Pan show simply sweet!

What do you get when you mix steel pan music with violin, drum, saxophone, keyboard and a number of other instruments? The answer to that question is not tricky but rather simple – a most enjoyable musical show!

 

Such was the recipe that the large audience at Ilaro Court sampled on Friday night when the First Citizens Pan Fusion came off. This show held in association with ICBL and C&W Business was the first of three National Cultural Foundation (NCF) pan-tastic events staged over this weekend.

 

Patrons travelled to Brazil at beginning of the night’s proceedings when Ana Costa did her performance of samba songs. Prior to this set, the Ambassador of Brazil Extraordinary & Plenipotentiary, His Excellency Luiz Gilberto Seixas de Andrade said that this was their contribution to Barbados’ Crop Over Festival in the year of its 50th anniversary of Independence.

 

From Brazil, the audience journeyed to Trinidad and Tobago for a very impressed performance by Xavier Strings. Not only were sisters and violinists, Janelle and Janine Xavier smartly outfitted but they as well as the musicians who companied them on pan, guitar, drum and keyboard must be applauded for their superb mixed presentation. It included old and modern calypsos, socas, R&B and Latin numbers. Especially enjoyable was their last set and tribute to the late Prime Minister, Patrick Manning who they thanked for the work he did for musicians in that country.

 

During intermission, patrons at the Prime Minister’s residence continued to take in music from Trinidad and Tobago. This time it was by Newton Playboys Steel Symphony and it was done in the Gazebo. 

 

They then headed home to Barbados. Representing for 246 was the Arturo Tappin Band. This group comprised renowned saxophonist, Arturo as well as lead singers, Philip 7, Nikita and Kristen Walker as well as other musicians. Their set, though a tad long, was well received by patrons who dance and sang to rap, spouge, calypso, R&B and pop among others. There were a few surprises during their set and the large crowd was treated to performances by singers- Carolyn Leacock, Shirley Stewart and Lew “Jiggs” Kirton.

 

The curtain then came down on the event with singers, Lil Rick and Grynner gracing the stage. By this time during the ‘Pantasy After Party’, patrons took to the dance floor and boogied into the wee hours of the morning.