTT Parang Song of the Year.

Los Din?micos came into fruition in September 1986. It is a combination of the Allards, relatives and close friends.

“The group is not bogged down by regulations because it has persisted in maintaining the family atmosphere that has been its principal cohesive force, since its formation,” Allard said.

This sense of family-life and togetherness constitutes the indisputable core of resilience, that has helped Din?micos to rise above its problems and to achieve its many successes, she added.