Father enjoying a dance
TriniView.com Reporters
Event Date: June 17, 2007
Posted: June 25, 2007
Flaring skirts, top hats and scissors-tail coats were the styles of choice at the Kavermar Pub on Sunday 17th June, 2007, for a night of ballroom dancing on Father's Day. The pub, located on 130 Henry Street, contained a mature audience of over one hundred who filled the open floor of the restaurant, bar and entertainment center. Fathers made a special appearance at the pub accompanied by their wives, daughters, mothers and other friends for an evening of elegant fun and dancing.
On that night, patrons were entertained by the Friends in Music band who provided a wide range of musical selections for dancing. They started playing a little after nine that night and immediately, patrons took to the dance floor to groove to the smooth sounds of the group.
Earlier that night, Triniview.com interviewed the musical director of the Friends in Music band, Mr. Anthony Thom, who explained the genesis of the band as well as what they do currently and hope to achieve in the future. Some of the members of the band are visually impaired but they are all quite adept in their musical talents. Mr. Thom would explain more about the band.
The catalyst for the creation of Friends in Music started around 1994 when Mr. Thom was at Classic Radio, 106FM. According to him, the security had called and said that there was a young student from the School for the Blind in Santa Cruz who wanted to see him. The student explained that there were students at the school with musical abilities who wished to further their musical careers. It was then that he decided to see how he could help develop their musical skills.
The actual band started off as a Parang band in 1996-97 called the 'Roast Corn Parang Group' but was later renamed Los Amigos en Música (Friends in Music) because the group, which comprised about fifteen members at the time, knew each other well and were friends who came together for a common musical interest. The band plays throughout the length and breadth of the country, but mainly in the vicinity of Port of Spain and its environs as well as the East-West Corridor.
'Friends in Music'
The group mainly performed Parang music during the Christmas season until about three years ago when they decided to expand their routine to throughout the year. Thus, when they are playing Parang during the Christmas season, they are 'Los Amigos en Música' and the rest of the year, 'Friends in Music'. They play Soca, Pop, R&B, other Caribbean music such as Reggae and for Christmas, Parang and Parang Soca.
For Christmas 2006, they did a twelve-track album titled 'A Christmas Gift of Love' featuring traditional Christmas music, one of which was a composition by band mate, Kenneth Donner. The group hopes to do another album of an instrumental nature, although this is not as yet formalized. The music has, however, already been recorded in his home studio.
Mr. Thom expressed that musically he is a jack of all trades: keyboardist, guitarist, bassist, pannist and an operator in rhythm technology. The other members that comprise the band are vocalists, Kenneth Donner (versed in vintage Kaiso), Ulric Cruickshank, Keisha Pierre and Tricia Bruce; guitarist, Kestor Mc Donald; bassist, Curtis Phillip; and keyboardists Anthony Thom, Kerry Calderon and Sherwin Phillip who is also the band's sound engineer.
Their affiliation with Kavemar Pub came a few weeks before Mother's Day when Kavemar had invited them to do a Mother's Day gig and they were reinvited for the Father's Day celebration at the pub. Many of their gigs, Mr. Thom explained, are on an invitation basis.
Mr. Thom also explained that the group, although it has been stigmatized somewhat because of people's fears and ignorance towards blindness, still receive some support. One such supporter is Kerry Calderon's father, Cleve Calderon of Cleve's One Stop Record Shop who has assisted the band greatly with equipment and the general financing of the group.
Mr. Thom wished to impress upon promoters, sponsors and other interested persons who would like to avail themselves of their services, "...not to turn a blind eye because they are sightless," because he believes that they play good music, just as any other band.
Anthony Thom lastly said that he has exciting dreams, one of which is to possibly perform on a cruise ship or somewhere abroad one day.
Inside the pub, couples paired off under the silver disco ball to dance to Calypso, Rockers, R&B and Soft Rock doing dances such as the Salsa and the Merengue. There was hardly any room to pass between the dancing couples who showed off their dexterity on the dance floor, spinning and twirling in fancy fashion.
Enjoying the music of the talented band, patrons danced the night away.
Father's Day Dance 2007 in pictures:
www.triniview.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemId=185407
Homepage | Special Events | Photo Gallery
|
|
