PAN KINGDOM
Voocals by Anslem Douglas
Composed by Mark Loquan
Lyrics by Gregory GB Ballantyne
Pan by Mia Gormandy
Produced by Junior "Ibo" Joseph
(for Panorama 2017 and arranged by Amrit Samaroo for the 2nd Virtual Steelband Project)
Verse 1
There is a magnet in the Steelpan
Resonates in all lands
But when it holds
On to yuh soul
Then you will understand
De hammer that tunes a drum
Does inject a special rhythm
And when a pannist plays
De vibration does raise
Leaving players and listeners amazed
Chorus (Part A)
Steelband does call them together
From every region and culture
The sound of the oil drum, is the magical key
From Australia and New Zealand
U.S.A., London and Japan
Dey syncopating
Dey orchestrating
With speed and innovation
The sheer magnet of this thing called Pan
(Part B)
Is sweet pan dey come to feel
To answer the call of steel
Their passion they can’t conceal
Panorama seals the deal
Win or lose………….they come
Why dey choose…………….oil drum ?
(Dey) can’t resist de pan kingdom
Verse 2
Other instruments their notes run
Left-to-right and straight on
Piano
Or Picolo
Even Accordion
Only instrument in the World
Have the notes arranged in a swirl
It is our special pan
Dat circular pattern
Like a flower, is magnetism
Chorus (Part A)
Steelband does call them together
From every region and culture
The sound of the oil drum, is the magical key
Trinidad, France and Jamaica
Brazil, Finland and St. Lucia
Dey syncopating
Dey orchestrating
With speed and innovation
The sheer magnet of this thing called Pan
(Part B)
Is sweet pan dey come to feel
To answer the call of steel
Their passion they can’t conceal
Panorama seals the deal
Win or lose………….they come
Why dey choose…………….oil drum ?
(Dey) can’t resist de pan kingdom
Bridge
Pan does make dem high
No-one can deny
When pan music plays, yuh in a daze
Yuh so amazed, yuh feel yuh want to fly
When de Grand Stand roar
And de crowd want more
Ya could puff yuh chest, ya did yuh best
Ya pass de test, (in) winners row for sure] REPEAT
Verse 3
In a World full of enmity
Border wars, Refugees
Our pan
Leads the stand
For global unity
From tenor-player to bass
We accept any creed and race
Come one and come all
When sticks and rubber fall
Like United Nations protocol
Chorus (Part A)
Steelband does call them together
From every region and culture
The sound of the oil drum, is the magical key
Cayman Islands and Nigeria
And de virtual pan player
Dey syncopating
Dey orchestrating
With speed and innovation
The sheer magnet of this thing called Pan
(Part B)
Is sweet pan dey come to feel
To answer the call of steel
Their passion they can’t conceal
Panorama seals the deal
Win or lose………….they come
Why dey choose…………….oil drum ?
(Dey) can’t resist de pan kingdom
Pan solo
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Theme
“Pan Kingdom” was written to demonstrate the spread of pan all over the world, with the pan being the magnet to unify people through music. More and more we witness players from all over the world, participating in Panorama every year. The International Conference and Panorama held in August 2015 in Trinidad also highlighted bands from the Caribbean, USA, Canada, Japan, and France performing in the Mecca of pan, and we also remember bands from all over the world participating in the World Steelband Festival in Trinidad in the year 2000. How many of us personally know people involved in pan not only in Trinidad and Tobago, but in the kingdom of pan.
Mark’s own travels have exposed him to people from North America, Europe to Australia & New Zealand and from the Middle East to Asia, appreciating this wondrous instrument. Early in 2016, Mia Gormandy, a graduate of Northern Illinois University (NIU), pursuing her PhD thesis in steelband history in Japan, and who was part of the 1st Virtual Steelband Project (Virtual Project and Video) approached Mark to compose the music, and Amrit Samaroo to arrange the music for the 2nd Virtual Steelband Project to be launched in 2017. The idea was that (a) music would be launched as normal for the National Panorama in 2017 and (b) the piece is scored with all the parts to be made available to bands and individuals all over the globe to play the same arrangement and be unified through the music for the pan. The formal premiere of the project is planned for October 2017. Included in the Virtual Project team is Yuko Asada, and Scott McConnell, both also graduates from (NIU), where Liam Teague serves as the Head of Steelpan Studies and Associate Professor of Music. Liam composed the music for the 1st Virtual Steelband Project called “Bella Vista”.
The lyrics were written by Gregory “GB” Ballantyne, who articulated the magnetism of pan, which knows no boundaries, attracting people from the world over. He writes “We accept any creed and race, come one and come all, when sticks and rubber fall, like United Nations protocol”. Anslem Douglas delivers the vocals with his usual energy and clarity. The team have previously worked together on “Dr.Samaroo” in 2015, “Soca Have Dem So” in 2016, and now “Pan Kingdom” in 2017.
To add an international dimension and a symbol of pan unity, the live pan track was performed by Mia Gormandy, while she was in Japan which was then mixed into the track in Trinidad. A pan version by Mia of the song is also submitted which is new for Panorama submissions. What was good about producing the song, was that Mia, Amrit and Mark worked closely from the early stages to the finished product.
To all the pan players (including all those participating in the 2nd Virtual Steelband Project) all over the world, this song is dedicated to you at a time when the world has so much division and chaos, to bring each of us closer and united in some small way.