THE EARL OF PAN WEARS HIS CROWN GRACEFULLY
“In 2004 Hurricane Ivan destroyed The Cayman Islands and evidently shattered my personal possessions including steelpans and household articles. The Canadian government hurriedly sent passenger planes to evacuate all Canadians which included me and my family” - the Lapierre Family Steelband.
These were the words of Trinidad born Earl La Pierre recently on “Pan Diaspora” during an interview on WACK Radio 90.1 FM with Hollis Clifton and Steve Sealy.
Earl speaking via telephone (from the Caymans) revealed that prior to that natural disaster he had spent 18 prolific years in the islands. It was in 1986 when he was invited for the Pirates Week Festival an opportunity to teach pan arose.
While there he opened a school called Cayman School for Pan, had a carnival steelband named
Panoramers and taught pan at the primary, middle and high schools, as well as Catholic Schools,
in Grand Cayman. As a result of Earl's efforts all the schools offer steelband as part of their educational program. Earl won every School Music Festival and every Carnival Pan Competition in Cayman Islands from 1988 - 2004. His three year old college band (PANDEMIX) is getting stronger and seems to be giving his own Panoramers, some serious competition. From 2008, to present Earl has been the arranger for Pandemix steelband which has been running 2nd to Panoramers.
As steel band teacher, and a performer, La Pierre performs at all the major hotels in the Cayman
Islands, but mainly at Treasure Island Resort. He is credited with introducing Trinidad and Tobago's national instrument to this island grouping to the extent where it has become an indelible part of that country's culture.
La Pierre took up residence in Toronto from 2004-2006 but returned to the Cayman in 2006 where he’s now domiciled. The pan aficionado however, takes a time out every summer to fulfill contractual arrangements with Afropan for Caribana.
Afropan
Formerly of St Clair, Port-of-Spain Trinidad, La Pierre is one of many Trinidadians who have
made their mark in the pan diaspora. While living in Canada he taught steel pan
music at the University of Toronto, North York Board of Education and the Toronto Board of
Education. Earl was instrumental in getting the Steel pan offered as a credit course in the North
Schools. Earl has won all Kiwanis Music Festivals in the Steel band category in Secondary, Junior and Primary School from 1979 - 1986. During that time the bands under Earl’s tutelage (most notably those from West View) received 29 wins at Secondary level (with 1 second place in 1983) and 6 wins at the Primary level. In the Jazz and Pan category the West View Steel band received 3
wins from 1984 thru 1986. At West View Earl was instrumental in getting no less than 8 steel bands
started; at the Secondary level there was Pangroove, Pantario, the Senior Band, the Junior Band
and the Open Band, and at the Primary Level there was Topcliffe, Day Strome, and Firgrove.
When asked by Clifton about where he honed his skills La Pierre revealed that he was a former member of Metronomes where he place 3rd as a soloist in the Trinidad Music Festival. He arranged for Invaders steelband where he placed 2nd in the bomb competition: placed 5th in Panorama Final, he was also a member of Starlift Steel Orchestra and for the past 26 years has played as a member of Phase II Pan Groove.
In 1999, he arranged the panorama tune for Southern Marines Steelband Foundation and for the past several years he has
been arranging for Harmonites Steelband garnering several accolades. In 2002 he placed
1st in the East and 4th in the finals of the Pan in the 21st Century competition.
In the Panorama competition with Earl as their arranger,
Harmonites were the People’s Choice in 2006, and received 7th place in 2007 and 10th place in 2008.
In the ‘Bomb’ competition, Earl and the Harmonites have also garnered several notable awards. In 2006 they achieved 2 firsts, 3 seconds, and 1 third place. In 2009, they placed 12th, Panorama. Pan In The 21st Century: In 2007, Harmonites garnered 3rd place; in 2008, 5th place; In 2009, 6th place. In 2007 they received 1 first, 2 second, and 2 third place; and in 2008 they received 2 first and 1 second place.
The La Pierre Family
Back in North America Earl has distinguished himself as Canada's Top arranger, by being adjudged the Best Playing Steelband at Toronto's annual Caribana celebrations for the unprecedented 30th time.
Earl La Pierre Sr. has garnered 31 wins out of 40 times with 8 seconds and 1 third.
In 2002 in recognition of his contribution to the steelband movement at the annual Snowflakes of Steel show, the Pan Arts Network made Earl La Pierre their first ambassador of the Pioneer In Pan Award. This was followed by the Counsel General Diaspora Award for excellence in 2008
and then the 2010 Caribana Tribute Award.
Currently the Lapierre Family Steelband consists of three boys and one girl. Earl La Pierre jr is a pan tutor in Toronto while Olujimi teaches in Grand Cayman and Noel teaches in Trinidad.
During the discourse Clifton questioned the purpose of a set of PHI instruments on location at Afropan’s Pan Theatre near Lamport Stadium in Toronto during the bands rehearsal prior to Pan Alive competition 2010. In response Earl quipped that they were simply for display purposes. Again Clifton asked La Pierre if, in his view the PHI could ever be incorporated into the traditional steelband. La Pierre appeared to have eluded the question and threw it back at Clifton.
Clifton then drew reference to the Pan/Jazz fest held the previous evening atop the San Fernando Hill. He cited the use of the PHI by two of the bards – Darren Shepherd and Earl Brooks of the Kenny Phillips led 90.1 Degrees Band. Shepherd played three instruments – the traditional ping pong (1940s), the modern tenor/soprano and the PHI which he referred to as the futuristic pan but, he would rather stick to his “Betsy” – conventional tenor.
In elaboration Clifton referred to a chat he had with Professor Brian Copeland of UWI the same evening with respect to Sheppard’s reference to the PHI as part of the pan family. The Professor lamented the assertion positing that the PHI – Percussive Harmonic Instrument - in the strictest sense is not a pan. It is the marriage of pan and modern technology. Its DNA link to pan is its shape and note layout. The goodly Doctor recons that one can call it a PHI Pan if one thinks of Pan as its surname. For those who are still working hard to get it to a level of product of which our nation could be proud, it’s just PHI. The inventors, apart from Copeland include Keith Maynard, Marcel Byron and Earl Phillips.
Pan Diaspora brings to bear individuals who promote the national instrument of Trinidad and Tobago in the Pan Diaspora. It could be heard on the final Sunday of each month on WACK Radio.
Hollis J. Clifton
Pan Diaspora Visionary
Sunday, October 10, 2010
SALAH, ONE PLY AHEAD OF THE PACK- Pan Alive, Canada
When our band came up to the front there was an obvious plan of Action (logistical Battle plan for the musical War)...the tents came up first (camouflage covering).....followed by the plywood on the floor (secure a beachhead) ... and then some raised platforms for the basses and the drum kit (battle props for the equipment) ......then the pan stands (battle equipment) ...then the Pans.( weapons) .... Obviously it had to be a co-ordinated action, (battle plan of action) with all the necessary details worked out ahead of time to avoid confusion. This shows that we were simply ready and not only had the music covered but how to execute other details The tune of choice for the competition was entitled “Battle Zone” (Battle preparedness).
This was the response of Salah leader of Salah’s Steelpan Academy in response to a question from a caller from Toronto during the Pan Diaspora segment inside “Pan in Yuh Puefen” Sunday on Wack Radio90.1 FM with Hollis Clifton and Steve Sealy behind the controls. The caller had questioned the bands use of plywood on the floor during the band’s 4th straight winning presentation at Pan Alive (panorama) 2010 at Lamport Stadium, Toronto.
But there is scientific logic of using the ply wood, affirmed Salah. The first year at Lamport they allowed us to play on the grass and we realized how effective the ply wood was since the grass absorbed the sound and with the plywood in place there was a great acoustic effect so we have continued that concept ever since. No one seemed to pick up on it yet but I am sure by 2011 they will....we were also the first to introduce tents.... and amplification at the other place when it was allowed......all of this is because we take our work seriously and plan for the event and always seek to improve on what we did the previous year....like for next year God’s Willing we know that we have to beat our own song, in other words, do a better arrangement of this year's song in order to be one step ahead of the pack. But a lot of it is also based on experience, for instance the concept of using a base like wood for acoustics reminded me of a time I played with Exodus and they played a song called Baillamos ...I recall the effect it had on me at the Grand Savannah in Port of Spain. I played with the band and on stage when the first notes were sounded it literally lifted me off my feet… the effect of the sound bouncing off the wooded floor of the stage, so that effect remained with me.
Another caller from Toronto added a touch of humor positing that he would have to go and do some plywood research… Lol
Salah recalling his initial plight to Clifton highlighted his first gig two weeks after arriving in Montreal in 1972. If ever there was an illusion this must have been it. It took years before another engagement was to follow. So off he went to the Black community in Cote des Neiges where he impacted on their first ever
“Carifete” parade. The event was so grand that it drew imminent personalities cum Mohammed Ali, et al however, for reasons untold Carifete met its demise in the ensuing years.
Salah & Family
Montreal appeared a bit on the slow side for the budding pannist. So he packed his bag and took his wife, Adiylah, to Vancouver where he linked up with a few of his home boys (Trinidadians) including
Kenrick Headley, Jimmi Phillip, Orvis & Hamish Noel, Sammy Morris, Patrick Wilson. There they were doing the circuit fairly regularly. However, the young, restless and daring Salah picked up a ‘vaps’ and decided to acquire a complete set of steelpans to form his own band. He managed to convince a few of the guys with whom he played in other bands to move on to Edmonton. (Jimi Phillip, Gale Hunt, Vin Thomas, Nicky Asson). The move resulted in the crystallization of his first steelband – Pan Vibes Exhibits.
Financially the outfit did not show much promise so with his wife returning to relatives in Montreal the group enrolled in “Grant Mc Ewan Community College” to do a music programme, performances at the university, schools, coffee shops and recording for a radio station, inclusive of vocals. This must have been a first for a steelband anywhere.
With all this going, however, Salah found that the thought of Montreal always conjured up images in his mind and so with the upcoming Summer Olympics in 1976 he returned to Montreal. Pan Vibes Exhibits eventually met its demise. This led to the emergence of the Galaxy Vocal Steelband with Trinidad’s Junior Byron as lead vocalist. Internal migration again saw the band return to Edmonton in 1978. This time he took his wife and two children.
A couple years later, 1980 the band continued to search for the establishment of its own identity which meant travelling between Montreal and New York. His wife gave birth to another son, this time in New York. Alas the family returned to Trinidad where another child was born before returning to Montreal in 1984.
In an effort to put food on the table Salah revealed to Clifton that he became a Street Busker, playing on the streets, the Metro (subway) and the parks, almost anywhere to get ends to meet. The period 1984-1987 was truly trying times but in which he took pride in his profession as a pannist. It enabled him to establish contacts and contracts so that he was gigging all over Montreal. Most important of all he was able to attend Mc Gill Conservatory of Music where he completed his Secondary III, IV and V.
Salah took the opportunity to revisit the Montreal’s Black Communities establishing steelpan programmes in Cote Des Neiges and N.D.G... His experience as a Street Busker, nonetheless, continued unfolding motivating chronicles.
The genesis came in 1988 when the pan maestro decided to put together “Salah & Family Steelpan Workshop” in his own apartment. The aggregate thrived till 1990 when another kid arrived on the scene. His wife then emerged as the band’s vocalist.
It was in 1991 when Salah made inroads into the public schools, starting with Coronation Elementary then the following year Somerled Elementary came into the fold. Later Shadd Academy, John Grant High et al were added. Today Salah and his family provide pan programmes in seven English schools and one French school.
Salah in Hong Kong
In 1992 Wilson seriously began writing a Steelpan Text Book entitled “Steelpan Playing With Theory”. He also enlisted for a degree at Concordia University. This made it the first time that the steelpan would be accepted at a major university in any part of Canada – Salah spearheaded the project. In 1995 he graduated with distinction obtaining a BFA in jazz specialization with the steelpan as his principal instrument.
With so many schools involved in the steelpan programme Salah, in 1992, configured a Summer Festival – Pan Jamboree - to channel the efforts of the young players. Together with his own Salah & Family Steelpan Academy, among other community groups, the event was held at the Bill Durham arena in Cote Des Neiges. A winter Yuletide event entitled “Classics to Calypso” was later created on par with pan Jamboree. “Pan Quebec” was significant in producing this annual event.
Salah’s Steelpan Academy
In 1995 the pan family headed to the studio with the resultant debut CD entitled “Good Feelings”. That same year Salah with his six member family band went to Toronto and created hysteria when they when they won the coveted “Panorama” title eliminating other bands four and five times their size.
In 1997 Salah established his own private “Salah Steelpan Academy” and open its doors to John Public.
By the turn of the century Salah’s elder children were by now assisting in the teaching of steelpan music in the public schools.
Clifton then asked Salah about fallout he had in 2005, to which he humbled himself in reference to an Ethnomusicology Masters programme which he was pursuing at the University of Montreal and was really struggling due to his inability to effectively comprehend French as a second language. He eventually had to drop out. This nonetheless gave him the opportunity to go to Trinidad and Tobago to have talks with the government. The result was that his book “Steelpan Playing With Theory” was formally adopted into the public schools’ curriculum. He went on to pen five additional Steelpan Text books designed for different levels of comprehension. Three of the books have been translated into French.
In 2006 he opened his store Steelpan Plus, which also serves as the centre for the private classes. With Hameed Shaqq, he has a branch in Toronto.
Over the years The Academy has served as an outreach location for troubled youths where they are given a disciplined art form and an environment to interact with their age mates. It has also served as a meeting place for young adults and senior citizens. The positive effect on the group with Autistic students has also been noted.
Salah laments that to date the Academy has managed to survive without funding but they need to go beyond merely survival. Their desire is to create employment of students, offer the programmes in French inclusive of other aspects of the Arts. To this end they seek partners to fund their programmes.
Pan Diaspora can be heard on the last Sunday monthly on WACK Radio90.1FM from 4–5 PM
Hollis J. Clifton
Pan Diaspora Visionary
This was the response of Salah leader of Salah’s Steelpan Academy in response to a question from a caller from Toronto during the Pan Diaspora segment inside “Pan in Yuh Puefen” Sunday on Wack Radio90.1 FM with Hollis Clifton and Steve Sealy behind the controls. The caller had questioned the bands use of plywood on the floor during the band’s 4th straight winning presentation at Pan Alive (panorama) 2010 at Lamport Stadium, Toronto.
But there is scientific logic of using the ply wood, affirmed Salah. The first year at Lamport they allowed us to play on the grass and we realized how effective the ply wood was since the grass absorbed the sound and with the plywood in place there was a great acoustic effect so we have continued that concept ever since. No one seemed to pick up on it yet but I am sure by 2011 they will....we were also the first to introduce tents.... and amplification at the other place when it was allowed......all of this is because we take our work seriously and plan for the event and always seek to improve on what we did the previous year....like for next year God’s Willing we know that we have to beat our own song, in other words, do a better arrangement of this year's song in order to be one step ahead of the pack. But a lot of it is also based on experience, for instance the concept of using a base like wood for acoustics reminded me of a time I played with Exodus and they played a song called Baillamos ...I recall the effect it had on me at the Grand Savannah in Port of Spain. I played with the band and on stage when the first notes were sounded it literally lifted me off my feet… the effect of the sound bouncing off the wooded floor of the stage, so that effect remained with me.
Another caller from Toronto added a touch of humor positing that he would have to go and do some plywood research… Lol
Salah recalling his initial plight to Clifton highlighted his first gig two weeks after arriving in Montreal in 1972. If ever there was an illusion this must have been it. It took years before another engagement was to follow. So off he went to the Black community in Cote des Neiges where he impacted on their first ever
“Carifete” parade. The event was so grand that it drew imminent personalities cum Mohammed Ali, et al however, for reasons untold Carifete met its demise in the ensuing years.
Salah & Family
Montreal appeared a bit on the slow side for the budding pannist. So he packed his bag and took his wife, Adiylah, to Vancouver where he linked up with a few of his home boys (Trinidadians) including
Kenrick Headley, Jimmi Phillip, Orvis & Hamish Noel, Sammy Morris, Patrick Wilson. There they were doing the circuit fairly regularly. However, the young, restless and daring Salah picked up a ‘vaps’ and decided to acquire a complete set of steelpans to form his own band. He managed to convince a few of the guys with whom he played in other bands to move on to Edmonton. (Jimi Phillip, Gale Hunt, Vin Thomas, Nicky Asson). The move resulted in the crystallization of his first steelband – Pan Vibes Exhibits.
Financially the outfit did not show much promise so with his wife returning to relatives in Montreal the group enrolled in “Grant Mc Ewan Community College” to do a music programme, performances at the university, schools, coffee shops and recording for a radio station, inclusive of vocals. This must have been a first for a steelband anywhere.
With all this going, however, Salah found that the thought of Montreal always conjured up images in his mind and so with the upcoming Summer Olympics in 1976 he returned to Montreal. Pan Vibes Exhibits eventually met its demise. This led to the emergence of the Galaxy Vocal Steelband with Trinidad’s Junior Byron as lead vocalist. Internal migration again saw the band return to Edmonton in 1978. This time he took his wife and two children.
A couple years later, 1980 the band continued to search for the establishment of its own identity which meant travelling between Montreal and New York. His wife gave birth to another son, this time in New York. Alas the family returned to Trinidad where another child was born before returning to Montreal in 1984.
In an effort to put food on the table Salah revealed to Clifton that he became a Street Busker, playing on the streets, the Metro (subway) and the parks, almost anywhere to get ends to meet. The period 1984-1987 was truly trying times but in which he took pride in his profession as a pannist. It enabled him to establish contacts and contracts so that he was gigging all over Montreal. Most important of all he was able to attend Mc Gill Conservatory of Music where he completed his Secondary III, IV and V.
Salah took the opportunity to revisit the Montreal’s Black Communities establishing steelpan programmes in Cote Des Neiges and N.D.G... His experience as a Street Busker, nonetheless, continued unfolding motivating chronicles.
The genesis came in 1988 when the pan maestro decided to put together “Salah & Family Steelpan Workshop” in his own apartment. The aggregate thrived till 1990 when another kid arrived on the scene. His wife then emerged as the band’s vocalist.
It was in 1991 when Salah made inroads into the public schools, starting with Coronation Elementary then the following year Somerled Elementary came into the fold. Later Shadd Academy, John Grant High et al were added. Today Salah and his family provide pan programmes in seven English schools and one French school.
Salah in Hong Kong
In 1992 Wilson seriously began writing a Steelpan Text Book entitled “Steelpan Playing With Theory”. He also enlisted for a degree at Concordia University. This made it the first time that the steelpan would be accepted at a major university in any part of Canada – Salah spearheaded the project. In 1995 he graduated with distinction obtaining a BFA in jazz specialization with the steelpan as his principal instrument.
With so many schools involved in the steelpan programme Salah, in 1992, configured a Summer Festival – Pan Jamboree - to channel the efforts of the young players. Together with his own Salah & Family Steelpan Academy, among other community groups, the event was held at the Bill Durham arena in Cote Des Neiges. A winter Yuletide event entitled “Classics to Calypso” was later created on par with pan Jamboree. “Pan Quebec” was significant in producing this annual event.
Salah’s Steelpan Academy
In 1995 the pan family headed to the studio with the resultant debut CD entitled “Good Feelings”. That same year Salah with his six member family band went to Toronto and created hysteria when they when they won the coveted “Panorama” title eliminating other bands four and five times their size.
In 1997 Salah established his own private “Salah Steelpan Academy” and open its doors to John Public.
By the turn of the century Salah’s elder children were by now assisting in the teaching of steelpan music in the public schools.
Clifton then asked Salah about fallout he had in 2005, to which he humbled himself in reference to an Ethnomusicology Masters programme which he was pursuing at the University of Montreal and was really struggling due to his inability to effectively comprehend French as a second language. He eventually had to drop out. This nonetheless gave him the opportunity to go to Trinidad and Tobago to have talks with the government. The result was that his book “Steelpan Playing With Theory” was formally adopted into the public schools’ curriculum. He went on to pen five additional Steelpan Text books designed for different levels of comprehension. Three of the books have been translated into French.
In 2006 he opened his store Steelpan Plus, which also serves as the centre for the private classes. With Hameed Shaqq, he has a branch in Toronto.
Over the years The Academy has served as an outreach location for troubled youths where they are given a disciplined art form and an environment to interact with their age mates. It has also served as a meeting place for young adults and senior citizens. The positive effect on the group with Autistic students has also been noted.
Salah laments that to date the Academy has managed to survive without funding but they need to go beyond merely survival. Their desire is to create employment of students, offer the programmes in French inclusive of other aspects of the Arts. To this end they seek partners to fund their programmes.
Pan Diaspora can be heard on the last Sunday monthly on WACK Radio90.1FM from 4–5 PM
Hollis J. Clifton
Pan Diaspora Visionary
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