24^th july 2007

Hi,
The reviews are in  !!!! Congratulations, to all !!!  I am glad that all of the reviews are so positive. I know that these successful undertakings involve a great deal of hard work. Enjoy the success and relax now. My personal thanks to Bassy, for the mention and the sentiments.
God bless.
Cheryl King.

GEMS by Name and Nature
Bassy Alexander 20.JUL.07

If yuh look like ah Gem, play like ah Gem and sweet like ah Gem, den yuh got be ah Gem. Was like every weekend foh months Cheryl King sending me e-mail saying “Don’t forget to go hear Gems and Friend Steel Orchestra”.

Well Sunday afternoon, after attending the funeral of Bro Spence, dat good and faithful Prisoner Officer and servant of God, ah went over to de Anglican Church to hear Gems. Bro Spence’s service was inspiring not deady-deady. Pastor Doug Neverson, my brother scout of yester-year is ah good preacher, his congregation is kind ah conservative, on de Stiffish side, but when Kemmy Spence accompanied by his beautiful wife on piano, paid tribute to his dad with his Saxophone, de church broke lose and went in uproar in response to Kemmy’s version of “Great is thy Faithfulness”. Pat Prescod was there and told me Kemmy almost move him to tears. Yuh don’t touch Pat dat easy.

Over at Gems, de Concert was already in progress when ah got there, but ah got in most of de program. De women dem played beautifully, handled de classics well, played softly bringing out all de dynamics and got de better of de acoustics in Anglican Church which is among de best foh pan. Dey were professionally dressed and played like professionals as well, considering de band is only three years ole. All ah dis speak volumes foh de conductor Mr Jones ah Trinny who from all appearance knows his stuff. Fifteen mature not match-yuh women, one from Antigua and four males from Trini-dad-he-toe-big-oh, out numbered ah sorry foh dem men, but as de saying goes “Blessed art thou amongst women”.

Ah remember most ah de girls, dey come from strict family back ground dat did not allow dem in dey time to go near ah Pan Yard. In those days Pan was associated with de poor and wuking class and usually dey was violence when two bands clash. Member de ole Kaiso “If yuh sister talk to ah steel band man, she family want to break she hand, throw she out mash out every teeth in she mouth”! But better late dan never dey finally get to do something dat was always ah hearts desire. Ah wish some of their peers will tek ah page out ah dey girls books.

Church was full, ole, young, weak, strong, people wid walking sticks some wid strollers, some in wheel-chairs, everybody was there. And dey enjoyed it all, item after item dey shouted, showing dey love and appreciation foh pan, some people even got carried away in church and was fete-in. The folks were behaving like dey were hearing pan foh de first time. Good foh Gems eh. But as ah sat dey ah kept wondering if dis was foh real, ah asked me-self where was all ah these folks two weeks ago when we had ten junior steel bands, beating dey poor hearts out at Panorama, dying foh an audience to at least listen to dem, but Victoria Park was M.T. Maybe next year de CDC could ask Bishop Friday to allow dem to hold de Junior Pan Competition in de Church, hopefully de folks who were in de church on Sunday might be inspired to come and hear de lickle ones entertain dem with music just as good as Gems.

How could I not mention Vin and Syl, of course Earlene broke down de place with her tremendous voice. But Syl keeps getting better and better, keep yuh Kenny G and give me Syl foh tea, breakfast and dinner! Ah have not heard Vin in years he uses to be good and now he is better, better in every aspect, he plays better, entertains better and guess what, he even got better looking too!

......

One Love Bassy

SEARCHLIGHT REPORT

GEMS lights up St. George’s Cathedral

Kenara Woods 20.JUL.07

Psalms 150 says you should praise the Lord with the sound of the trumpet, the high sounding cymbals, the psaltery, the harp and the trumpet, but on a night which saw hundreds congregate at the St George’s Cathedral, it was the sweet melody of the steel pan that was the source of attraction.

Gems of the Antilles, a Vincentian group based in Toronto, Canada for the past 17 years, presented Gems and friends band “Pan in Harmony” at the church last Sunday.

Steel Orchestra selections ranging from “Majesty” to “The Right Hand of God” were belted out by the band which has only been playing together for the past three years, but sounded as though they were playing together for decades.

Thunderous applause rocked the church as the expression of talent delighted the audience.

Songbird Erlene Williams-King sang at the top of her lungs delivering precise notes and hitting all the right keys.

It could have also been dubbed a star-studded event with renowned Saxophonist Syl McIntosh blowing the roof off the house and Vin Cato Fraser showing his versatility on the steel pan.

Touched by the singing of some members of the National Society of Persons with Disabilities, a standing ovation was given to them for contributing to the event.

One of the event’s organizers, Monica Sandy Wolkowski, said that the idea of coming back home and hosting their annual tea party and fundraiser here was that of one of the band members. She said it was the band’s first venture outside Canada, and it was well received by the audience. “I was overwhelmed when I saw such a large gathering.” Wolkowski said that in Canada they help other charities and play at fundraisers.

Some of the local organistaions Gems assists include the Children’s Welfare Fund, The House of Hope Society, The School for Children with Special Needs and The National Trust. (KW)

 Received 16 JULY 2007

GEMS & FRIENDS – A REVIEW/TRIBUTE by Ann Eustace

"Life begins at 50". This is certainly the message that the audience gets when listening to the performance of the Gems & Friends Steel Pan orchestra. Over the last weekend, Gems & Friends under the direction of (Trinidadian) pannist/arranger Elton Jones performed at Government House a scintillating programme of light classics and popular favourites including Johann Strauss waltzes, Memory, and Red, Red Wine, with Becket’s "Teaser" as an encore. The evening’s entertainment also featured Syl McIntosh on sax, veteran Vin Cato on solo pan and Erlene Williams King, soprano, each of whom is a musical talent of the first order. The Sunday evening performance at the St.George’s Cathedral put on display a range of gospel renditions and included a variety of local artistes.

Watching Gems & Friends, one comes to a new appreciation of the phrase "con vivace" as one can truly feel the energy they transmit. The entire programme was marked by panache, pizzazz and professional polish and justifiably elicited a standing ovation.

Originally conceived as a ladies-only steelband, Gems eventually welcomed a few select males to their ranks. The steel band was the brainchild of the Sandy sisters, Monica, Betty and Louise, daughters of the late George and Pauline Sandy of Montrose. I have known these ladies all my life and even though I was well aware that they are high-achievers and indefatigable workers in many areas of community service, yet I listened with a sense of wonder and with a new respect for their ability and commitment. For I know only too well that during their formative years a certain stigma attached to the steelband which was in any case the exclusive preserve of men. It is presumably due in large measure to their long residence in Toronto that they have been able to embrace the steelpan in defiance of the conventional stereotypes of age, gender and social class. No relaxing in rocking-chairs for these retirees. It also says something about the environment created by the generation which has passed on, an environment which nurtured and shaped these Vincentian women and men.

There are many important lessons here for all of us, young and old alike. Among them are: that we can overcome our early prejudices; that we need not be constrained by stereotypes; that it is never too late to learn new skills; that we are limited only by what we can imagine.

Make no mistake, musical performance requires dedication, discipline and many long hours. The performers may be in the strict sense amateurs, but the quality of their performance is thoroughly professional. It is no hyperbole to describe Gems & Friends as representing a triumph of the human spirit. As the Mighty Sparrow says, and the group has so ably demonstrated, "age is just a number". Thank you Gems & Friends for coming home. I am sure that your performances will continue to be an inspiration to many. May you ever soar to new heights

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