Ramsey-Moore: We had a good time

Tobago’s Katzenjammers Steel Orchestra has copped the second spot in the medium bands category in this year’s National Panorama finals.

The Black Rock based band was one of the two Tobago bands to participate in Saturday’s medium steelband finals at Queen's Park Savannah, Port of Spain.

Dressed in a black coverall, Katzenjammers delivered an exhilarating rendition of Stranger in tribute to late calypso icon Mighty Shadow (Winston Bailey), earning them 276 points. The piece was arranged by Ter­rance “BJ” Marcelle.

Speaking with Newsday on Sunday via telephone, band manager Beverly Ramsey-Moore, Pan Trinbago’s president, said she was pleased with Katzenjammers’ performance.

“It’s one of elation.

“For us, we’re always in the top three so...You know you go out there to win but winning does not only come by placing first, it is your entire performance.

"I think the band performed well, they really executed their music with precision. They really enjoyed themselves and that is what you want to see that love, that community spirit, that togetherness and that is what Panorama does to a group, to an organisation, to a community,” she said.

Ramsey-Moore said band members too, were elated.

“I always say to them, yes we’re in a competition but your participation is what is important. It doesn’t matter where the judges place you, once you make the finals, you’re a champion. Going through preliminaries and semifinals and then you’re selected to be in the top ten that in itself speaks volumes.

“What I am extremely proud about, though I was not around, I saw the leaders emerging, those who would have been trained and they ran this on their own and that to me is what goals and development and empowerment is all about. They knew that Mammy Bev or Auntie Bev was not around... I was just able to pass through every now and then but in terms of being on the ground hands on, I was not able to provide that but from what I’ve seen, I know that we have great leaders in the organisation.”

She noted that going forward, the band would continue to focus on its business initiatives.

The other Tobago band, NGC Steel Xplosion settled for the eighth spot in the medium band category with their rendition of Irwin Reyes Johnson’s (Scrunter) Sing In She Party, with 268 points.

Meanwhile, in the small band final at Skinner Park on February 28, Tobago’s New East Side Dimension with Hello, arranged by Kersh Ramsey, secured a total of 283 points and placed second.

Uptown Fascinators, C&B Cordaans, Alpha Pioneers and West Side Symphony settled for the sixth, and twelfth spots respectively with a tie between Alpha Pioneers and West Side Symphony.