SCREAMS of jubilation echoed through the Parade Grounds, Dwight Yorke Stadium, Bacolet, early Monday morning as Katzenjammers Steel Orchestra was announced the winner of the National Panorama medium conventional bands competition.
In winning the title, the band from Black Rock, led by Pan Trinbago president Beverly Ramsey-Moore, dethroned the 2020 champions, Couva Joylanders, who placed second in the competition. Third place went to Santa Cruz outfit Pamberi.
Katzenjammers, playing Kersh Ramsey's arrangement of calypsonian Timothy "Baron" Watkins' Tell Me Why, scored 286 points, while Couva Joylanders' rendition of The Fete Ent Over Yet and Pamberi’s The People’s Champion, scored 284 and 277 points, respectively.
In claiming the title on home soil, Katzenjammers made it two wins in a row for Tobago, after Uptown Fascinators won the small-band competition on January 15.
[caption id="attachment_1001025" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Katzenjammers' flagwoman enjoys the music during their Panorama performance on Sunday. Photo by David Reid[/caption]
Sunday night’s victory was Katzenjammers' third win in the competition and first since 2012.
THA Chief Secretary Farley Augustine presented the trophy to Katzenjammers’ captain Maxson Ramsey. He was accompanied by Secretary of Tourism, Culture, Antiquities and Transportation Tashia Burris.
Ramsey-Moore also celebrated the band’s success but did not want to be interviewed.
An emotional Ramsey was overwhelmed by the success in his first stint arranging for Katzenjammers.
“To be quite honest, it hasn’t even sunk in yet,” he said.
“Right now, I am trying to stop smiling but I can’t. I’m like, wow. We win Panorama and it’s in Tobago. Katzenjammers Steel Orchestra, we did it. Thank you, Jesus!”
[caption id="attachment_1001022" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Arranger Kersh Ramsey directs his Katzenjammers players during their performance of Timothy "Baron" Watkin' song Tell Me Why, at Panorama medium conventional bands finals on Sunday at Parade Grounds, Bacolet. Photo by David Reid[/caption]
Saying the band always had the potential to deliver, Ramsey said he always tries to do his best.
“Most times, I do my best. When I am creating music, I go off of my vibe. The secret to winning is just to put down your best music and hope that the band execute it and give the judges what they want.”
He said after the preliminaries, the judges “made certain comments and we went and did our homework.
[caption id="attachment_1001026" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Couva Joylanders players on the tenors at Panorama medium-band finals at Parade Grounds, Bacolet, Sunday. Photo by David Reid[/caption]
“So with the finals we just had to perform because we had the home crowd advantage and I put a little jig in the flavour and I think that was the edge we got over the other bands.”Ramsey said he has a busy season juggling commitments to several bands.
“From 2020 I did one
