Nick / Steve,
I think that the Pan music
records quite well, but so much of the atmosphere is missing because you are not there, that it does not seem so exciting at home.
It is great at last to hear somebody talking about the Music of the island - for some reason rarely mentioned in the Forum. The word "Parang" has never appeared before on these pages, so since it is the season (Nov 2004 - Jan 2005), I'll mention it now:
Parang is a type of (often religious) folk music. The songs are sung primarily in Spanish and singers are often clad in flowery Spanish garb. The music is fast-paced and sung to the highly danceable rhythms of the shak shak (local name for maracas), cuatro (a small guitar), mandolin, box bass and tambourine.
I have to confess that though I love to listen to Pans and older Ska and Reggae whilst in Tobago and at home, Soca does not do it for me, as it is too energetic for the purposes of my visits! Parang is worth a listen if you are visiting over the Christmas Season, and has a very Latin feel. I always enjoy watching someone play the box bass, which is often just an old box with a wooden pole for a neck and single string. The pole (neck)is just pulled back to increase the pitch, there being no fretboard.
For Pans, I must now look out for Katzenjammers:
http://www.pantrinbago.co.tt/datapages/ ... article=79, who are apparently based in Black Rock!
There are some Pan Albums listed here:
http://www.pantrinbago.co.tt/music/sear ... tegory=All
Steve F
Music Lover
