ANDREW GIOANNETTI
Etienne Charles’ riddim, brass and mas will spell an eagerly-anticipated return of live brass to the streets of Port of Spain next year for Monday and Tuesday mas.
Charles announced the 2023 theme, Revival – a new band with an old concept – during its launch on September 16, prior to his performance last weekend at National Academy for the Performing Arts (NAPA), Port of Spain.
[caption id="attachment_976469" align="alignnone" width="863"] Double bassist David “Happy” Williams, left, pan legend Ray Holman, centre, and Etienne Charles perform at at Jazz for the Cathedral concert on September 17 at the National Academy for the Performing Arts (NAPA), Port of Spain. - SUREASH CHOLAI[/caption]
Charles was in Trinidad last weekend to perform at Jazz for the Cathedral, a fundraiser for the restoration works on the Trinity Cathedral, Port of Spain. The show also featured David “Happy” Williams, Ray Holman, guitarist/composer Theron Shaw, and vocalist Vaughnette Bigford.
“I am looking forward to being back on the road for Carnival 2023, this time with a new team, new management and a new name.
“Same energy, same vibe, same good music, same type of special guests,” the acclaimed trumpeter and composer said.
“We are reviving the energy of the road after being on our couches during a global shutdown and we revived live brass on the road.” Charles originally came up with the idea in 2016.
[caption id="attachment_976468" align="alignnone" width="678"] Etienne Charles during his performance at at Jazz for the Cathedral concert on September 17 at the National Academy for the Performing Arts (NAPA), Port of Spain. - SUREASH CHOLAI[/caption]
“(That year) our very acclaimed musician-trumpeter Etienne Charles came to Trinidad to do some research and was dismayed by the lack of brass on the roads of Trinidad Carnival. And those of us old enough to remember, brass on the roads, all the big bands, all the music and musicians and artistes singing, and they were replaced by DJs and music trucks,” said Laura Dowrich, leading Charles’ band’s public relations.
The band then took off from 2017-2020 before Carnival was twice cancelled because of the covid19 pandemic.
“In 2017, he was on the road Carnival Monday with live brass. It was a sight to behold,” Dowrich said.
“I remember we were jumping in the band and we were passing Bliss and half of Bliss ended up coming into the band and jumping with us. People were amazed because there are so many of them who have never had the experience of live brass.”
Charles, speaking on the run-up to the band’s Trinidad Carnival debut, said, “(Prior to the pandemic) we also revived brass on the road in Toronto in 2019 for Caribana and on the road in London in 2019 for Notting Hill Carnival.
“The impetus for this (comes from) years of not hearing brass on the road after growing up in Trinidad and hearing it.
“So when I came home to do my Guggenheim research for Carnival (in 2016
