Media critique of Carnival 2017 music

I am concerned about the coverage of the music of all genres that citizens heard or did not hear during this Carnival season. I take my cue from what Liam Teague said when he spoke about Panorama (Newsday, February 25, pg 3 Section B).

He said, “What can actually help Panorama is educating the masses. A lot of people come into the panyard and sit and listen but aren’t aware of the intricacies and subtleties of the music.

We can spend five or ten minutes speaking to the audience to give them a greater appreciation and a lot more people will be inclined to visit panyards because what they are hearing won’t be a mystery.” His comments are applicable to the other music and competitions that come with each Carnival (and throughout the year). So in addition to pannists speaking to audiences at the panyards, I ask that we also have a consistent body of work from critics who can rouse people to visit the calypso tents where attendance has been declining for years.

Critics are a major resource in the creative arts, whether we are dealing with fashion shows, culinary arts, award ceremonies, art exhibitions, drama, dance or poetry.

Where calypso, pan and Indian music are concerned in TT , there are issues that need ventilation.

Witness, for example, the controversy about the use of melodies from Indian movies in the chutney soca competitions.

At one point there were useful critiques of calypso and calypso tents from Derek Walcott in the Trinidad Guardian, Keith Smith in the Express and there were also Mark Lyndersay, Terry Joseph and Debbie Jacobs.

In addition, there have been several articles by Professors Gordon Rohlehr on calypso and the late Orville Wright about pan and Panorama in the TT Review.

To date I have seen one very incisive article from Winsford James about MX Prime’s Road March contender Full Extreme.

But this is not enough. There has been virtually no evaluation of Panorama, the calypso tents, the Chutney Soca Monarch competition, Calypso Fiesta, the Young Kings Competition, the Calypso Queen Competition or the International Soca Monarch competition.

So the public is not really enlightened about the state of the music that has come with the 2017 festive season.

Unless the analysis of our music is addressed we will lose precious time in the quest for the development of the creative arts industry which is an important aspect of our economic diversification.

Aiyegoro Ome former president NJAC former Chairman NACC