Celebrating the life of ‘Professor’

GARY CARDINEZ

THE display of love and respect shown for late pan arranger and performer Ken “Professor” Philmore on Monday evening, at Newtown Playboys Steel Orchestra panyard on Tragarete Road, was incomparable.

Hundreds of “mourners” turned up at the panyard and traffic on Tragarete Road came to crawl as the crowd spilled onto the pavement and into the road.

Anybody and everybody in the pan world were present, they came from south, as far east as Sangre Grande, from the west, north and even Tobago.

When Philmore’s wife Sophia arrived there was no stopping members of the crowd from hugging and kissing and wishing her well. It took a considerable amount of time for her to enter the panyard. When she was seated people continued to approach her with their messages of condolence.

From as early as 6 pm people stopped off at the venue. DJ Remixx played songs composed, arranged and played by Philmore. Later, Sappophonic Steel Orchestra entertained the massive crowd with religious as well as calypso and soca songs. They were actually rejoicing.

Deacon Lennox Toussaint conducted a prayer in Philmore’s honour and everybody in the audience participated. Members of various steel orchestras came dressed in their official jerseys as a show of unity and a mark of respect. It was truly a night of love as opposing fractions in the upcoming Pan Trinbago elections were all at the venue paying their respects.

Two large banners with a picture collage of Philmore hanged from a wall for people to sign and show their love for a man who, during his lifetime, showed everyone he encountered lots of love. Pastor Richard I K Williams and his wife Osslyn were also at the event giving Sophia some measure of comfort. According to Sophia there will be a public viewing at Guides Funeral Home, Coffee Street, San Fernando (next to Skiffle panyard) tomorrow from 12 pm-5 pm and the funeral will take place from 10 am on Friday at the Southern Academy for the Performing Arts (Sapa).