Trini Revellers is Band of the Year

The magic, folklore and mystery of Trini Revellers’ “The Arabian Nights” bedazzled spectators and captured the minds of the  judges to win the 2004 National Band of the Year (Large) title. The announcement was made yesterday at NCC’s Club House at the Queen’s Park Savannah by chief judge of the adjudication committee, Teddy Villaruel. Bandleader Dave Cameron, at the Gallus Street, Woodbrook mas camp, told Newsday: “It is very joyous for us for a first time attempt in the large band category to come out the winners and be Band of the Year for 2004. “This year we decided to go large because of the number of people wanting to join the band so in the evaluating, we decided to go because we had a very strong portrayal. He added: “The feeling is great, it’s nice to see that a team can get together and come up with something that could upset the apple cart with all the giants that are involved.”
   
Since late last year, both Cameron and designer Geraldo Vieira Jr boldly predicted the victory after seeing the skilled representations of a period rich in the culture, history and the heritage of a time considered to be medieval Islam. Back then, Vieira Jr was so confident about his designs that he had promised that Band of the Year (Large) will change hands in 2004, as he had already envisaged a spectacular presentation and parade that would have rivalled a similar presentation 40 years ago, by Stephen Lee Heung. Indeed the presentation brought back some of those memories with costumes depicting “Caliph’s Harem,” “Jhinees of Persia,” “Caravan to Damascus,” “Belly Dancers of El-Qahira,” “Jewels of Bhagdad,” “Forsans of Abu Dhabi,” “The Oasis of Palmyra,” “Pearls of Marmada,” “Persian Twilight,” “Desert Moon,” “Desert Mirage” and “Fan Bearers of Tabriz.” The team of Trini Revellers comprise 30 members with a core of seven who produced the 16-section band.

Tansley Thompson, a member since its inception, also expressed his delight at the victory in the camp yesterday.  He said: “I am just happy to win. I love to win. I’m very competitive and really happy that after all these years of struggling and supporting the culture that we have been able to come out on top and be victorious. We had a lot of new people this year and I think we did our best to make sure that people enjoyed themselves. “Now with a victory under our belt, I think we can only go from strength to strength.” Trini Revellers had previously competed in the medium category from 1999 and won the title in 2002 and 2003. When asked about plans for 2005, Cameron said they already had the concept in mind, which will be finalised in the next two weeks after the committee meets. Then it’s just a matter of time for the designer to put it together. Placing second in the large band category was “River Dance” led by Earl Patterson and Masquerade, while Legends’ “Freedom,” produced by Mike Antoine and Ian Mc Kenzie, placed third.

NCC winners 2004

Here is a list of winners issued by the National Carnival Commission of the various mas competitions for 2004:

George Bailey Award — Band of the year (Large)
1. The Arabian Nights — Trini Revellers
2. River Dance — Masquerade
3. Freedom — Legends

Medium
1. Banquet of D Nile
2. D’ Birdcage
3. Fleets In

Small
1. Of Golden Memories
2. Of Africa
3. Festival of the Sun

Mini
1. Thunder Birds
2. Things Trini

Junior Large Band — Open
1. Nah Leaving
2. Our Wetlands — Turn of the Tide
3. Pirates of Port-of-Spain

Junior Male Individual
1. Pan Tastik — Antonio Gomes
2. Fire Works In the Savannah — Quincy Price
3. The Spider and the Fly — Gabriel Boland

Junior Female Individual
1. The Burning Bush — Krystle Sankar
2. Fish Vendor — Latoya Rudder
3. One Cent Two Cent — Sidney Aboud

Junior King
1. Guardian of the Treasure — Keighan Forde
2. Prince of Flight — Alberto Mendez
3. Monkey See Monkey Do — Cecil Anthony

Junior Queen
1. Jewels of the Botanic Gardens — Anna-Marie Lee
2. The Jewel Drum — Dominique Samaroo
3. Come Rain Come Shine — Raisa Thorne

Parade of Kings and Queens (Queens)
1. Worshiper of the Sun — Tamara Shilingford
2. Spirit of Rhythm — Lee Ann Bailey
3. The Eternal Flames — Omah Rampersad

Kings
1. Che Low and the Magical Spirits — Andre De Freitas
2. We Music — the Food of Love — Zinool Mohammed
3. The Magical Dwelling of Papa Bois — Matthew Alexis

Female Individuals
1. Queen Sonsuray — Lynette Nurse
2. A Space Sailor in Hawaii — Sheila Robinson
3. Squaw Fee Fee — Tricia Grant

Male Individuals
1. The Black Sanjah Warriors — Narrie Approo
2. Dictana Warrior — Nicholas Patrick
3. The Night Watchman — Rudolph Ryan

Parade of Steelbands (Small)
1. Parade of the Fireman — Courts Sound Specialists
2. USS Renegades on Shore Leave — Renegades Steel Orchestra
3. Skip Jack in TT — Tokyo

Parade of Steelbands (Medium)
1. Fleets In — Trinidad All Stars
2. Celebration — Starlift Steel Orchestra
3. Sailors Ashore — WITCO Desperadoes

Jouvert/Bomb Competition — Monday February 23, 2004
Parade of the Bands (Small)
1. China Town — Desmond Joseph
2. Trotters Footballers — Alfred Sandy
3. The Way We Are — Merry Darceuils

Medium
1. Stripe of Times — Abdullah Haqq
2. Caribbean Pirates — Hail Brown

Large
1. No Bush In Iraq — Kenrick Mc David

Jouvert Bomb Competition
1. Trinidad All Stars
2. Harlem Syncopators
3. WITCO Desperadoes

Jouvert Individual
Lara Break Records — Tommy Joseph