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ON July 27, the sweet sounds of steelpan and voices of freedom will fill Duke Street as Trinidad All Stars Steel Orchestra hosts its Rhythms of Freedom concert at its panyard.
The concert, which will feature performances by 3Canal, Terri Lyons and Charmaine Ford, is a celebration of history, culture and resilience.
Staci-Ann Patrick, public relations officer for the band, said the name Rhythms of Freedom was chosen for several reasons.
“This is a celebration of who we are as a people. When you look at the composition of our membership you see that we reflect every creed and race. Our national anthem is true in our yard.”
She explained that the yard was one of the sites of the Canboulay riots in 1881, which is why it is called Hell Yard.
“We decided the steelpan itself has gone through its own freedom process, coming into its own.
“The steelpan really started at a grassroots level, primarily for persons of African descent, but anybody who understands our history will also realise, over the last two and a half decades, more and more persons across the world have taken up the pan and made it their own. And so we decided we needed to honour that.”
Patrick said the band used to have small concerts in celebration of Emancipation Day. As the commemoration of emancipation grew through the work of the Emancipation Support Committee, the band held a procession from the yard through East Dry River to the Treasury Building, and at night, the elders performed a libation.
[caption id="attachment_1168751" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Senior members of the Trinidad All Stars Steel Orchestra perform at the 2025 TASSO Day celebrations at Hell Yard, Port of Spain, on May 21.[/caption]
This year, the concert is being held on the anniversary of the 1990 attempted coup, a decision which was deliberate.
She said it was a testament that people could stand against things they did not agree with, as well as the resilience of the nation.
She said the country has come a long way since the destruction of so much of Port of Spain and people being held hostage in the Red House, a symbol of TT’s freedom.
The band also decided to have the concert at the panyard because they want to bring credibility back to East Dry River, describing it as a hub of creativity and innovation as well as a safe space.
“The more people that come, the safer it will become.”
Patrick said 3Canal was another representation of resilience and freedom fighters, standing for TT history. And Charmaine Ford’s performance will be a tribute to the late Kay Alleyne-Meloney, one of the orchestra’s key vocalists.
She said one of the goals this year was to allow all players to perform for members of the public as much as possible. That was why, on May 21, there were several activities at the band’s panyard.
Among those looking forward to the concert is Ren Hamlet, bass player and lead painter, also known as the great-uncle of protocol.
Hamlet joined the band in 1972 at age 20, when the panyard was located on St Vincent Street where the Financial Towers now stand.
He recalled it was in August while he was on vacation from school. He got a job as a checker at a construction site in John John, Laventille. One of the workers played with All Stars and invited him to see the band.
“I went down there a night and I never stopped. I just fell in love with the music, everything.”
[caption id="attachment_1168752" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Trinidad All Stars bass player Denise Riley at Hell Yard, Duke St, Port of Spain.[/caption]
He said he had two brothers who played instruments and sang but he never thought he would also become a musician. Since then, he has been a section leader and a committee member at one point, and has travelled abroad many times with the band.
He believes the band continues to progress and is never stagnant, as it does not depend on the government or its sponsors for everything.
About the band’s 90th anniversary, he said it was good to know it was still going strong, and wished he was there from the beginning.
“All Stars can’t mash up, no matter how people try. All Stars is something else. You fall in love with All Stars. When people come into the band they just can’t leave it.
“My wife wants me to stop playing pan, but if I stop, you know what going on with me? It will be wrong.”
Hamlet said he would play a few songs at the concert but would mostly give the younger bass players the opportunity to perform.
“We like to give the younger ones a chance to play. You know what it is to play in All Stars?!
That’s something else. We go through all that already so we have to give way to the future.”
He intends to play until he can no longer remember the notes of the music. He said the band is like family, and the members of the state side are close-knit. So even when he stops playing he will still hang around.
Another bass player, Denise Riley, 66, will also be part of the celebrations. But her journey with the band began unexpectedly.
When she stepped into the panyard for the first time, she had no idea how to play pan.
As the eldest of four, she was tasked with taking her youngest sister, who played the triple guitar pan, to audition to play for All Stars. Her sister got through and was part of the band’s state side, eventually becoming a section leader.
While waiting, her sister encouraged her to learn to play the pan. She figured bass would be the easiest to learn and approached member. By the end of the season, she was able to play a song and part of the Panorama song.
She realised the bass was not easy to play but fell in love with playing the six bass. She liked the sound, and being competent enough to manipulate six pans at a time.
In 1986, she joined the band’s state side and played for the North Zone. In 1987, she was selected for Panorama and has played every year since. She also played with the band at the Steelband Music Festival three times and at Classical Jewels.
“When you go to festivals, while you’re standing in one place you have to have a reach. And sometimes the pieces are quick. So it’s not an easy thing to do but I enjoy it.”
She said she is very quiet, but when she is behind the bass, she is outgoing, a different person.
Riley recounted after refusing nominations several times, she was eventually coerced into serving as secretary, which she did for a few terms. She was also administrative manager and uniform chair for many years. She even did a course in administration so she could do her job in the band better.
“Somewhere in the 2000s I stopped because it was time for younger people. To me it makes no sense. You’re getting older and you’re just holding on to leadership? Younger people must come in and they must understand what it means to serve, because at some point in time you’re going to have to stop playing and step back.”
Since her first step into the panyard, there have been many changes, especially to the infrastructure. She said the yard was very narrow as part of it was a sinkhole and another part was a barrack yard.
She recalled at one time there was a big fire in Port of Spain. The band’s management asked for the rubble to fill up the hole and part of the back of the yard and poured concrete over it, expanding the space. Eventually, they bought the land the barracks was on, broke down the structure and expanded even more.
“Of course the band is competitive by nature. Each leader has always looked for ways to improve so it is always moving forward by leaps and bounds.”
When Catelli Trinidad Ltd stopped sponsoring the band, there was a year or two it went without a sponsor before Neal and Massy Holdings Limited came on board in 1988. But the band continued to function by raising funds, and it continues to do so.
She said the band went from having a committee to a management team, and has grown larger over the years. They moved from pulling the racks along the road to playing on trucks, and now there is a junior and senior academy led by certified music instructors. There, she is learning to play the double second pan, which she always wanted to learn.
[caption id="attachment_1168756" align="alignnone" width="683"] Ren Hamlet, Trinidad All Stars bass player, intends play the pan until he cannot do so anymore. Photo courtesy Trinidad All Stars.[/caption]
She said she has no intention of playing at age 75 and will probably retire around age 70, but she may serve on the management team again. She also brings out a mas section on Carnival Monday and Tuesday and will continue to manage that.
For Hamlet, Riley, Patrick, and every member of Trinidad All Stars, Rhythms of Freedom is more than just a concert. It is a statement of their identity, a reminder of where they came from and a promise to keep the steelpan alive for generations to come.
Rhythms of Freedom will be held on July 27 at the band’s panyard at 46-48 Duke Street, Neville Jules Junction, Port of Spain from 6 pm, but the pre-show begins at 5pm. Tickets are $250 and can be purchased at the Pan Theatre or via island e-tickets. For more information, call 627-2127, 729-7278, 684-8916 or 758-2902.
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