"I'm a singer from the heart; I just want to sing, dance and be what I am on the big stage," says Princess Adana to Billboard. Not long out of her teens, Tobago's golden girl has been there and done that at the Plymouth Jazz Festival when she grabbed the opportunity to open the show with a terrifically vigorous performance, signalling her arrival on the top tier of the Island's pro singers. Naturally lithe and bubbly, she delivers sultry when required and can open the tap with the best of them as soca hips start to sway 'out of control' - a sure-shot hit. Her stirring, soulful R&B style reflects one part of her many influences and this popular live-wire has been buzzing since she began winning competitions at age 15. 'Nuff nice things have happened to the much-loved local lass since then, including contracts to perform at the Island's major hotels, which is where you are likely to catch her most evenings - or, of course, on the Big Stage when the big shows
are open-air. Shine on…catch her if you can! http://www.myspace.com/princessadana

TOBAGO MUSIC MASTERS
EUPHONIC SOUNDS STEEL ORCHESTRA
Wedding Bells! Tobago Euphonic Sounds Steel Orchestra, 'The little Giant with a big Sweet sound and Large Heart', celebrated their 20th birthday in October 2009. They are a specialist steel band of nine members who perform at Tobago's Hotels, Restaurants and major tourism events.
If you are getting married in Tobago, a steel band is a must and the band manager can also see about your entire bar arrangements. A well disciplined, punctual, trust worthy and dependable band you can even request them to wear a uniform that fits in with your colour scheme; with a repertoire of over 50 tunes, they give consistent and appropriate music for over 3 hours including 'Here Comes the Bride', Ave Maria' etc. for the ceremony. Tobago's Tourism Division has consistently utilised the services of the band for many years when entertaining their foreign dignitaries including the Prince of Wales' visit last year and when making promotional European tours. The band has just returned from representing T&T in 23 cities around Germany and are now back home performing at Turtle Beach Hotel every Saturday night from 8.30 pm. For more information e-mail: rentabar@hotmail.com or Tel: 868- 685-2881 Mr. R. Marshall, Manager www.tobagoeuphonicsounds.hpage.com

The Story of Irving Burgie & Harry Belafonte A generation before Bob Marley globalised Jamaican Reggae, Harry Belafonte had popularized the Calypso beat and music of the Caribbean by recording and performing some classic songs that have become the theme songs with which these islands are automatically associated. 'Day-O' (Daylight come, and me wan' go home) is over 50 years old and is celebrated in stadiums all over America by home-town fans who use it as their cheer song. 'Jamaica Farewell ' (Down the way, where the nights are gay) is another beautiful classic that tourists delight in hearing and singing along to when they visit the Caribbean, together with that other wonderful oldie 'Island in the Sun'. It's perfectly natural for people worldwide to associate the singer Harry Belafonte with these classics as his first record - Calypso - was the very first album to sell more than one million copies when it was released in 1956-7, remaining at No. 1 on the Billboard Charts for a staggering 32 weeks. Irving Burgie, aka Lord Burgess is the composer of the above titles, having written some 34 songs for Belafonte. Irving Burgie grew up
in Brooklyn, the son of Barbadian immigrant parents. He taught himself to play the guitar while serving in the U.S. Army in World War Two and he also wrote for the Kingston Trio. His songs have sold over one hundred million records worldwide and have been sung by artists everywhere. He also composed the Barbados National Anthem in the 60's. His autobiography can be found locally in the book store at Gulf City Mall. Explore more. Enjoy more!

MUSIC MASTERS Katzenjammers Playing for England's Queen
This Black Rock band celebrated its 50th birthday in 2001 and continues a tradition of providing musical tuition and employment for its youth. Among today's players are the children and grandchildren of the founders who did indeed play for Queen Elizabeth at Government House, on the Northside Road in 1955, when she visited the Caribbean. Her sister Princess Margaret also enjoyed their infectious rhythms at No Man's Land. In 1963, Hurricane Flora destroyed their pan yard; the lads moved their drums under the mango tree which still stands at the entrance of the road to Fort Bennett. Passing tourists would report back to the hotels that some jolly times were to be had with the musical lads under the mango tree. These reports led to regular engagements at their local Turtle Beach Hotel. Fifty years on and the band is one of T&T's finest steel orchestras and they've still got that knack of providing 'some jolly times' for Tobago's visitors. Tobago's oldest steel band, they're the 2004 & 2008 winners of Pan in the 21st Century, a major achievement and a first ever for Tobago. Visit their pan yard down the lane next door to Michael's Bar in Black Rock and hear them rehearse and perhaps take in a gig. Progress through perseverance - WAY TO GO! Katzenjammer's Tel: 776 6274 - Beverly, Public Relations Officer For info on Tobago Bands Tel: 639 1402 or 635 0473 www.pantrinbago.co.tt

Tony Williams The Pan Jumbie

JUMBIE – local word for a supernatural being.

In this instance, it’s a nickname lovingly bestowed upon Tony by the people of this island to show their appreciation of his musical talents and sheer wizardry on his instrument, the pan, as the locals prefer to call the steel drum.
He started playing the steel pan when he was 15 years old and boy, how he’s made up for his relatively late start!  He has won the prize as top arranger in Tobago for nine consecutive years as well as achieving the same honours for 3 years running in Toronto’s Caribana Carnival.  In 2000, he drove off in his brand new car prize, courtesy of the island’s Scouting for Talent and has since toured Europe, Canada the U.S. and Japan impressing and dazzling his audiences while taking the national instrument to the world.  Naturally, the Tourism Dept. is delighted to take him on tours abroad as well as have him perform for the Cruise Ships’ visitors.
Not content with arranging for some of Tobago’s steel bands, and performing as a solo pannist in the island’s hotels and major events like the Plymouth Jazz Fest, he’s started to show some entrepreneurial skills with his Pan Jumbie Enterprises Pan Factory on Scarborough’s Esplanade where you can purchase C.D’s, mini-pans and other steel drum memorabilia and hopefully come face-to-face with one of Tobago’s best-loved musical icons – The Pan Jumbie.ESPLANADE BOOTH # 9
Tel: # 868 – 791 7065
E-mail panjumbietw@yahoo.ca

Ansel, jovial and amiable, has been playing in Tobago’s hotels for over 15 years. He started at the Turtle Beach Hotel when he first arrived and was one of the opening acts at the Grafton Hotel when it was first built.
An adopted Tobagonian, he was a teenage music star in T&T in the 60’s and early 70’s. For years he reigned supreme throughout the Caribbean islands changing the style and format of music making when he followed the guitar/combo trend of The Shadows and the early rock & roll bands. This was the era of the big dance bands in T&T, for which he was recruited to play guitar at age 14 by one of Trinidad’s foremost dance bands, the Norman ‘Tex’ Williams Orch. You can still hear traces of that era when he plays his Latin selections in his one-man-orchestra.
A guitar virtuoso, he has taught himself to play the sax and keyboard and produces his own CDs which showcase his various styles and moods. A first class act for weddings and other celebratory occasions, he enjoys the status of being the musicians’ musician and can be found nightly performing his melodic and soothing music at the larger hotels usually during the dinner hours. By the highest standards, he is what you’d call – A CLASS ACT!! Enjoy!
Ansel & Jenny – Tel: 639 2540

WINSTON GORDON
A Man for all Seasons

This is a story of rare ambition and achievement. An adopted Trini, Winston Gordon began playing pan in his teens and has grown into a respected arranger for Tobago’s top-rated steelband as well as a chorale master and arranger for the dynamic New Dimension Folk Choir. They perform at the Coco Reef Hotel every other Sunday. The steelband, RBTT Redemption Sound Setters have won Tobago’s Champs Competition for the past 9 years. At the massive Panorama Competitions they were the only band to receive a standing ovation when Winston incorporated Tobago’s Tambrin Drum rhythms into his arrangement.

Winston holds down a full-time job as Business Development Manager at one of T&T’s major banks which by itself is some achievement, but to have risen thru’ the ranks to the position of Manager at the bank he first started at as a messenger is really a remarkable feat by any standards! Incredibly he still finds time to serve on various professional and charitable organisations.

The steelband plays at the Hilton and Coco Reef Hotels.

Michael Baker-Spot the Talent

Single handedly, over the years, (well almost, as behind every man etc.) Michael has provided a platform for the Island’s aspiring performers. He does this thru’ his Wednesday night talent contest held at the Golden Star, with the attraction of a car as the 1st prize. With weekly T.V exposure, arranged by his new marketeer and producer, Carl Groome of Multi-Concepts, there’s no shortage of contestants. The action starts in May, so you are right in time to enjoy this ‘must see’ - wonderful barmy nights beneath the stars, balmy evenings full of hilarity and joie-de-vivre where he helps the aspirants present their acts before an expectant full-house – laughs galore and dance the night away at the after-show disco.
Michael retained the Tobago Calypso King title for a number of years and performed in the major Calypso Tents alongside the great bards – Sparrow, Shadow, Arrow etc.
He is also the Head of Lifeguard Services on the Island and was the first Lifeguard to be recruited and sent to the U.K. for training 35 years ago. Sitting on the beaches, strumming his guitar while off duty, an American visitor spotted him and invited him to play at his party at the Crown Point Hotel.
The rest, as they say, is his-story.
He performs nightly at the larger Restaurants and Hotels. CHECK HIM OUT!!
Tel: 639 8243 – mbaker@trinidad.net