Encyclopaedia Entry: Massy Trinidad All Stars

Band Name: Massy Trinidad All Stars Steel Orchestra

Year of Origin: 1935

Previous Names:

- Bad Behaviour (1935)- Hell Yard Boys (1935)- Second Fiddle ( 1939)- Cross of Lorraine (1943)- All Stars ( 1946)- Trinidad All Stars Steel Orchestra (1948)

Location:

- Hell Yard (River Reserve on Bank of East Dry River)- First floor of Maple Leaf Club close to intersection of Duke and Charlotte Streets- Old Bus Terminus St Vincent Street (Now The Financial Towers) Early 1970’s to

1980

The band’s current location is in part the same as their place of origin, expanded backward as the banks of the river/gully were shored up and a concrete foundation laid, with permanent and semi-permanent structures housing offices, storage and rehearsal facilities and a bar.

Leadership:

Captains (now referred to as managers) of the band.

- Rudolph "Fish Eye" Olliviere 1935- Prince Batson 1946 - 1948 - Neville Jules 1946, 1948 – 1971- Hamilton Webb Alexander - Errol Collins- John “Poison” Douglas- 'Beresford Hunte 1995 – Present (2015)

Management Structure

- Manager- Assistant Manager (Operations)- Assistant Manager (Administration)- Finance Manager- Human Resource Manager- Community Relations Manager

Sponsorship History:

- Catelli Trinidad Ltd. 1960’s- Neal & Massy (now “Massy”) 1988 - present

Membership Structure:

The band has a skeleton or core of 35 – 40 members, commonly referred to as the “Stage

Side;” the members who take part in the engagements of the band outside of the carnival

season, premier of which is the Classical Jewels the steelband’s biennial concert

showcase of classical, broadway and jazz standards. During the carnival season, the band

swells its ranks by over 200%, participating in the large band category with 150 – 160

members.

Contributions to Steel Pan Development:

As members of the band, several persons have contributed to the history and development

of the steel pan as a valid acoustic instrument through technical innovations and additions

to its family of instruments and as such, the range of the instrument, as well as initiatives

to highlight the versatility of the instrument through showcasing its proficiency in genres

outside of Calypsos and what is considered ‘pan music’

One innovation is the extension of the range of the early “ping pong” pan to four notes,

on which simple melodies could be played (it is noted that the source for this purports

that Spree Simon bought his first Neville Jules Styled Ping Pong Pan from Pan De

Labastide). Another of these is the technical innovation of Jerry Jemmott, who developed

the technique of “rolling” a note on pan, as well as finding ideal posture for pan playing.

Through the necessity of transmitting parts to persons not yet versed in music literacy,

Jemmott is also credited with inventing a system of notation of steel pan parts that could

be easily understood by band members.

An addition to the steel pan family is Jules’ developing of the “Grundig,” the forerunner

of the present day “Guitar Pans”, a set of two pans whose range bridges the gap between

treble and bass pans, and is usually supplying accompanying chords to genre specific sets

of rhythms called a “strum.”

Through his leadership of the Band, Neville Jules has also contributed to the Pan music

and Mas’ culture of Trinidad and Tobago. One such contribution is the “Bomb Tune,”

where a steelband would play a classical piece (though not strictly classical, often hymns

and spirituals in recent times find their way into ‘boom tune’ repertory) in calypso style

on J’ouvert Morning. This originated with the band in the 1950’s, when the Arranger and

members would practice the piece in secret in their then location above the Maple Leaf

Club nicknamed the ‘Garat,’ to premiere on the road. It has now grown to where bands

vie for “Best Boom Tune” in an annual competition.

A highly regarded achievement is the band’s biennial “Classical Jewels” where they

highlight the Steelpan’s versatility as an instrument with a programme of heavy and light

classics. While not the first or most prominent for this, the band has, through this concert,

played the works of Verdi, Tchaikovsky, Mozart, and others. Often accompanying

dynamic operatic and Broadway solos duets and choruses in this format, they have

worked along such National Noteworthy groups and individuals such as The UWI Arts

Chorale, Edward Cumberbatch and Glenis Yearwood, and under the batons of non-

affiliated conductors such as Jessel Murray and June Nathaniel.

Participation in Panorama and Mas:

The Band has participated in 52 stagings of Panorama to date, often placing in the top

finalists of the large band category, 25 times in the top three, winning the competition

nine times in the years 1973, 1980, 1981, 1986, 2002, 2007, 2011, 2012 and 2015. They

have also won the most Bomb Tune Competitions (Pan on De Road Competition), as

well as being awarded first place on numerous occasions for their annual “Sailor Mas”

carnival band.

Sources:De Souza, J. (2015, January 11). All Stars Shines On. Trinidad And Tobago Newsday.

Emrit, R. C. (2014). Best Of Trinidad: Trinidad All Stars. Retrieved from BestofTrinidad.com: http://www.bestoftrinidad.com/groups/allstars.html

Massy Limited. (2014, Oct 22). Neal and Massy In The Community: Trinidad All Stars. Retrieved from Neal and Massy: http://www.neal-and-massy.com/Community/Corporate_Social_Responsibility/TrinidadAllStars.aspx

Neal & Massy Trinidad All Stars Steel Orchestra. (2006). Trinidad All Stars Steel Orchestra: History. Retrieved from Trinidad All Stars Steel Orchestra: http://www.trinidadallstars.org//triniallstars_history.htm