Corie Sheppard Podcast
Corie Sheppard Podcast
Episode 223 | Duvone Stewart
In this episode, we welcome the legendary Duvone Stewart, one of the most revered steelpan arrangers and musical minds in Trinidad and Tobago. From his humble beginnings in Tobago and moving to Nelson Street, to commanding global stages with his unmatched talent, Duvone takes us on a journey through his love affair with the pan, the evolution of his craft, and the discipline that has propelled him to the pinnacle of success in the world of steelpan.
Duvone takes us deep into his journey with the bpTT Renegades and his young start under the tutelage of the great Jit Samaroo, reflecting on his long-standing relationship with the iconic band and how their partnership has led to multiple Panorama championships.
We explore the emotional story behind one of his first and most unforgettable Panorama victories—winning the big band title with “Year for Love” by Voice. Duvone opens up about how the haunting memory of his friend’s cold-blooded murder inspired his powerful arrangement, fueling a performance that resonated far beyond the Savannah stage.
Duvone also shares his experiences lecturing on pan in France, where he is helping to spread the rich culture and technical brilliance of steelpan to an international audience. His global impact reinforces the importance of preserving and innovating pan culture worldwide.
In a broader discussion about the future of the art form, Duvone highlights the critical role of leadership in shaping pan’s trajectory. He speaks candidly about the influence of Her Excellency Christine Kangaloo, President of Trinidad and Tobago, and Pan Trinbago President Beverly Ramsey-Moore, who have both been vocal advocates for pan’s recognition and advancement.
From local roots to international acclaim, this conversation celebrates the power of pan, the resilience of its people, and the importance of preserving this cultural treasure. Tune in for an inspiring and deeply personal conversation with Duvone Stewart.
so do we want, stuart? How are you going? Sir, I'm doing good man, everything good. How are you?
Speaker 2:going. How was the season? The season, the season was grand. Alright, as every other season Previously. Yeah, I'm just Happy to be alive, to make a contribution Into the, the futility that I represent, which is Full, steve Pan.
Speaker 1:Well, we happy You're alive too. You know, because I had to tell people. Last episode I recorded. I recorded a journalist by the name of Franka Phillips. I was telling her this is my first steel band finals on Carnival Saturday night.
Speaker 1:You know, I do semis before I didn't understand that with semis Pan, people always tell you when you go semis you ain't really hear pan. And this was the first time I realized that the pan is me facing the grandstand, the band in totality facing the Grand Sands. So I experienced the drag, I experienced the greens, the North Sand. But this is my first time in a final and two things happened that night. The first time I hear the first band strike up, I couldn't believe how powerful it felt After a pam, pam, pam, pam and the band comes at you. That was an experience I will never miss again. The second thing that happened is a man riding on a horse and putting a shoe on a display. I've never seen anything else like that before. You know that, fella, I saw it, I saw it Still trying to meet the guy.
Speaker 1:So, if you don't know, you had a fight. You arranged for renegades, renegades. That's how I introduced you and you talk more about all the other exploits, but you all played Beth Medici, mm-hmm, big big song for Carnival, big big song for Carnival. Before we get into it, tell me about you coming up with the presentation. You're coming on your horse. You had a bunch of Beth meetings. How are you coming up with all that?
Speaker 2:Well, I've been around Panorama for more than 40 years and I've seen changes. I've seen adjustments take place where brothers in the creative space we call them arrangers they have a song, they have a title and they work with it. Some people have their own creative thought process in doing their music, which I totally respect, because if it wasn't for these guys in the past, we would have never had an idea how we do things now. So what happened with me when I was introduced to the instrument? Being a player wanted to be an arranger, got the opportunity to be an arranger. I saw myself as setting a standard and being a trendsetter, not revolving and focusing on a monotony that was there from before, but yet still the instrument is seen as one of the world's greatest inventions, or the world is seeing presently. So when you come to Trinidad and you come to Panorama, you come for Carnival expect to see changes, expect to see growth, expect to see evolution, not just a band coming on stage, play and roll off, because back in the days it didn't have fireworks, it didn't have confettis and stuff like that. No, it had confetti, every band coming with the fireworks. It never had somebody in front of the band. No, it had somebody in front of the band. Now you have somebody in front of the band. It never really had somebody putting on a display of a skit before, back in the day. Now you have it. But now it's done in such a way now that everybody's seen it and everybody's elaborating on it that much.
Speaker 2:And then it comes with the theme of your song. What song? You do it. So we did Bet Me the this year by Marshall Montano and we heard the song and it was like don't doubt me. If you feel I can't do it again, bet me Gosh. So what happened with that? Now it has like a double fold concept behind it, because Marshall was speaking about himself lyrically in terms of he win this already, he win that already. You want to bet me, I ain't going to win the next one much he coming back for more.
Speaker 2:He coming back for more. So with me now. This song spoke to me in that way. I win Singapore already. I win large band already, I win media band already. You feel like you have win this here Bet.
Speaker 2:It brought the casino concept towards it Right In Trinidad and Tobago. We have gamblers. We have gamblers all over the world. Right, life is like a gambler. Of course You're taking chances and risking and doing everything, but the games that we played dominantly in Trinidad and Tobago on the gamble scene is like we betting horse, we betting play away. Are we betting these things? So with the song now Bet Me, I try as much as possible to incorporate themes of what we know, most of what we gamble about.
Speaker 2:While you hear the arrangement, you hear the, the, the trumpet, ba ba, ba, ba, ba, ba, ba, ba, ba, ba, ba, ba, ba, ba ba. So I incorporated it within the arrangement. So, like we are on the racetrack and we batten and we did something called like a WAPI jam. Wapi is like an underground card game where you have a cassa, who just put it on cards and everybody looking to see the card come, the card come to take the money, put it on cards, and everybody looking to see the card come, the card come to take the money. So I tried to bring that part of it in a more musical form for people to understand what I was doing. And everybody understood what I was doing with it because there was a point in the song it was saying bap bap, bap it represent the cards hitting the table.
Speaker 2:Bap, bap, bap, bap. Wait, the cards hit the table. Bap, bap, bap, bap, Wait, he see card.
Speaker 2:Bap, bap, bap bap, and you have a pack of cards this time too, and I have a pack of cards in my hand displaying what that section was all about the horse, it was just a presentation scenario for me, because I wanted people to come to the Savannah to see a show, to to see a show, to witness a show and to listen to music. It's like making the blind see and make the deaf hear. Yeah, bring that, that, that aspect to the music, where 2026, with the people who were there in 2025 have been to Trinidad, carnival and what I saw, a Telena friend, a Telena next friend, yeah, they carried it.
Speaker 2:They carried that news outside and you never know every one story that touches somebody. Five people could hear it, ten people could hear it. Now we have social media. Everybody's seen it. I want to be there in person to see what's going to happen for 2026 what's Uvongo going? To do. What's Uvongo going to do? But it has some nice guys coming up in the game.
Speaker 1:Everybody, guys coming up in the game. Everybody.
Speaker 2:It was a special night, Special night Everybody doing the display of theatrics, the presentation, the look of it was, the visuals was nice and the offering and the deliverance that we Steel Pound Men and Steel Pound Women and Brothers in the Creative Space. We showcase our instrument as like an advertisement for the next one to come.
Speaker 2:Of course, and for the country as a whole, for the country as a whole, for the country as a whole, you know, because we want to sell the instrument in every possible way that we can, that we have the opportunity to do it, gotcha. So bringing the horse was like it was never done before. No, nobody ever did it.
Speaker 1:You ever ride a horse before. No, I wouldn't even frightened up there.
Speaker 2:I wasn't frightened up because I was good, I was there on Carnival Tuesday Carnival Wednesday Right, I was at the Santa Rosa.
Speaker 1:Okay, I went and practiced. Yeah, I went and practiced riding the horse.
Speaker 2:Thanks to Mr De Freitas Nice, ted, the assistant with the horse. The name of the horse was Ash Nice, so I was close and personal with him, we fed him and we had a nice one-on-one with them. But the moment when to get on the horse to come onto the stage, the horse was at the back of the north stand, so nobody saw me. Not even the members of the band knew what was happening. Oh, they didn't know you were going to do that.
Speaker 1:Nobody in the band knew, because a few of them had some little horse things they ride out of before you. Yeah, that was planned. Yeah, that was planned. Yeah, that was planned.
Speaker 2:Okay, gotcha, that was the idea of Mr Colin Greeves was the president of the band, along with the captain, mr Scandris Drews Brummond, and we were looking for that cutting edge presentation because, again, the band BPTT Renegades we have been so enigmatic in so many ways and, being an international brand and a local representative to the world for the instrument for everybody to see, not just panorama, classical music, we go on tours and all these different countries, I believe BPTT Renegades is the most taught steel band in the world.
Speaker 1:Oh, they are yeah, so they say I believe so too. It is an institution, we are a whole, whole institution, yeah.
Speaker 2:So everything that we do, we do it to the best of our ability to advertise a band, become trendsetters and lead by example for others to follow. So me, devon Stewart, coming in as a musical arranger. I like drama, I like the show, I like to put on a show. Right, I love to tell the story of what I'm doing musically with the arrangement. So if I have a presentation and an idea in my eye, I throw it to them and say I like this or nah, this time too loud and bashy, you know, but being on the horse and coming on stage is like yeah, yeah, we are in the queen spark savannah, and many people did not know or who remember, remembered, but that was the area where they used to do the horse racing back in the day before it went to Santa.
Speaker 1:Rosa, very symbolic, like funny, you say people might know because the pan side is so young. It's something I want to talk about too. But I saw you at one point during the presentation and I'll tell you we in the stands didn't see the horse either, until it come out in the light Because we see the presentation.
Speaker 2:It's so focused on the presentation and some and I mean you must have felt the crowd went in an uproar even before, when I came out behind the north stand with the horse and I was walking coming to go on the stage, the people on the drag saw me and it was like I could imagine.
Speaker 1:I could imagine it was an uproar. The drag was here first. Yeah, the drag showed me first.
Speaker 2:And everybody was just in pandemonium. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And I was just cool and stable because the noise at the point in time, the horse hearing it.
Speaker 1:Of course.
Speaker 2:I had to steady myself and make sure that, because you know the phone's out. Of course, everything, and once, if Duvon and I was on the fall off, they catch it the next day. Is that mean? Is that mean? I had to steady myself and make sure that I was on the horse properly, and I was well guided by the guys who was really taking care of me. Of course, the presentation was wonderful.
Speaker 1:It was great. The next part of it time I would say was the? Um. When people hear nlcb now they think playway and lotto and them games and I see you bring one of them all long time but it used to be luxury.
Speaker 2:Well, again we wanted the that was a mastermind idea for mr colin graves. I must say I see, I see, and he wanted to make people to understand, bring back the memories, the connection of where we used to do before in our in our leisure time and our downtime buying lottery tickets, and that was the machine that you used to use and stuff like that, you know, and the one on the side we were at the casino where you have the lucky sevens and stuff like that and we bring the borough keys on and then we bring the real horse on right it's like this.
Speaker 2:is sure, these are things that we bet on and things we used to play on, so bet me that Renegades ain't going to do these things.
Speaker 1:But we did it Well. I see your update. I was marking your status over the weekend. You had some finals over the weekend. Who's your side? Arsenal's your side. Who's your squad in it? You want to go there, man, Just asking.
Speaker 2:Only had a rough weekend. I'm a big Manchester United fan. Oh, you're a new fan. I'm a new fan.
Speaker 1:Even before Dwight York was there. I would imagine.
Speaker 2:I was there. I was supporting the team back in the days with Eric Cantona and stuff like that. Oh from early days, yeah, from early days. I'm only 49 years young, so I know more football. And after Dwight Dweck came on the scene and then class of 1992 came on the scene, yeah, it's not the same now. Not the same now. Well, that is transition and that is change. But we got to take relax, you know.
Speaker 1:That's how it is.
Speaker 2:That's how it is going because BPTT Reneg 80s into the 90s. We were the only band to win three straight consecutive panoramas back in that era under the legendary great Dr Jeff Samaru, and after that it took us something like around 21 years to get back on top. So Manchester United, if they're going through the BP renegade syndrome they have a chance.
Speaker 1:They have a chance without asking, like sports and sports fans sometimes and Pan is so similar the fan of a renegade man is a renegade man for life, and he gave children to be renegade men too. Yes, how does it feel Because you come second this year? I did not see Exodus. I came later and I didn't see Exodus.
Speaker 2:Congratulations to BJ Marcel Insu, ahmed Khan Khodis and all the players in the national team for the man. Congratulations to them.
Speaker 1:Is it the same as a sports fan when you feel?
Speaker 2:that when you feel, second, yeah, because, um well, I've been to the UK and I've been seeing going to games and see how passionate these supporters and fans are of their team it could be premiership team, first division team. Second, they are passionate, serious To the point that you literally see people crying, you literally see people fighting after a game, you literally see people arguing behind and everybody have their fanatics of their team. And with Trinidad and Tobago in steel plant the same happens. But we never had the point where somebody got killed behind it or when it was so somebody got. You know, sometimes fight take place, yeah, yeah, yeah, of course, cross talk, arguments and the bantering taking place, you know. So every, every band have its fleet of supporters that goes die hard supporting their band. And where the location, the geographical location of where Renegades is in the eastern side of Port of Spain, we have the Harp, we have the Shafford Court, we have the Baseline Street, we have this Arm Quarry Street. So those individuals that live around the area eat, breathe sleep Renegades, Right, Right through.
Speaker 1:So the disappointment for players, Rangers fans, right through. So the disappointment for players or rangers fans.
Speaker 2:everybody is the same, is the same is the same everybody want to win, everybody want to come out and be successful, everybody want to wake up that next morning, carnival, sunday morning, or, in first place, there's renegades or, or exodus, or desperados, or. All sides, every band have their big feet of supporters and they, they are passionate.
Speaker 1:Passionate about it, of course, like I saw. Saw when I was noticing all the other bands push and went off on the western side and it was so symbolic that Renegades went back. It was almost like they went back in the direction they were heading back.
Speaker 2:We were the last band performing and the location of our party and we were just willing. Right for us to take the opposite route.
Speaker 1:So in that last note play, have yourself done as winning.
Speaker 2:I was confident. I was really, really confident of the performance that we gave on final night and the players gave it their best. We gave it our all. We gave it our all. But at the end of the day is something I want to make everybody understand In Pan, the judges' decision is final and when God say yes, no man could say no. And all these things were created in such a way that this whole space that we in in a competitive realm is controlled by God. Whatever results is being given to you, respect it as it is, and that is what we did. You never heard about the, the, the, the backlash and conversations or talk, or the revelry of fighting and argument and exchanging banter words of derogatory and remarks to our peers. What we did as a unit, we accepted the results and we congratulated the winner and we congratulated everybody within the Steelpan fraternity for putting on this show, Steelpan Panorama, so the world could see that we are striving and we are going forward.
Speaker 2:So come next year you're going to see some new additions or some new ideas come into play, because the demographics of arrangers is changing. We're not having Dr Jit Samuels gone and Ken Professor Finlayson gone, and they have laid the foundation for us. The young generation that is now here, which is the guys like Kersh Ramsey congratulations to him and winning the Cats and Jammers in the medium category Came first with the TNTEC Eastside Very, very upcoming, promising young arranger OJ Richards, Cian Gomez, Arden Hubbard, Marlon White, Colin Harewood, Andrew White out of the USA, and these guys are very well put together to the point now, knowing now that we are in a zone to make the next generation know that we are here to take the mantle and bring it to them. But we have to be very cordial, very disciplined, very focused and have a mindset to treat the instrument in a way that this is our gift from God. So let me take it and spread that love across the board so everybody can have that oneness going forward.
Speaker 1:It makes sense I want to talk to you about before I go back to your history. I want to talk to you about that discipline, because going back to that panier, like so many things you said, sound like the role of a leader, because you have a role to play. When you go back to the pannier, everybody energy high you feel like you win. I'm sure you had to address the players and the fans when you get back to the pannier. I've been looking at many videos of you addressing the people in that pannier. Has it always been the case that the arranger is a musical director but also a leader of men and women?
Speaker 2:I knew what I wanted to be in this life. That was given from God to be this person to lead, to give directions, to give ideas, but yet still listen the same way in return. And I was so, so blessed to get the opportunity from the BPptt renegades to stand in front of the band as that individual to lead the band. Normally you will find some band may have the captain do it, some band may have the president of the organization do it, somebody may have uh, some band may have uh, a senior role model in the band doing it. But I was given the opportunity to stand in front of the band every single night, talk with them, deal with them, because I am I am their go-to individual for inspiration, so it's not necessarily the arranger who does that with everybody.
Speaker 2:Well, not necessarily. Sometimes it may be on the dominant side, but it is what it is. But for me, at BPTT Renegades, when I stand in front of the band, the level of respect and discipline that I get from every single individual on a nightly basis is well, well, well respected. Yeah, yeah, yeah, well, well respected across the board, because you come in the panyard with the mission to do our best to feel happy and to do our best to feel happy and to do what we ought to do from day one. And, with that being said and done, when I come to the pannier and I knock that pan and we start a talk and we start a report and stuff like that I now take into consideration.
Speaker 2:I have over 150 people in the pannier that I deal with. They have their day-to-day lives dealing with. They have their eight to four dealing with. Some may have a rough day, some may have a rough day, some may have a great day. So I now see them as my loyal supporters, fans, friends, brothers, sisters, mothers inside of there. So I now come to how your day was. Just show them that responsibility, that you care about them and once you give that personality, genuine personality to them, that you care about them. And once you give that personality, genuine personality to them, that you care about them, the respect grows more and more and more every single night, because a player who might come in the band for the first time may never was in an environment where the arranger will come up to them hi, how you going? Everything cool there, everything nice.
Speaker 2:How was it at work today? You find it strange why you asked me this. You know it's because I care, because when I, when I, when I knock that pan on everybody behind the instrument, I want to create happy music for everybody to play. I want to make that music come so unificated and come together as one. It's just like how I feel life's supposed to be, like how government's supposed to run their countries. Where in the world you could find 120 people playing music for eight to 10 minutes together in unity and love? Why can't the world be?
Speaker 1:like this. Yeah, it's a good point. And you see, the eight to 10 minutes is such a funny thing in music. Like, when do you start the work to get to that eight to 10 minutes that you do on stage?
Speaker 2:At home. Yeah, process, do on stage at home. Yeah, processing the music at home. Whatever song we're doing, if it's beth me, um, I, I got the, the raw material of the song from from marsha montano. I actually stems.
Speaker 2:I listen to this song over and over and over and over and I go through the song, detail, chord changes, chord graph, movements, and and I build my, my creative ideas and and how I want to take the song from one point to the next point, but yet still have the mindset of creating that frenzy for people to love what they're playing. So I operate on a basis where I rise every morning at 3 to 2 am Right, every morning at 3.30 am Right, and I get behind my quiet mental happy place and I listen to the music in my mind and I hum, I sing, I even tap my fingers for rhythmic patterns to put in the song, and sometimes I even get my phone and I will show a little example of it. I'll show a little example of it. What happens is like sometimes, when I'm home and I'm just there and I'm looking to get a part out and I'll be like this. That's just one instance.
Speaker 1:I know where.
Speaker 2:I'm living. There are other people living around the neighbourhood so I have special sticks that I use on the pan and I keep it quiet so I alone could have it done. And next one I just do is like this one. Here is another version of it we are. So when I get this nice little line and phrase now I document it on my phone, gotcha, and I get all these ideas and I gross them up and I put them together. Then I go onto my computer and I put them in music notation form. I use an electronic steel pan which was invented by Mr Salmon Cupid, and I have a computer software where every time you touch that note the note goes automatically onto the screen, so it's scoring. It's scoring automatically One time as you touch and you punch and you play. And I have young upcoming individuals in the steel plant fraternity that wants to learn. How does Duvon Stewart do it? Of course, of course.
Speaker 2:And they want to come and see the tour process and how he does come up with these ideas. So all these little things, I just show you and I show them it. It just show you and I showed him it. It was like, wow, yeah, I could imagine.
Speaker 2:This is, this is like you know, and this, that, this, this, this journey and being on that level really started with a guy called Dante Panton. Um, he is now the arranger for Pruman Saliv and he wanted to see back in the day how I was arranging. And I came by him and I saw the studio and say, okay, well, have an e, e-prime, let me connect these two things. And we, if we start to make these ideas, come simple, you know, across the ideas, I, I put the ideas on the plan, he transcribed it and documented and everything was just working hand in hand. So so, being in that space and in that creative space in the morning at 3 am grossing all the ideas and grossing all that, that, that thing, you know, it's mind-blowing for me to see how I could create all this music within that eight minutes.
Speaker 1:Of course. So if we finish Panorama a couple of weeks ago, when are you process starting for 2026?
Speaker 2:For Renegades. Yeah Well, renegades is a band. We play the music of the year. There was only one year we didn't play the music of the year. There was only one year we didn't play the music of the year. The song that came out was 19, sorry, 2023. Right when we did Black man Feeling to Party, the song was already unknown, so I know the song was there already. Sometimes Calypso brings out songs so like, for instance, you know, two weeks before three weeks before a song now drop.
Speaker 2:So it depends, it don't be difficult. That is where the challenge comes in to see the creative gift that this individual have to do, the masterminding of putting the music together. Again, it was done back in the earlys thanks to Anthony Williams, dr Ray Holman, herschel Pluckray, dr Leon Smooth Edwards. These guys did it and they showed us the way how it was done back in their day. So it was just like their blueprint and their template that they placed on the table for us. But now we are living in a different way where the technology comes in. We didn't have technology back in the day and everybody was doing by like Dr Jetson, dr Len Boogzy Sharp. He will come in the party and then just say the call notes A, b, c, d, f and what's it? As you play this, you play that, you play this. Now everybody's like yeah, you can score out each section. It's coaching music properly and I don't know if anybody really thinking that deep now.
Speaker 1:Yeah, of course you know what next are we going to do next with paranormal music arrangement and stuff like that.
Speaker 1:You know, but you are the helm of it, you are in the heart of it, so that those changes, like I saw you doing the score, I was amazed when I saw it. I was a little junior musician if I like to play music myself and when I saw it I said, but wait again, it scored out. One time I remember seeing an interview with Pelham Goddard and Clive Bradley and Bradley was talking about the difference between him and Pelham. He said you see all that sort of thing Pelham doing with music and explaining notes. He said I don't know how to read no music. He said what I come in here to do is just what you show me on your phone. Bradley said he would dream up the melodies almost and the different sections and the parts. And he said when I go in the panyard and I tell you that. He said if only I drill that. He said when I come back I can't remember what I do.
Speaker 2:And he never used to play piano. No, clyde Bradley, yeah, he used to come in the panyard with a keyboard, sit, orchestrate in his mind right on the spot and let everything flow. It flowed from there. It flowed from there.
Speaker 1:So I want to get back to you, because this is a different era of the pan, where you classically trained in music. Where did music start for you in life? You mentioned Dwight. You were a Tobago, a wee boy too, right. What part of Tobago? Scarborough, scarborough, boy, long St George. So who are you going to? A little boy in Scarborough. Where did the music start?
Speaker 2:for you. Well, my mom and my dad used to play pan. I see my dad was the vice captain of Trinidad and Tobago All-Stars and my mom was just a normal pan player. She was a big quadrophonic Understood, and they took me to the pan yard a couple of times. I saw it, love it, and that was history, yeah. And then, after I joined the Trinidad and Tobago All-Stars, the orchestra, the band, and then I came about a woman by the name of Mrs G says Gwyneth Armstrong. She was the principal for the Tobago Bishops High School Right and also a music teacher, and she was given the opportunity to come to work for the band. At that point in time I had no idea about bass, clef, treble, clef, quad chart. Minimum semi-breed.
Speaker 1:That's our next language.
Speaker 2:That's our different language, you know. So when she came onto the scene. So when she came onto the scene she was like we had a guest. Well, what are we going to do? She normally runs a music class in Tobago and the instrument of choice that she was teaching the music was a piano and it didn't really sit well with me. I just like pan, I just wanted to play pan, I just wanted to be around with pan. But I said, well, in order to marriage the theory with the practical, using the instrument piano, I said let me give it a go, but yet still, pan is the main thing and that's what I'm saying. So, back from the early days, you know, back in 1984, 1985, when I started as a kid, that is where the attention and focus was given to me and full support from my parents and family and members of Trinidad and Trinidad and Tobago All-Stars and, by extension, in 1986, when I came first for 12 and under Tobago knew about 12 and under.
Speaker 1:People remember that boy. Yeah, man.
Speaker 2:That is why I'm late grade Hazel Ward.
Speaker 1:Redman, of course, of course.
Speaker 2:Maurice on piano and I Hazel Ward Redman and Maurice on piano, and I had my share of victory so you're winning since back then, 86 years 1986 I won 12-1 and that was the birth of Duvon Stewart on the local entertainment scene imagine that being part of numerous events in Tobago.
Speaker 2:When the Tobago Heritage Festival was now starting. I was part of that um playing in all kind of different functions and stuff like that, and the tobago trinitalk all-stars youth band was started at that point in time and then I got the opportunity to join the band right and to be amongst other young youths in tobago to travel to trinidad to perform for festival at the gmp complex competing against big schools that have big school-run programs like the St Augustine, the El Dorado, the Wood Trin, the Sandy Grandi Ballin, sandy Grandi Pleasantville. And I came about meeting different individuals like Liam Teague and Sian Gomez and Chantal Esdell and Darren Shepard, and then we started to grow from there. We took part in a soloist competition there and then it was like a very, very, very, very challenging thing Back in the day, dave Alcock, this next lady, sharon Pitt they were commentating and they were announcers for the event and, coming from Chuntuk, tobago Youth Steel Orchestra, duvon Stewart doing Sonata in C by Mozart, and we had to come through the tunnel, walk onto the Jean Pierre Complex netball court, solo meal, solo meal and everybody clapping from wall to wall to wall to wall If you see a little chubby boy throwing the air.
Speaker 2:Papi, you talk about butterflies and my stomach was full filled with butterflies Scared. And when the announcement was made, you get on the podium and you look in front of you and you see five adjudicators just looking at you like this, and you hear ping. It's time to start. But the audience was so quiet. The only thing that you saw at that point in time was the cars that was driving on the floor show between Diggle Mountain and Port of Seed. I was scared to death but I gave it my all. I gave it my all. I give it my all. I came fifth that year and with that now I got the invitation to be a part of DMO Coronagades.
Speaker 1:I see.
Speaker 2:Through Jit Samaru, seeing me as a performer. Oh really, from then, from then, wow, calling back my music teacher in Tobago. She want to, he want to get involved with this kid. What could I do to get him so? When she this was? At what age? That was age nine, nine, ten, that's 86, 97.
Speaker 2:Yeah 86, 97. So around that time now I was doing my music by Mrs Gwyneth Armstrong, playing my piano, doing my grades, learning my things and stuff like that and she heard the news, she got the news. But it was a challenge transferring the news yeah, because my dad is a big Patelli fan and my mother is a big Desperados fan.
Speaker 1:And they were like renegades.
Speaker 2:Imagine that they were like renegades Enemies Nothing more than any people. So it was kind of tough for me at that point in time, but I didn't know nothing.
Speaker 1:I just loved Pan liked Pan.
Speaker 2:Imagine that the news came. I don't know what was the decision or the process in making this decision, what they gave to me, but I believe it was tension, mm-hmm. It was daddy like it all. I believe it was tension, mm-hmm, because daddy like it all stars mommy like it. She armed us. So it was me in the house on Saturday night for Panorama, and it was so, luckily, that it was 1987 and I heard this band playing Pan in A minor Mm Arranged by Chet Samuels Right, and I said yo, that's my band, that is my man. At the same time, too, the Chicago Bulls was on a dynasty run.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that was a special era A special era, you know, and Gatorade had an advertisement like like Mike, gotta be like Mike, everybody want to be like Mike. So, like me, I want to be like Jet, want to be like Jet, I just want to be like Jet. I want to be like Jet, I just want to be like Jet. So I was like following this man for not knowing that every performance I do was like an advertisement for the next one. I get a call Duvon, we want to buy Renegades. And I made my way with a heavy, heavy sacrifice on my parents. It's for him. Let's do this for him. Let me put we all the resources all.
Speaker 2:We support who for we like on the side. Let me support we boy. You know what I'm saying, traveling down to Trinidad every Friday on the Geltend.
Speaker 1:So them days you move, you're home and you're coming down.
Speaker 2:I was going to school. Still, I was going to Scarborough RSC school, I went to Scarborough Junior Secondary School and thanks to the principals of these institutions that I went to Mr Edwards, congratulations and thanks because, come on, if I wasn't granted the time on that Friday evening to leave school at half day, to go home to get myself ready to catch that boat for 2pm to make my way down to Trinidad every Friday just to be up close and personal with Dr Jit Samarov.
Speaker 2:It was, or is, one of the most priceless situations that I have ever encountered in my life. And being around that individual, the process of getting there, the sacrifice that my parents made to get me there, thanks to the phone call, and I just started to build with that heavy confidence, knowing that the sacrifice that my parents are doing for me, for me to be at this point, is a lifelong lesson that I will tell anybody in this place right now in this world right now.
Speaker 2:Always share respect for your parents, of course, because you don't know what they're thinking to make that next hurdle be a prosperous and a grand one for you. And they did it for me. And here I am, you know, 41 years in the business.
Speaker 1:When you say you're 49 and you're in the business 41 years, it's an impressive thing. Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:I was just destined for greatness at that young age, you know, and I thank everybody around the globe for showing that love and support, you know. But at the same time too, I had was to go through my fair share of disappointments. Of course. These hurdles and stuff like that was like life-changing scenarios for me to evaluate if I want to be on the bright side, if I want to be on the dark side. I saw it all living on Nelson Street, going to school in UE, seeing people get killed seeing drugs, seeing guns.
Speaker 1:So, how you reach from to living on Nelson Street.
Speaker 2:I had a scholarship to go to the UE to do a three-year course under the creative art network thanks to Mr Roald Gibbons and Ms Alison Seapold for granting that scholarship to me. And I had no extended family in Trinidad per se, because when I came to Trinidad to play with Amokorinigas in the earlys I used to live on the boat and the testing. That's one of the boats that used to passenger back and forth. Why I had an uncle who was the chef on the boat. That's one of the boats that used to passenger back and forth. Why I had an uncle who was the chef on the boat.
Speaker 2:he had a cabin and I just used to stay on the cabin stay on the cabin on a weekend and I make my way up to the to Renegades and Shafford Quarter by Charlotte Street and I got the scholarship and I had a friend living on Nelson Street, got the apartment, going to school, and it was like a life-changing scenario for me. You know, and what age were you at that time? I was like about 16, 17.
Speaker 1:Wow, yeah, 16, 17, you know, you're a fast, you know.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Different to Scarborough right, it was scary. But one thing I knew at the point in time mind your business, go in, come out. Because at that point in time my mom migrated to the US. Because I didn't come from a rich family, I didn't come from a family that was wealthy with money, but I came from a family that was wealthy with love and support. So for me, living in the area it was just a sacrifice at the point in time. As Bojo Bandon say, one day things will get better, of course. Do it. Do it. Do it for the love of where I am and supporting and respecting the sacrifice that was made back in the day by my parents. You know.
Speaker 1:It's such a different thing. When you I saw the documentary, you were talking about that before we started, maria Nunes, and who was the person that said Mark Luquan.
Speaker 2:Right now he's not doing too well. He has a brain cancer, I see.
Speaker 1:And I'm impressed with him and his family.
Speaker 2:He has been very, very, very instrumental in having this documentary put together and it was by accident also to this happening. Really, yeah, covid came around Everybody home documentary put together, and it was by accident also to this happening. Really, yeah, covid came around, everybody home, nothing to do, and I was just doing some online facebook steel pan podcast, I see and I started a program called pan chronicles, gotcha, and by doing pan chronicles, everybody was home and not doing nothing. So I was just doing something for the form of entertainment, not knowing the impact that it was creating.
Speaker 2:Every Sunday evening, between five and seven, everybody in the Steel Pan fertility was locked on to Duvon Stewart's Facebook page waiting to see what he was doing. So I had the opportunity to interview Andy Norellorell, andrew white, len booksy, sharp um, ray holman, um uh um, people from from france, laura sangi, matthew borg, um from london and the dolly dixon. I was just talking to these individuals having their story out and everybody was talking about the journey and their life and stuff and stuff like that. And mark lucan was looking at my program every every Sunday and he made a call to me, said Duvon, when we hear about your story? I said, well, who going to interview me.
Speaker 1:He said all right, you can put this in motion.
Speaker 2:And he came on my me during the COVID and we sat for like about four hours just talking not knowing he was documenting me at any point in time, recording me and say well, duvon, next year you're gonna do man behind the music, duvon Stewart, everything came to life.
Speaker 1:Well, it's a powerful documentary. I encourage everybody to check it out. I have to go and see interviews with these, these men too. You know I mean because I was telling you before we started that I find documenting to be an issue. Let me tell you how bad it is right. I went Fatimo, okay, and my Spanish teacher was Ray Holman, and I did not know he was anything to do with pan.
Speaker 2:I just know him as a Spanish teacher Very very good, because as you get older, he's like, yeah, of course, of course Very intelligent individual Listen he's a mess. He's a mess. His story had to be. Same guy, Mark Lukeman, did a documentary on Dr Ray Holman. Important work yeah important, important work and the things that was done at that documentary. It touched me to the point that what I am doing in the steel pound world now it's worth continuing.
Speaker 1:What I'm doing to encourage others to be on the part of where I am Well, I'll say this right when you talk about coming at 16, 17 years old and going to move to Nelson Street if I remove the name Devon Stewart, and I just tell you a random child, the odds that anybody would give that little boy in that space. But it tells us a story because you went there without purpose. So when I looked at Mark Lukeman in the documentary and I heard it, I saw when you're walking the pannier and I saw you greet almost not almost not everybody. I can't imagine how long it's take you to get to something.
Speaker 2:Something like about 15, 20 minutes, something like about 15 minutes before I started doing anything, because I get you know, when the documentary was released, you know everybody was like you make me cry and people was like I watched it like a series of episodes and just trying to find out the passionate feeling that you bring to the game which is Duvon Stewart, and coming to tell the story of how this one indie video changed my life and my whole concept in doing my music and making my music feel like it's going to touch you whenever it comes to the Paniard and people from Japan, from Australia, from South Africa this year they came to the Paniard just to see me. So when I come to the Paniard I try as much as possible to greet everybody who wants to meet me. At the point in time the band understands yeah, that is Duvon Stewart. We give them that respect, we give them that play, we give them that space. Meet the people, talk with the people, but yet still remain humble and focus on what's happening and it didn't just happen overnight just like that.
Speaker 2:My path to success was never a smooth path. I had my ups and downs. I did wrong things. I did wrong things, I did bad things, I was a gambler, I was a smoker, I used to do everything and I could feel comfortable to say these things to everybody. I know fakery to the point where, if I'm genuine to my growth and be who I am, stevie Wonder is my living legend and my idol going forward. He never see nothing. He never see nothing to the point, but he's doing great music. He's doing great things. I might see these things. He's blind, but he's powerful to make people see what he's singing and what he's saying. So I take all these traits and I bring it to my game, bring it to my A game and bring it to my mindset, bring it to my thought process and I bring it to music and everybody's just understanding what I'm doing. So everybody just come to say, well, let me meet him.
Speaker 1:Yeah of.
Speaker 2:I feel happy, I feel that I'm worthy of continuing doing what I'm doing, and it's not for money, it's just for the love and the gift that God has blessed me with, to continue that legacy and when, as one bright morning, when my time is over, I will fly away and the legacy and the stories of Duvon Stewart will be lived on forever.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I want to ask you about that because now I've seen over the last and I started my podcast during COVID too you know you're home. You need an outlet, right, covid boy, covid, isn't it amazing how some things can be a blessing? It was a blessing from the beginning.
Speaker 2:Black Adam said it, you know, yeah, it was a blessing, yeah, a blessing for many people For sure for sure.
Speaker 1:So when I first started recording and stuff, I saw things starting to change, I'm sure with work of many, many people who came before. But I started to drive. I used to drop my son to school in San Fernando and one day when I drive there I see the name of the street changed to Bobby Bahamut street. And then I see same thing with Jit Samaru and you're seeing more and more people being etched into the legacy of Trinidad.
Speaker 1:You see in yourself, one day you understand that they're going to be Where's Duvon Street or Savannah, or Park or Stature. You see it now coming, it's there already.
Speaker 2:It's there already. I am not. It may sound kind of harsh, but I am receiving my flowers while I breathe fresh air because I've gotten the gift from God to do what I am destined to do. I am not saying that I am worthy of a street named after me, a building named after me, a room named after me, what I solely believe in. If it's the powers that may be see it fits to be done, I'll accept it. If it doesn't happen, I still accept the gift that I got from God, knowing that the blessings that he gave me my contribution has affected and make everybody feel comfortable, knowing that we could see somebody that we could go to and speak to and have a conversation with. That is my blessing, gratified, victory, feeling. It wasn't Neiman's street. After Duvon's story they say well, yes, hooray, hooray, or a highway after him and stuff like that.
Speaker 1:In return.
Speaker 2:What do you get back for it? Yeah, I suppose it's just close, but what? I suppose it's just close, but what do you get back from spreading the knowledge of your talent at? God bless you. It's like the movie Gremlin your wet gizmo, yeah, multiply, multiply your wetter. Next one more come. Sure, your wet, more, more come. And that's what I want to be continue going forward until my, my departure on planet.
Speaker 1:Earth comes. Yeah, you see, that thing about legacy right, and I like, I like your analogy with the gremlin because again, that 17 year old boy put into that environment in Nelson Street, I wonder sometimes if you understand the impact you're having on changing the odds of many 17 year olds who get put in them situations just by doing what you love and being who you are. You know, because that that to me, that's one of the legacies I feel not being talked about enough the fact that you've instilled that discipline through your leadership and your talent and your gift and your hard work, to have a bunch of youth 150 say you know, yeah, there's 150 people who have purpose and have something to look forward to, and a year like this might have disappointment, but now they have yet next year to come back. And, suma, when you talk about success, I don't know anybody who's successful. You talk about Jordan, you talk about Dwight York.
Speaker 2:It's really hard, it's really hard, the road bumpy, yo. Let me share something. Man, everybody will not like you, but, you see, being successful, it makes the miserable activate to the point to say what they want to say, to derail you, to see what you will do. But I had a steady course of individuals around me supporting me, which was the people in the steel plant fertility, who saw the gift, who saw the greatness to say well, we're going to support Duvon. Let me give you a story. Who saw the greatness to say well, we're going to support Duvon? Let me give you a story.
Speaker 2:In 2016, I was weighing 440 pounds. Wow, I was big, big, big, big, big, big. I went on a journey, on a weight loss journey. It didn't go well, right, I went to New York in April in 2016, and I made up my mind that I'm going to do a procedure to get the weight off. Sure, I told six individuals Mm-hmm. The manager of Ebony, bill LaPierre Jr, my mom, my dad, uh, roger Dowers and Candace Andrews-Bloobin Fair enough. There were only six people that knew that I went into a surgery. Mm-hmm. Candice Andrews-Bloobin Fair enough, one of the six people that knew that I went into a surgery in.
Speaker 2:Mexico, tijuana, september the 6th, and my life changed drastically when all the weight left me in like about 12 months. I lost like about 240 pounds in about 12 months and nobody saw Duvon Stewart in the public space for close to a year. But I was alive. I was there. The six people know that I'm alive making communication In 2017, I went back to Renegade Spaniard. Nobody knew what Duvon Stewart was doing, but the captain was in the circle and saying I'm the arranger to send the music, because we always had dialogue. She didn't see me Okay, got you. So I was in the panyard around everybody and nobody recognized who I was. Wow, wow, wow. So when she said the arranger is going to send the music, and everybody, you know, somebody said when the arranger, come in and I walk. And I went to the center and everybody was in awe, the jaw, jumped the face. It was in shock to see that is Duvon Stewart Now weighing like about 210, 220,. You know and I told him a story I did a gastric sleeve surgery in mexico where they did a keyhole insertion and they cut my stomach right.
Speaker 2:90 of my stomach is gone and my intake of food is not like how it was before. I have a lot of restrictions no rice, no flour, no red meat, no processed food, no stuff like that. What do I eat? I eat a lot of restrictions no rice, no flour, no red meat, no processed food, no stuff like that. What do I eat? I eat a lot of salads, a lot of soups. You know I eat chicken, but in moderation, and stuff like that.
Speaker 2:And when the players and them saw me, couple of them was in tears, you know. I said yo don't cry. I did this for you all. I did this for you all. I did this for you all because I was living a life of obesity. I could have killed myself due to obesity. But God, a divine intervention, came into my life to do this for Steel Pan, to do it for my band, bbtt Renegades. Do it for Pan Ellers at the point in time, because I was working for them, and by that being said and done, the public was. Do it for pan elders at the point in time, because I was working for them, and by that being said and done, the public was gathering in the pan here, days after, weeks after, but we ain't seen Duvon. We ain't seen Duvon, huh. So somebody like they make out Duvon and say look, duvon, right in front of you, get skinny boy know when the seer lose all her weight in that short space of time they know how to answer You're AIDS boy, you're dying boy.
Speaker 2:The players was like yo stop that shit, stop that the man do a gastric surgery. And with that, when I saw the level of defense that I have within the, within the BPTT Renegades, family players supported because everybody knew the story afterwards but the person who's who's coming in for the first time looking for they ain't know, but they ain't asking a question.
Speaker 2:But they quick to chastise and say and everybody in the band held it down for me. Yo stop that shit, stop even thinking about saying it. The boy don't have no AIDS. You know what I'm saying? He do a surgery. He do it for we. And look which body he's. Right now, 2016, he could not walk up and down on his stage. He was like a big mannequin. Now he running in front of the stage, he jumping up and doing everything. Everybody say Duvon cocky and Duvon show off. But I love myself.
Speaker 1:Of course you must. I love, from where I came from to where I am, to riding a horse on the stage, to be riding a horse. You couldn't do that.
Speaker 2:Because 4-4, do you feel? Ash going to take me on top.
Speaker 1:Ash under pressure, ash under pressure.
Speaker 2:Ash will have turned to dust. Ash will.
Speaker 1:So it's so nice to see.
Speaker 2:Ash had somebody else 80 pounds, riding him nice and comfortable.
Speaker 1:I like that.
Speaker 2:But, the story is the bottom line of the story is that not everybody will love what you're doing Once they have a support crew that support and love your transition from where you're going to where you are now and going forward. Presently, that love is so unificated, spreading through the band, spreading through the community spreading through this fraternity locally, regionally and internationally. I feel blessed knowing that I am in a fraternity where I am loved. I don't even care about who hate me.
Speaker 2:I understand you could say whatever you want to say you could cast derogatory remarks and statements about me, I don't care. Yeah, you have your back, because at the end of the day, you're on a plane flying from Trinidad to New York and the pilot make a little bad fly. You're going to tell the pilot anything? Yeah, you're just sitting there and take your ride. It's true, but anytime I say something wrong or look quick to go on the social media and chastise them. That's why I'm not on Facebook, no more.
Speaker 2:Oh no, I'm not on the social life because, the things that people do to disrespect people in the creative space, but they don't know deep down inside. We're doing it for you.
Speaker 1:In the creative space is the engine behind the country. I don't think people accept that they. That's why it's so important for me to talk about this, the idea of leadership, like I remember some years ago maybe and we'll talk about the story behind here for love, as well, as your first large band win yeah, I remember.
Speaker 2:I might be with you.
Speaker 1:But when, um, when I saw the socials, it was going around with people waving from Shepard court, you know waving from all the windows above. You know waving from all the windows above you know it's such a special thing.
Speaker 2:That is love Papi. That is love, it's love. It's love Sheffield. That is love Mm-hmm. That is priceless love that.
Speaker 1:Mm-hmm, and especially because there's areas in the country that they ask the average person. They're frightened to go. They're, they want to live there. You put that on a resume. You can't get it work. You're immediately screened out and when you see things like that, it's such a special, a special thing, and you are the heart of it. So you're going from 2016,. You lost all the way.
Speaker 2:a different person is in front of them and you have a love is what 2017?
Speaker 1:18.
Speaker 2:18. Gotcha and that transition by that time, you know the confidence level of me being. I love who I was before. No, but health wise, I wasn't doing good. So now that was granted that lease on life to take care of your health and let us continue to manifest and mature your gift with the band. Going forward and that is where 2018, 2017 came around was like the recalibration process, you know, recalibrating the mindset, recalibrating the ideology, recalibrating the thought process, going forward and I just want to stick a pin on that deal.
Speaker 2:Traveling the world really helped me. Traveling the world and meeting different musicians in respect to different genres and discipline that they do their music, as God said. One good thing about music because I see Bob Marley as that vessel through talking from God, you know, is the universal language to humanity on earth. People could talk five, eight, ten different languages. You could talk that to them. They may not understand, but once you speak music to people, they understand, they appreciate it from where it comes from to where it's supposed to go.
Speaker 2:So me going to France and meeting guys like Mario Canache from Magnique, richard Bonner from Cameroon, salif Kater, miriam Mokiba, ibrahim Malouf and all these individuals that I had the opportunity to be around in France. It really put me in a space of humility to accept what they do with their music and me coming back to Trinidad and fusionizing whatever knowledge I get from them, put it on the instrument and create that Duvon Stewart song and style. That's where one of the transition changes in the music for Duvon Stewart, taking it from where it is back in the day to now. I got the mindset to remain humble, throw all egos aside and absorb gifts from God in the human form, who has placed it onto other people. And being that year for love story, from God in the human form who has placed it onto other people yeah, and being that year for love story. It changed my whole concept about doing music. That's where the slogan came in making people see, making people feel and leaving that lasting impression for when you come the next year. Yeah.
Speaker 1:So the health transform, yeah, so the health transform you, the travel transform you and then, unfortunately, it's tragedy that really transform you tragedy, yeah, yeah, you said, for instance, you're always fascinated by that like, how does a ranger decide what song to play? And you tell me have your process three o'clock in the morning. But but this one was different, right this one year for love came from the loss of a friend.
Speaker 2:Yeah, loss of a friend, A loss of a friend that, um, I really miss up to this day, you know, and everything happens in God's time, you know, cause I don't know what would have happened if he was alive today, if I would have happened if he was alive today, If I would have been that person with that voice to say what I want to do with music. But everything happens in God's work, god's way, you know, and Die here for Love was a true story arrangement that I never really witnessed when he got killed, but I felt it in story. Arrangement that I never really witnessed when he got killed, but I felt it and I heard the shots, which matter was, you know, and seeing him in a pool of blood being riddled with 11 shots on that Sunday afternoon by an individual who didn't even know who he killed, because Wayne Allen was an innocent individual that showed love and respect to everybody in the community in Nelson Street. But I was still living in Nelson Street in 2000, 2016, 17.
Speaker 2:And when he passed and he was buried, I was broke mentally to the point that I didn't know what song to play for renegades. I don't know what song to think about for renegades. But, um voice came on the scene and he had his um party in Anchorage and, being in that dull state of mind, from the 11th to December till the 24th or 22nd I went down to the Anchorage, saw the party and I heard the song. The song wasn't really on my mind, I just saw the everybody in a frenzy jumping up on a fire and flame chores and stuff like that. I I just saw everybody in a frenzy jumping up on a fire. I got burned there, man, flame chores and stuff like that. I said, well, let me go back on YouTube and listen and hear what the song was like. When I took the time to analyze the song musically, it's nice. Then I started to analyze the song lyrically. I put it on again. That was Wayne, yeah, and that feeling came right back.
Speaker 2:This song is for renegades.
Speaker 2:This song is for renegades to relieve myself and to say thanks to him for what he has done for me in my life, not knowing that this was the transformation in the duvon stewart song duvon stewart, duvon Stewart, flavor in being one of the trendsetters in the cave in arranging and many people may say you know, everybody have the opinions, which I totally respect.
Speaker 2:You know, duvon is one of your greatest Panama arrangements and for me, you know I'm living, I will continue to do what I have to do, but competition doesn't defy or make me who I am and I'm just here to bring a contribution to the end of the game. Of course, and that year for love story, it was a story that I brought from being personally affected by losing Wayne Allen as a friend and bringing it to the pannier and bringing it to that end that geographical location, which was in the eastern side of Port of Spain, which is so heavily dominated, front page news who get killed, who get shot, who get stabbed, who get robbed, who get snatched, some kind of foreign negativity that was there it always.
Speaker 2:And a lot of people came in the pannier to hear what the band was playing and that is what transformed me to bring a microphone and a speaker in the pannier to tell the story about the loved ones that was gone and the ones that live and that was affected by the loved ones that touched their life so the people in the pannier at the time would have known you lost a friend so closely yeah they knew Because every time I come in the panyard I told them this song is for Wayne you know, and he was around the panyard Before back in the day.
Speaker 2:Wayne was a big face to support her. I see, I convert him to a renegade. That's what I'm saying. You know what I'm saying convert him to a renegade that's true.
Speaker 2:Friendship, that's true he come in his pantyhose and he get his t-shirt. You know he see me, he come in line with me and show his support. You know, because every morning we used to wake up I had my birds at the time and he he come out on the corner Queen and Nelson Street and he greet everybody, good morning. He used to sit morning. He was sitting down and talking to me about life and how things was with him when he was living in the US. He get deported and he said boy Duvon, you's a big one. You know you got to be a big one. You know I do it to make the mistakes I make. You know I rob people. You know I smoke cocaine, I sell cocaine, I do all the drugs and stuff I know have and mash up the world. Imagine that. And when that was said to me from him it was like an extension of somebody should love and support you, because that was said in the earlys with my parents.
Speaker 2:That was said early by my peers, my friends and things like that. But when he said that he solidified that whole statement to me on the Nelson Street, I said yo.
Speaker 2:You received it, just do it like Nike, just do it, just do it. And everything that's unfolded to see that greatness. And I believe again, it was like a divine intervention that came from God to have this person be the human form vessel, to come to tell me God, tell him to tell me to do them thing. Be yourself, just go, do, do them thing. Yeah, be yourself, just go and show your gift, what God blessed me with. But he was a human form of the universe and then, after, while God said, his life was taken the way to connect me in a more peaceful place, to give music, to make people understand where I am going with my craft yeah, so what is it like telling that story in the pan?
Speaker 1:emotionally, emotionally, we even start that I am good with my craft. Yeah, so what is it like telling that story in Nippon?
Speaker 2:emotionally, emotionally. We even started that story. It was. It was heartbreaking, man, that time's like while doing music in Nippon. I had it. I would come in Nippon at like 9 o'clock and they might be running apart and boom, it hit me and I'd disappear and going home. And they might be running apart and boom, it hit me and I disappeared. I'd gone home crying, crying, crying and the practice went on and everybody understood what was going on, you know, and the passion and the expression every player had behind their music to perform their music. The heart and soul was put into performing that music. So when we came to perform that music on the 7th of January, it was fearless, it was with confidence. We're doing this and we're supporting Duvon on his journey.
Speaker 2:You never know, some player might lose an aunt or uncle or brother or sister that get robbed and shot. And they played with that same passion too. And the leadership in front of the band, by me standing up in that painful moment, gained more respect from everybody at that point in time. Even breaking down in the painful moment. Yeah, yeah, they call, the one in your home is safe. All right, cool, we'll see you tomorrow. Then ask that question after Gotcha. Gotcha, I will come in the panyard. And I just try not to run that line, that statement, that phrase, again, because I was being so expressive in putting gunshots relating the 11 shots that he got, and there was a part of the song that I did, an excerpt of Black Starlin Fire Go, burn them, fire, burn them, jono. This is my time for burning. The person that killed Wayne was in hell, so I was burning it up now to see the man. It wasn't easy. It wasn't easy.
Speaker 2:It wasn't easy, charlie, it wasn't easy it wasn't easy at all, but I overcame the pain and the players brought joy to my heart. I can imagine the community brought joy to my heart and support to me, and then again, too, the victory in 2018 just was overwhelming.
Speaker 1:Well, it's something I want to add to what you're saying, because you said when you do the surgery and somebody comes to talk some shit, it was overwhelming. Well, it's something I want to add to what you're saying, because you said when you do the surgery and think somebody come to talk some shit, the pannier come and they embrace you and they say hey, don't say that about the man. It's not that you see it as the same embracing when you lost your friend, or they embrace you and bring that title for you and for him.
Speaker 2:There was no ifs, no buts, no maybes about the level of love that was given to me at that point in time, and I thank them because I'm a very strong spiritual person that prays every day. I thank God for life. It shows. When I'm on the stage with the band, I make the sign of the cross and I say thank you Father, thank you Jesus. How it's a beast to be, but I do this in your name and I'd be grateful and thankful for it. You know, competition doesn't defy who I am. It doesn't make or break me or who I am. It just makes me to the point of my contribution to the fertility. Again, one bright morning, when my time is over, I will fly away, but my legacy will be here to stay forever and ever.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that's for sure, Because it's such a to talk about his song. Right, A few different things. I want to talk about that song here for love, Because I heard you say in the documentary as well, the lyrical content of the song is so poignant to where it had gone through In terms of somebody losing their life stupidly, the person who would take his life. You say you saw you live to see him lose his life, which is in the song. Yeah, see it.
Speaker 2:That's when I saw it. I saw the guy got killed, the guy who killed Wade Allen. I saw him when he got killed. I was on my balcony on the Nelson Street riddling gunshots, because I was living on Lower Nelson Street and what separates the turf war and Nelson Street is Prince Street. So people from Lower Nelson Street can't go past Prince Street, not even me. And the person that killed Wayne it was a person that came down to make a statement. Anybody that walking around in the hood it could have been me.
Speaker 2:That Sunday evening I was in the pan, you know, cleaning up and playing cricket and just being jolly and happy with everybody being conscious, rolling, rolling down the place, he said. He said I done nothing but I do. One voice in my mind I said hope nobody get pick up place, he said. He said I don't know anything about Duvon. In my mind I said I hope nobody didn't get picked up. You know, boom, five minutes ago, a phone call. The principal, the PE teacher, roger Martin, called me. Oh, big D, your pad is in a pool of blood here.
Speaker 2:Boy, wayne McClap, I break down, jump in my car, drive down the road. I just seen everybody around him. I just walk up to him and I was watching him break down in tears. Everybody knew who the man was. But then again, at that point in time, living in around that area, if somebody come and say who killed Wayne boy, the first answer they gonna give you I don't know, because nobody don't want to become involved, but everybody knew who the man was. They see the man. So I was just in the midst hearing that conversation and you hear all the rhymes. They say who killed the man? And out of the blues, boom, the turf was still going on. Everybody wore this this, this, this, this this territorial rank and fame, and through the guns and stuff like that, he came down again just to be miserable and they emptied it out to them. Oh, I see it.
Speaker 2:And it documented in the song, in the song, yeah, in the arrangement, and the feeling and the emotions while telling that story, writing that song. At that point in time, king was in that song. At that point in time, king was mind-blowing. It will last forever, it is, it will.
Speaker 1:It is and it will last forever. Yeah, and it's funny that voice say in that song too what is a real bad man? You're calling yourself a bad man. Yeah, I listen to that song so many times and I hear one of the things a real bad man is doing is protect the community. And I wonder if you see yourself as that real bad man in that moment too, because you take something that I think could break people's hearts. I watched that and I saw you. I started watching it in the car and listening to it and I had to stop. I said now, boy, I had to go and see this home. And when I hear you talking about this, somebody can't believe that you're going on a stage to put on a performance, because a lot of people might walk away from the 150 people and say I just can't do it. So what was your emotion like on this stage that night at that performance?
Speaker 2:The players were with me, the community was with me. We played band number one and the portion of individuals that were supporting the band. We even saw other band members, other bands coming around, Renegades coming to push the band, but I didn't know if they knew the story at the point in time or they saw how powerful the band was executing the music.
Speaker 1:And by that means everybody knew you were winning.
Speaker 2:Everybody was like, but we felt confident. When we were in the pan and we were doing it, we was like yo, we're going to win this band, we're going to win this. But when it was made public, when it was made via the YouTube and stuff like that, everybody yo Renegades win, renegades win. And we built on that confidence. Band number one final night on the 11th of February, we went to do what we were set out to do and me, knocking that pan, I was trembling and okay, one miss a beat, one BPM miss it could have just show everything off, understood, but I was well held together by the players, the support from the community and other steel band members knew what story was taking place at the point in time.
Speaker 2:As the band done play, I walked the opposite way, went straight home. Yeah, I didn't stay, I didn't stay. I took my phone off until I was home. At the point in time and I heard like two bands saying we'll have a listen to Panama now and then, after I take the, I said let me go up in the Savannah and take a lime. And that's where Dante and I was liming in the grandstand and the results was calling, because at that time, I know, medium band took place that night and the large band took place that day and Pan Ellis came first in 2018. I was like, okay, nice, you know, that was win number five and I felt happy. I felt happy, you know, but I wore the big one.
Speaker 1:So that was the only win on the night.
Speaker 2:No, I won Panama, I won the two Panameras. That night I won the medium and large, you know. And while the results was calling out, you know, I was just getting more emotional, more emotional, more emotional. I feel like the roof of the Savannah was just opening and Wayne just telling me go for your trophy, boy. Tell them criminals to sit down and rock back. Let them go and look for work because they're too damn evil. Go for your prize.
Speaker 2:And the band was declared winner, broken down, emotional, you know, can imagine a happy relief, that, a moment that I will never, ever forget in my life, because every Steve Panaranger dream is to win a Panorama as an arranger. And I had my opportunity at the large band category, which is like the creme de la creme for the BPTT Renegades, who was in drought for like over 20, 21 years. And with that victory I came back down to Charlotte Street. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And with that victory I came back down to Charlotte Street, traffic between Oxford and Park Street A carriage, a carriage. So when I was visible for people to see me, I made the entrance from the Park Street entrance, walking up with the trophy. Yes, and everybody was like don't fall, don't fall, don't fall, no, and everybody was like don't fall, don't fall, don't fall. You know it was. It was magical man.
Speaker 2:Then after took me like about an hour to get in the party. You know, you know people took the trophy from me and everybody was like you know, like you bring back joy to the community and yeah, and we can tell you, we got to watch over the place and no more robbing, no more killing, no more crime happening in this area. But, duvall, you's be king here, but you's be king here. So when you see the garbage bag and the love and the support from the community, it's not for me, it's for what the band bring to the community. Yeah, yeah, the energy and love what the band received from doing the good things for the people who live around the area feel so happy. So it was there. It took me like about 20 minutes to go behind the band. I just love it. Took me about a while to meet, from bringing the trophy to come into the pan and give a victory speech.
Speaker 2:Many things happened that night. The next thing that happened that night, too, was her parents. They weren't staged. Oh yeah, my all-stars mother. Yeah, my kiddie mother, sorry, my.
Speaker 1:Desperados mother and my all-stars father, yeah.
Speaker 2:The two of them say, well, yo, tonight we is renegades Just like Wade huh. Just like Wade.
Speaker 1:And I convert them again too, so when.
Speaker 2:I can't really repay my parents for the financial, this whisper that they gave me in my life, but what I could say to them is that I'm very thankful for the support that I received from them and every time that I'm feeling or I am victorious, in my true likeness and image, with what gift I was blessed with and they can feel it I feel happy that I have repaid them in such a way that they could feel happy and proud.
Speaker 2:That is my son, I would imagine any parent yeah because when my mom in the train I know she's the bus in New York, she's traveling from point A to point B she'll just be sitting down there because she I already gave some real bad last night good, imagine right, I got a real bad.
Speaker 2:But she's sitting down and she's just chuckling she's chuckling and saying they don't even know, that is my son but, she ain't going to look around and tell them that is my son or not, but she's feeling happy knowing that I doing something to make she happy thousands of miles away, because I gained the sacrifice that she made for me. Of course, they didn't come from no wealthy family, but I came from a wealthy family with love. So again, the haters are going to be there. They're going to see the hate. They're going to always be there. But to the haters, all they're doing is making me more happy. So continue to hate, god anointed, continue to hate me. If all of you don't like it, call the police for being confident and successful and happy.
Speaker 1:Well, yeah, successful for sure, because you went on to dominate from then. Yeah, what was your next win? Big back, because you were telling me before we started Tell me your wins in total before we get to big back.
Speaker 2:Locally I have 12 single prime, 10 single pan, 10 consecutive 10 consecutive.
Speaker 1:That's why the haters hate you keep going. Now I'll tell you why the haters small ban.
Speaker 2:I got two wins medium ban six consecutive retired from my category, all with yeah and the victories in that ban six consecutive retired from the category, All with Panellas and the victories in that category was so, so, so memorable to the point where we had preliminary, semi-final and final and for the six years six by three is 18, no ban in the medium category defeated Panellas, unrodeoted victory. I won every single round every year for six years.
Speaker 1:Time to retire from that right.
Speaker 2:I step away from the category because there are a lot of young boys coming up, young arrangers coming up.
Speaker 1:I'm not about me.
Speaker 2:Make space for change, make space for growth, make space for continuity. Some people for growth. Make space for continuity. Some people might say, oh, I'm scared and I'm scared. No, who scared me? Freeland? You know what I'm saying. I opened the door for others to come in because if I was there, still the engine that Pan Elders was operating on at that point in time, we were unstoppable. The chemistry was there, the love was there, the teamwork effort was there, going on to large. I have four large bands and every one of the four large band victories were pole to pole victories. Yeah, you know what I'm saying. All the way through, all the way through, I started with Renegades in 2012. I came forward all the way through. I started with Renegades in 2012. I came forward 2012, 2013, third, 2014, third, 2015, third, 2016, third, 2017, third. So they was calling me Duvonny third, yeah, like King James. Third. I said yo, this thing ought to stop. Jed, this thing ought to stop. Boy, I sing at the school. Duvon, the third year. Duvon, the second year.
Speaker 2:I say alright plan for them yeah, I come up with my, with my divine intervention story. The real, true story. The year for love, and a new engine was placed in Duvon from 440 to 180 and the mindset nice, the flow. Nice, the gift. Nice, the music flow. Nice, come first. 2019, another memorable year. What was the song then? In 2019, hook it Me. Ah, fuck, yeah, that's fam and happy, right. And that year now I arranged for three bands, right, the first arranger to win three conventional panoramas in the category era. In the same year I win small, medium and large. If I had an advantage, I wouldn't say advantage, I just give for the blessing I get from God to do what I do man.
Speaker 2:Next thing I make I come in and say they say I'll cook you in the food. No, that is just the level of confidence that I have integrated, but whatever crop of players that I have at my disposal, I deal with discipline, I deal with transparency. I deal with discipline, I deal with transparency, I deal with love and I deal with togetherness. When I bring all these things together, I bring my music. Let's execute and win. This thing Got you. You know what I'm saying. 2020, going for the hat trick became second Right. So every time I go to attempt to win a hat trick. 2023, black man Fills the Party. Blow the Park Away DNA. 2024, blow the Park Away. We're tied with All Stars. And um 2024, 25, beckner he fell short, became second, but again memorable performance, memorable performance. Again, I see my story as a work of art and blessings from God.
Speaker 1:And in progress.
Speaker 2:Right, Don't say it like it's done Night and done Because, as Arnold Schwarzenegger said, I'll be back.
Speaker 1:I'll be back, so has he a plan for next year?
Speaker 2:Let me ask you this no plans for next year no plans yet no plans for next year.
Speaker 1:How the pendulum swing Make it happen, but you said that you tend to want to use a song from this year. Was it often because there was a time when you could only play Panorama songs from the year that it was composed right? Was it often that change you think it's a good thing? Change the what.
Speaker 2:Now you could use songs from pretty much any year yeah, but um, I believe, I believe, the, um, the medium bands could benefit from it in that point, because the way how the competition is is laid out the time when a new song of the year comes out. The medium band already started no control. The last bands is the latter, the last of the lost.
Speaker 1:So you could wait for. You could wait for it, you could wait. I understand.
Speaker 2:But medium bands can't wait. But it may have a song that released early November or early December that sung. It nice that the medium bands can work.
Speaker 2:But what happens for the Panamera, now that they get an opportunity to play songs from in the past which is a good thing, but I'm going to say this publicly this, which is a good thing, but I'm going to say this publicly this is just my opinion there are songs that need to retire. Yeah, how much time is it going to play Johnny Gotcha? How much time is it going to play Panini Minor? I will never play these songs again. No, anytime. I'm doing a medium band and a band back in the day won with the song. That song is supposed to be in the Hall of Fame.
Speaker 1:Oh you're saying Kitchener retired the song, retired the song. That might be an idea.
Speaker 2:Retired the song. Retired the song because remember, in that era, between the 70s until the mid-90s, when Kitchener was alive, kitchener music was dominant by far.
Speaker 1:By far.
Speaker 2:Sparrow music was there. Then after DeFoste would come and he seen it was there. Now and again you might hear somebody do something else. But Kitchener music was dominant. But it had men like Sugar Allos had some nice songs and Bali had some nice songs, mm-hmm and the Llamo had some nice songs.
Speaker 1:Shadow had some nice songs. It has songs that need to retire, so let me talk about that now. The Pan song versus the song, because Hook In Me is not a Pan song.
Speaker 2:I don't mean even something called a Pan song. You don't think so?
Speaker 1:No, but there's this notion that Kitchena Corita Blanca was a Pan song.
Speaker 2:No, do Backpack was a Pan song. God chill. No, do Back Back was a Pan song. Yeah, gotcha, gotcha.
Speaker 1:Do they hear me, was a Pan song. So you're listening to a broad spectrum of music and just like A broad spectrum, it's not nothing.
Speaker 2:Not because they say Pan in A minor is a Pan song.
Speaker 1:Or Pan here to stay is a Pan song.
Speaker 2:Woman on the bass is a Pan song. Do Back Back, yes. Did he talk about Pan on it? Yeah, yeah, is that a big song? Yeah, or DNA? Dna? It had nothing to do with panning it. I didn't know it was made for panning, but it has some songs.
Speaker 2:I just want to elaborate on this. Sure, if I grant many times Please To the arrangers that are coming up now, or to the powers that be Pantry and Bagel, I would like them to make a rule Once a song has won in any category or any pass, retire it, retire it. It becomes a point where 2016, three bands could play Johnny. 2017, four more bands played Johnny. Yeah, but Sugar Hallows had some nice music.
Speaker 2:And then, too, something that would start back in the past, and we had to thank Dr Ray Hornman-Frit for us to get back into composing our own music for the instrument to play, and that goes along the line. We have to marriage the culture, art form in Trinidad together with the Calypsoians. Calypsoians now do not sing for Pan. They don't sing with Pan in mind. Bethlehem didn't come from a Panyard concept. To own way didn't come from a pan-yard concept. To own way didn't come from a pan-yard concept. So we need to take time and get back that craft of what Ray Honman, dr Ray Honman was saying back in the day so he's saying marry the arranger with the calypso, not the composer.
Speaker 2:I see that as a way going forward, because we're selling the product. We're selling the product. We're selling the product. You know, Of course we're selling the product and my son buy us here too. Again, it has places in the world that Calypsoians never go. That steel pan went Very. Renegades went Hong Kong. Renegades went Jordan. Who Calypsoians went Jordan? Yeah, that's not sorry. Renegades went Saudi Arabia. Renegades went Russia. Who calypsoed and went Russia. If we could have packages of the tool, the gift, Trinidad and Tobago going forward, marriage and these art form, cultural, creative individuals, the calypsoedians, we could only benefit.
Speaker 2:We could only benefit to grow the things much more better. Yeah, the only time again. I'm not against the Calypso-nian. I respect all of them. Sure, but at the same time too, Carnival is a product. We have Calypso, we have Pan.
Speaker 1:We have Mars.
Speaker 2:That's so much elements here, these things, and have packages going out to market the tool of course.
Speaker 1:Well, I think the Calypsonians sees the benefits of it, because when you go on a panorama night, for instance, the artists who get played on the night making the time on a carnival Saturday night to make sure they're on the stage and applaud them for that. Voice Kes Marshall.
Speaker 2:Lord Nelson, who, again, you know, whoever available, because I just look to go and get them. Yeah, I just want them to come and see the Panyard.
Speaker 1:Lift the players right.
Speaker 2:Yeah, because when Marshall Montana walked in Renegades Panyard this year, kids was just running to him and he was so humble to receive them, hugs, photos, autographs. He come and talk to the players and everybody was like we in martial space, we playing the music, and he was in the pannier on a frequent note yeah, coming, supporting, liming, vibing, even on stage with a flag waving supporting the band going forward. The band came second. He called D. We gonna go again. We gonna go again.
Speaker 1:D second he called D we gonna go again. We gonna go again. D we gonna go again, and I support him on that.
Speaker 2:You know, beautiful. Same thing for voice too. Voice with with excellence. You see, the marriage and the, the support voice was along with Skiffle. His song was played there too. He was there, he was supported. So just give me back that little love and respect and the same thing that, if we compose a song, just give me that support and the offering. That is what all we asking for, because all the time we doing your music, we doing your thing, the next thing we do a song that we compose for you to sing, some of them say, nah, I ain't singing that. That's what you mean. Yeah, that's what you mean. Come on, we have a plan. Let's go both ways.
Speaker 1:Let's go both ways. Let's go both ways. No, you talk about travel, and even you talk about Pantide going to places that Calypsonians never went, and so on. You're telling me that lecturing is one of the things you're doing in universities.
Speaker 2:Where's the university? Again, visiting San Francisco New River High School, out in the west coast, San Francisco, Catonsville High School, Florida Memorial. Well, I'm based in France, so I work out of the University of Nantes, Gotcha, when I do a lot of masterclasses and lectures and workshops and performances and where students come to get their PhD or their certificate in the arts of playing, music being part of the male instrument, and I've been doing that since 2002, with the invitation by a guy called Mr Mokhtari. He's born in Morocco but lived in France and he's a. He's a musician by profession but drums, and went to Venezuela in 1996 with his wife, just a vacation and he had some couple free days.
Speaker 2:He came to Trinidad and he saw Pan. He is a Muslim believer, he practices Muslim faith and he fell in love with the instrument through the invitation in meeting Mr Mark Guerra, deceased Mark Guerra. So by connection, he stole Cairo, Tokyo. He went back to France. He told the message on the people in France that he saw Pan. This is something that I want to bring back here. He came back in 2000, sorry 2000, sorry 1998. He sorry 2000,. Sorry 19, 1980, he came back Right and he scooped up some brothers deceased Kenneth Ross and legendary arranger pan man Tommy Critchlow took them back to France and they took back some pans and some diagrams and some things from Cape Tokyo. So they have a float in France, in Nantes, at the Calypso Atlantic Steel Band that is the name of the band that they have that have everything that replicates what Cab Tokyo has. So everything is you did it that?
Speaker 1:way, we love the same float. We love the same float.
Speaker 2:Pans were built, pans were made, the program got on board, grants were given to the band. Everybody got in tune of seeing the steel pan. They started a stage side. The stage side led on to going to different parts in Nant. The advertisement of the instrument was there. Trini music was done. Trini food was implemented. Trini culture was implemented. Mass limbo, tambo-bambo, everything the story of Pan was like a movie, a video, a play.
Speaker 2:Back in the early 2000s, tommy Critchlow fell ill and they wanted somebody to come. I was working with La Jocata Pan around the next semifinals on Frederick Street, this guy woke up to me. I need to talk to you. He said do you want to come France for three months to teach man? He said, yeah, why jump on a plane, quick, quick, as he would like me to respond Right there. I can't talk no French at all. So, by extension, all the youths who go into school and receive free education. You see a into school and receive free education. You see a tuition that they receive from school, whether it be maths, english, foreign languages, learn it. Children go to school and learn well, because you never know, down in life you're going to catch real hell.
Speaker 2:I catch real hell because I can't talk no French. So I'm watching people now. I thought they were cussing me, you know, I thought they were cussing me. You know, I thought they were cussing me, boy. I thought they were cussing me until they said no, duvon, we love you, we love you. It's a song song All I remember Bonjour Duvon, ça va, ça va toi, ton qui ça va? But, inside you're talking French too. I speak a little French because I don't understand what they're saying, but it's been nice.
Speaker 1:you know the language change and stuff like that.
Speaker 2:It's been nice, you know just mixing the new thing with the old thing. Of course, you know. And everything paid off. Nice, you know. So build a program, build a program, build a band, until the association was built to the point that there's no organization. Association, that is occupational space for everybody in Calypso Atlantic. So we have teachers in there teach pan every day. Oh nice, From eight till five.
Speaker 1:So the children are using this as part of a general music program.
Speaker 2:General music program. With that happening now there are schools in the region, in the Atlantic region of France, that has planned on their curriculum Right. So we go around, we send teachers from the Calypso Atlantic band to go there to teach pan, you know time semester and mock tarry. So I go back every year between the months of April to June July, just between the months of April to June July, just to oversee the program Makes sense and students get their grades, their PhDs and stuff like that. But it's not on a competitive basis.
Speaker 1:Yeah it's not the same as here. It's not the same as here.
Speaker 2:They see the tool as a tool like the piano, the saxophone, the trumpet, make music and compete with yourself in making music and selling your music. It's advanced, get advanced, because the way how the thing happen out there is governed by unions. You know, the music space out there is protected and run by unions. Now Understood, because they have four seasons. We could gig in Trinidad from January to January, you know, I suppose they have a window, so they have four seasons. We could gig in Trinidad from January to January, you know, I suppose they have a window, so they have a window. They will gig from March to October, because when that cold season nobody can stand up outside and play. No pan, you know. So you laugh. It's the first thing I tried, not me, not me. I ain't doing that. They're going to pay me a whole time.
Speaker 1:So you know what my next question gonna be when you say that, right, depending on the school curriculum in Trinidad, where, how close we is to that, is it something we should have? Where are we?
Speaker 2:we confused, we confused in a confused state. Everybody who know me for years I've been advocating for this. I've left school in 1992. I had my junior secondary school teaching in Tobago, in Scarborough Junior Secondary Music was on the syllabus, on the book list and the instrument of choice that I had was to get to learn to play music was a recorder.
Speaker 1:Say it to me sooner.
Speaker 2:Say it to me soon. And still in 2025, it is still a recorder. Say it to me sooner, say it to me soon and still in 2025, it is still a recorder.
Speaker 1:Yeah, my son just went in Form 1. I had to buy a recorder for him. I was so annoyed.
Speaker 2:You're living in a country that you claim to say is the national instrument. You put it on your coat of arms. It's a national instrument. You put it on a coat of arms, it's a national instrument, but yet still you have over 500 national schools that are teaching music, but you're using the colonialism brothers and sisters tool.
Speaker 1:So let me ask you, because this is where the resistance has come from. Right, you pick up an instrument. An instrument is something that I tell my son all the time. He's playing keyboard and we come from a parent family, so I play a little quattro guitar and things. But until you do that hundreds of times, your muscles ain't going to work. I just keep telling him you have to treat it like how you ride a bike. You have to do it till you can't forget Facts. So one of the issues is they say the recorder is cheap. You can just buy a recorder for a child. How are we responding to that, the fact that a recorder is a cheap instrument? We'll take one or two before we do two. I don't make sure.
Speaker 2:The pan could be cheap too. No, the pan could be cheap Once we create a market for the mass production of the instrument to be for what it is and you have multiple people be on board. You occupy a space, a market to create new pan tuners, new pan makers, an industry where the pan could become affordable.
Speaker 1:So what he's saying is we have to make it the way we want it to be. We have to make it the way we want it to be Okay.
Speaker 2:We have one pan factory in Trinidad and Tobago that it's called Medco, run by the Hardcore Brothers alongside Mr Aqualit. Their system of having pans make is they get the drums from Japan, they ship the drums to Trinidad, they build and make the instruments here in Trinidad. They ship the pans again out of Trinidad to Ohio to Chrome, come back to Trinidad again to tune in to make it a final product. Japan, trinidad Bill make Trinidad Ohio Chrome Come back. It was a cost on that.
Speaker 1:It must be expensive. Oh man, no, but you tell me how they doing it in France again, you was telling me they make their own pans there.
Speaker 2:Okay, they make their own pans there. There are good, good pan makers out in France. Guys like Laurel Alsange is from Guadeloupe. He go across to France and he make pans. There's a guy who was living in the french region now by name of darren dyke. They make pans across there and source and and this might shock plenty people have you ever seen or known about the reverse version of the pan? They call it the hung. No, I didn't see it. It's a. It's a. It's a. It's a street instrument. It's a nice percussion instrument. They play with the hands.
Speaker 1:I think I see it on social media. People are investing more in that than steel pan Big time.
Speaker 2:We need to implement this music, this instrument, in all the schools because we have a wealth of knowledge of pan makers around. We can make the pans. We have UTT, we have Custard, we have UE. We have an influx of students going into these institutional spaces to learn music, to learn theory, to learn steel pan thing when they graduated. And they come out, where they're going? Yeah, yeah you could employ all these people and put them in schools and make the thing become compulsory. Take the recorder out of the schools.
Speaker 1:Put my left hand in the bottom and no, that's one of the things that people who are against this or who give resistance to this. One of the other things they say is again coincidentally, I learned to play one song on pan in my life. It's pan in a minor, just coincidentally right.
Speaker 2:Big song.
Speaker 1:Of course of course.
Speaker 1:Incidentally right, Big song, Of course. Of course I get you now. But when you start to learn a string instrument you're going to have to harden this. Your fingers are the colors. There's no way around it. You've got to go through the pain first To do that. You've got to love it and I would assume that the pan will have similar stories in terms of what needs to be done to become good enough to play pan. You're at a basic level, right. So the resistance people giving us. They say the recorder easy when you put one finger you make a note. You put the next finger, you make a note what do you say to that?
Speaker 2:that's why Panama semi-finals is what it is everybody come to party and lime and have a good time and not listen to any valuability that comes out of the instrument when planned claim. We don't respect it. We don't respect it like again, they said it's a national instrument. What is the charges of defacing the national flag? What is the charges of defacing or killing the scarlet ibis? What is the charges of doing the coca-cola injustice but your Ibis? What is the charges of doing the Coca-Cola injustice when your name is still found in National Instrument, where you know? I drive around Trinidad and Tobago and see the joy drum in front of all these places collecting garbage. What is the charges for that?
Speaker 1:Oh Lord, oh man, I'm sorry I asked this question now. It went worse than I thought a little while ago.
Speaker 2:I just think, deep this thing is in my DNA. I love pan. You know I don't like pan. I love pan. You know, right Me, I'm new to this. Now, I'm true to this Right. So when you want to name this thing, the National Instrument think about what you're doing first before making it the National.
Speaker 1:Yeah, man, meet me one time long before the Quota. Well, at least I know the Quota, I'm just going on. They had a company named Trinpad. You used to print all the copybooks and a big steel pan on the front.
Speaker 2:They had a big steel pan, yeah.
Speaker 1:You see big steel pan on the front. But we learned to record it in school. I never liked it. As somebody who loved music too, I never understood as a child why I couldn't to school and I would say I would say that, being around Fatima with my son going there, now I had little brothers who went presentation as well. The musicianship in schools is amazing. The youths now, the kind of music they're playing at a young age it is top notch, yeah. So I don't understand people who say that because they record, it easier to learn music.
Speaker 2:I don't buying that. I ain't buying that Wholesale, no retail. I ain't buying that Wholesale, no retail. Because if you put 10 youths in the school system in Jamaica and you ask them about their musical icons, where's their real name, they will tell you off the back foot. You know they love that thing, you know. Ask a child in Trinidad and Tobago who is McCarthy Lewis. Ask them who is Sterling Bettencourt.
Speaker 2:McCarthy Lewis is Calypso Rose nobody that don't know we never take time to teach them about we thing about we local, what we local history. I believe it's a subject I might be overdoing it, but what I'm saying by we are the teacher about what we local history.
Speaker 1:But if you're bringing a recording school, but it's not very, it's not so much local, social.
Speaker 2:I don't know, I ain't sure it's how people be just driving around the streets and seeing everybody getting advertising, the billboard, the Jay-Z's and all this. Where is Dr Len Bookty Sharp? Yeah, where is this one or that one? Teach the people and them about. I believe every boy and girl In Trinidad and Tobago Should be able to play National anthem and party.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I believe that Even more than that, a greater 100%, we could create A little 10 songs, because when they and me record it, you know what they used to tell me poop, poop, poop, poop, poop, poop, poop, poop, poop. So if Mary had a little lamb as a standard, why we can't find a simple calypso or a simple socal or a relevant calypso?
Speaker 2:or socal from this year, of course.
Speaker 1:So my response to people who say they record it too hard, right they also pan too hard I find maths was hard but they didn't want to take it off the curriculum.
Speaker 1:Maths hard like it. So if children go to school to learn and something difficult, it's a matriculation system. You can teach them simple versions of it until you reach at maths in form 6. Right, they do it for every other subject but they don't see. I was talking to a scrunter recently and he said that anytime you hear that your school over, you get a drop from a motor car, take the number. He said that being on the curriculum in Grenada. Every school child must learn. Look at that.
Speaker 2:But I learned that from around. Look at that, the most difficult thing in life is to breathe fresh air. Yeah, everything else after is a mindset to make it work. If you choose not to make it work, that is your business. Yeah, you know what I'm saying. But in France they make it work. Cannes is on fleek, oh my god. In the US, in the Midwest, in the West Coast, man like Dr Eugene Avotni and all these guys across in the West End, yeah, west Park Dr Ray Holman was in Seattle, tom Miller in Denver University these guys have some wicked, wicked programs out there. Liam Teague is out in NIU and he's flying the flag nice out there and representing the art form in such a way. And a marriage should have taken place where all these graduates had come out so by so and UCT and all of them go up in the NIO and meet Liam of course, important, important.
Speaker 1:I have a little brother who's studying in San Francisco I can't remember the name of the school. He's doing film scoring as his major, yeah, as his major yeah, and you know when I see his approach to music. He came back recently and he did a whole a matter of fact, the beginning of this podcast. I have two openings. One is a Panside playing a piece and the next one is a rhythm section and people might know that he went. He came the other day and part of his project for his thesis, he went Endung, point 14 and record your Rhythm Section live. Okay, so he has a Rhythm Section album coming out, an engine room album, nice, of just Rhythm Section, straight Rhythm. So I wonder how much sometimes. I mean he had to leave here. He born and grew in Sandow, went boys school, went present. He had to leave here to get that. Do you feel you'll live to Pan-Widestream accepted in schools?
Speaker 2:Yeah, it could happen, you know.
Speaker 1:It could happen.
Speaker 2:I believe we have a president in the pantry bagel now that she has a big heart. It's Ramsey Moore. Yeah, beverly Ramsey Moore. Congratulations to her on her new team. And she has a big heart to the point where it's like picking a leaf from a tree. It wouldn't turn brown one time.
Speaker 2:And one of the things that we have within ourselves here is not to take time to see change take place. Everybody wants to see that with a snap of a finger, her finger, but they don't know the process of where it was before, when she took it over, to be where it is now and where she's destined to go with it. And it all comes with teamwork, it all comes with understanding the demographics that comes with it. And I believe she's in a space where by individuals to have the listening ear to take it to a different place. So, the belief in the dream of we seeing what was explained by you to see, I believe we could get a scene yeah, boy. That would be a beautiful thing to see, it would be a blessing to see. Yeah boy, yeah, it's like, you know, the gardener Eden. You see a snake crawling and then biting her body.
Speaker 1:If that didn't happen, I can't wait to see it she doing the work.
Speaker 2:Yeah, she doing the work. Just take your time, she doing the work. You don't have to, you don't have to worry. You don't have to worry because just leave her, let her carry it. Good, she got to carry it and bet me, it happened, it happened well listen, it had no better place to wrap up.
Speaker 1:Good, he got to carry it and bet me it happened. It happened. Well, listen, it's not no better place to wrap up than this. When I was watching the documentary I said but why they make it part one and part two? But now I understand why. Because every question I ask you, I feel like I want to ask you something more. If you want part two, you get it. Well, good, I'm glad to. They're ready to pull you out. But listen, this was a great conversation.
Speaker 2:I appreciate you taking the call and coming through. This was it's a pleasure.
Speaker 1:Pleasure meeting you from seeing you over the years and something that I want to see when you talk about Ms Ramsey making those changes, I want to see people like yourself not how to teach nowhere else. If you don't want to, you should be recognized and teaching in schools throughout and not just pan on music, because I feel like the motivation and the inspiration. That's exactly what I'm saying. You're all doing something with youth.
Speaker 1:I hear the president say the pannier is a place, that it's a holy place. Of course, is it the holy place? It is the holy place. I wonder if we're taking that for granted sometimes.
Speaker 2:Criminals don't come inside the pannier.
Speaker 1:I at the Paniard or no? Well, you say, when you win one of the first things, imagine that you come back with a trophy and people saying we're done with crime.
Speaker 2:We go protect Hill, and it was done. It was course. How many criminal activities was recorded around the eastern side of Port of Spain, where the Renegades Paniard was taken place.
Speaker 1:Well, listen, like you, I lecture part-time time too, right, and there's a theory. The whole theorist or psychologist my name is maslow talk about the hierarchy and needs, right. One thing he's talking about is, at the most basic level of humans, what we're looking for is food, water, shelter, cloded pinnacle of human form as far as man look, and so in a self-actualization. True, and what I talk about every time I teach, in any course I teach, I talk about the pan, because a man might, might, you say it, you know, a man might be grieving, a man might be hungry, a man might be dealing with relationship problems, but when they hear bang pa, pa, pa, pa pa, it's such an important thing Beyond the recorder and the pan being in schools, you see, that's what he's doing, pan. He's calling youths to order. That is what's going to save this country. Many people who are still in that same city talk as if everybody's a winner.
Speaker 2:Do you feel the president wasn't mindful of what she said and President Christine Kennedy wasn't mindful of what?
Speaker 1:she said she ain't guessing, she ain't guessing.
Speaker 2:Yeah Boy, listen, everybody stop, everybody stop. And they're listening to directions going forward. The same youth who they say can't listen. The same youth who can't listen.
Speaker 1:And who wants this? And they're unbending the same youth. And you know, when you say everybody stop, I want to add to that because I was talking to somebody the other day and they say, when you do that, the players stop, I say not the players, everybody, everybody stop.
Speaker 1:I see it in the pan finals this Saturday night, the night when you went on the stage and you do a point display, people ball when you make the sign and you cross the ball. They don't know what to expect when they see you. But when you went to that pan you hit to your kind of, you almost go to do it and you stop. And then I see your thing and then you do it and everybody stop, they stand, stop, players take attention. So so so, why, why, why? Would there be anything different? What she's saying in terms of that model being what save us from what we are in today? It's a no change, you know.
Speaker 2:Prime Minister, president, but how many people are taking heed to see the model from the steel plant community?
Speaker 1:Well, you say Beverly Ramsey, more doing the work. You tell me.
Speaker 2:No, she's doing the work.
Speaker 1:I ain't just fabricating now, apart from the work, is that, yeah, yeah, conversations like these sensitizing people because youths gravitating towards it? In other words, I see governments many years right Every time election coming up, election season, you know, and they build community centers. And I wonder if sometimes the people in power realize that the Panyard is a community center. It is a community center, so why we don't? Just, I wonder how come we don't just forget our community center? Many of them, they build community centers and they, they might, they fade away because the best village and them taking community centers was a powerful tool for keeping us in gear back in the day.
Speaker 2:True, now I see places like maloney, the bill, a mall or shopping place because business and commerce, it's important in any community, but I wonder how come they don't build them things around the panyard if you walk into the Massey Trinidad All-Stars panyard, it's not just a panyard, it's like a mall, it's a shopping centre, it's a place to release and enjoy yourself. Just an animated statement. You're on the eastern side of Port of Spain, something happening. Just an animated statement. You're on the eastern side of Port of Spain, something happening, and you're around a pannier and you're looking for safety. The first place. People just look to see what the pannier is. Serious, come on. Who does that? Get it? Nobody coming inside of there. Safety, they're not coming in there. They're not coming in the pannier and disrespect that holy place.
Speaker 2:They're not coming in there. They're not coming in the panier, holy grail. They don't disrespect that holy place. Mm-hmm, mm-hmm. They're not coming in that space to disrespect that place.
Speaker 1:Boy listen. The more you talk, the more I want to talk, Because I grew up in St Jim.
Speaker 2:If you want part two, 763, help, we're going to do it?
Speaker 1:763 help. Where are we going to get the In? 763 Help, isn't it?
Speaker 2:That's a number. Yeah, I didn't even check that.
Speaker 1:No, check it. 763, help. But listen, you talk about holy place and it takes me right back to a boy in St James, because when I grew up in St James, the panyard was that, but also, you see, the Hussayad. Yeah, yeah, the Hussayad was that.
Speaker 2:It's a holy place it, thankful and grateful, knowing that the instrument that we play, that was granted as a gift from God, came from God, you know, for us to know that he did this to save us also, you know. But we ain't thinking that big because they see it as we can just play it and, after it done, it's a place of healing, it's a place of happiness. It's a place of healing, it's a place of happiness, it's a place of comfort, it's a place to bring love, unity amongst any creed and race in the world, from country to post, from north, south, east, west. Yeah, yeah, they come right in the pannayard. How many people has had the opportunity to go into Marshall Bontano rehearsal space? Yeah, imagine that. Nobody. Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1:Close to that lock. When you're outside, stay out.
Speaker 2:Who does go and see Kesper perform and rehearse? Nobody. The pannier is the only space that everybody does walk into free to see entertainment between 8 pm and 2 am, sometimes 3 am.
Speaker 1:Sometimes seven nights a week.
Speaker 2:Seven nights a week, and you're telling me that place is now a holy place. Yeah, so you're telling me the president of Trinidad and Tobago, madam Christine Kangaloo, wasn't mindful about what she was saying. Of course, but many people in Trinidad and Tobago were Christine Kangaloo, yeah, wasn't mindful About what she was saying Of course, but many people In Trinidad and Tobago Taking heed Of what she was saying.
Speaker 1:Yeah, we had to Pay attention to her. We had to pay attention.
Speaker 2:It's like when Remember when we were In primary school, we used to line up In the workplace Of course, hands up, hands up, out, out and put, pop your hand now yeah, but listen, the one that talks a million.
Speaker 1:You in control of that, that version of hands up and out. You controlling that with your drumstick every year. Thanks very much man.
Speaker 2:I appreciate that. Another place.
Speaker 1:I want to close on where I always listen to Blakey Singacalypso, named Steelband Clash. Right, he talk about fight and back and all in, and it's amazing to see that what was known in the steel band movement for if Exodus and this one meet up or if it's to whatever it's have apartheid, we see Tokyo coming down beating slow on the box of Renegades and fight that. That going to be the thing that bring us back United and not Trinidad and Tobago that we love and know. So I want to thank you very much, brother, not just for coming here today but for doing everything you're doing.
Speaker 2:It's, brother, not just for coming here today, but for doing everything you're doing. It's important.
Speaker 1:I appreciate everything you do. Thanks very much, man. Thanks a million. Now I understand, um, I understand your specifics what you drink to a diet restriction don't tell them I'll be drinking water Outro Music.