Sando street named after panman

A MAJOR street in San Fernando has been named after veteran pan arranger and bass pan player, Lennox "Bobby" Mohammed, 76.

Harris Promenade East was renamed after Mohammed by Mayor Junia Regrello today. A recipient of the Humming Bird Medal (Gold) in 1992, Mohammed joined Regrello to unveil the street sign.

“Mohammed's story is an amazing one," said Regrello, "particularly for those who were there in 1965 to experience the phenomenon when the pan side called Cavaliers, led by Mohammed, broke the glass ceiling playing melody mas.”

Social media did not exist and technology wasn’t what it is today, and San Fernandians, he said would have had their ears glued to VOR – Voice of Rediffusion radio – which carried the information. He noted that Panorama started in 1963 and was dominated by the major bands from Port of Spain until Mohammed and his band took first place. Regrello went down Memory Lane, remembering the first Panorama at Naparima Bowl, when steelbands had just 25-30 players.

Mohammed’s contribution must be understood, Regrello said, because it is a reference point, when the art form keep us in touch with the way TT has evolved over the years.

In 1965 the Guinness Company sought out Mohammed to sponsor Cavaliers. Mohammed's story continued, he said, when in 1967 at St Joseph's Convent, he teamed up with a singer named Ann Marie Baksh for a concert.

“This was another first for San Fernando, where we had live singing with the accompaniment of steelpan,” Regrello said.

During the late 60s Mohammed was a force to reckon with and ruled the streets of San Fernando for Carnival.

Regrello plans to continue the trend of renaming streets in San Fernando after southerners who have excelled.

“A lot of research goes into renaming the streets," he said, adding that streets without meaningful names were chosen. He said recently a committee was appointed, headed by Joy Caesar, to look into renaming streets in this way.

Regrello reminded the audience that Quenca Street had been renamed Dr Rupert Indar Street. He explained that Quenca was the recording clerk for Governor Chacon back in the eighteenth century, declaring, “It is of no relevance today, as Quenca is no longer around, since he went back to his country and he made no meaningful contribution to the development of San Fernando.”

Mohammed, on the other hand, he said, has changed the landscape of the city and is worthy of this recognition.

Mohammed thanked the mayor and everyone who gathered for honouring him.

Mohammed started the Guinness Cavaliers in 1963 and was invited to the US in 1964 as a member of the national steelband. In 1965 he was one of a team of pannists who attended the Commonwealth Arts Festival in London, not only as an arranger but as a member of the management committee. He also attended Expo '67 in Montreal, Canada as a top pannist.

UWI student, Krystal Yacub, who wrote her thesis on Mohammed, spoke at the event, saying Mohammed created history by being the first Indo-Trinidadian to win Panorama in 1965. “Mohammed is credited for introducing the bell sound in Panorama, as well as a multitude of other features, such as the Panorama-based movements that uses pauses and sudden drops,” she said.