Put more Pan in music

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Melodies in Metal.

As i write i am listening to a nice groove on the Pan by Narell. I would love to see the steel become a mainstream instrument in Barbados and more musicians to incorporate it into their compositions. I wrote that back in 2000 in the Nation News, i also mentioned the importance of parcels of land for pan yards.

Since then we heard a J'Ouvert jam from the Red Plastic Bag and then he gave us Panic. After that Mr. Impact a natural steel pan player joined the calypso market. This years the Pan is every where in the land of the flying fish.

Wade Gibbons of the Nation News in Barbados once wrote: " If there is ever a national steel pan orchestra in Barbados, and if credit can be given to one indivisual for constantly pushing that instrument then the name Mike Murray must be some where on the lips or within the thoughts of those in local officialdom". Still waiting for that local officialdom to open their sealed lips and norrow minds.

Yes, and I can understand that, for my company Astrology Promotions brought a number of the top solo and group steel pan players for concerts. In 2001 November we had done show's and work shops building the industry.

We also gave many bajan pannist the opportunity to perform and rub shoulders with these celebrated pan players, and the work shows held at primary schools served the purpose of familiaring the young Barbadians with the rudiments of the instrument.

Then came Pan pun de Sand...this free event started in 2004, sponsored in full, this event in part of Crop Over again for 2009, over $40.000 bds is spent to produce this event with no real benfits to the local pan man.

The Bajan pan men play for a fee way below their Trini brothers, there is no work shop from these celebrated pan players from the birth place of the steel drum. Maybe its a remake of Sand in my shoes after the pan.

With over $15 thousand of that cost leaving Barbados in performance fees, air transport,why not use that $15 thousand to invest in a local competition or the first pan yard in Barbados.

As a good friend of mine once said " the only thing sweeter than a calypso is a steel band beating a calypso" , the pan yards are vital to bring the communties closer. Steel pan is already played by secondary students, when they leave school they need the space to continue the skill.

Will there be a place for steel pan music? yes, Professor Philmore, Andy Narrel and Despers say so..

Mike Murray

CEO Barbados Pan Festival.