Musical director and arranger for Proman Starlift Steel Orchestra Dante Pantin has his eyes set on the 2023 National Panorama title with his re-mastered version of the Mighty Sparrow’s 1976 calypso, Witch Doctor. The Panorama finals will take place on February 18, Carnival Saturday.
“In the band’s renewed direction and focus, we are privileged to honour and celebrate Dr Slinger Francisco, with whose songs Starlift won two of its three Panorama titles – Queen of the Bands, 1971 and Du Yemi (Natasha) in 1978,” Pantin told Sunday Newsday.
Pantin said Witch Doctor was in the cards to be the band’s Panorama song of choice some years ago, but he felt 2023 was the right time to re-record and perform at the competition – when the public was being offered much more than just a “taste of Carnival” after the covid19 pandemic restrictions had been lifted.
“The song was given to me by the late Dr Desmond Waithe four years ago. We were speaking in the carpark and he said, ‘I know you are strong in minor songs (songs that influence moods).’” Pantin was a student of Waithe's at the University of Trinidad and Tobago (UTT), where he studied music with an emphasis on the steelpan. He later went on the study music for film at Berklee College of Music in Boston.
Pantin said shortly before his death last year, Waithe again reminded him about the song, and he decided it was time to start working on its release in 2023.
“We spoke about using Bunji (Ian Alvarez) or Kes (Kees Dieffenthaller) to do the song, but we made a full circle and came right back to the Mighty Sparrow.”
In December, Pantin flew to New York to meet with Sparrow at his home to record the song. It was recorded at The Birdie’s apartment.
“When I got to New York it was extremely cold,” Pantin said.
“I touched base with Sparrow and we started recording the following day. I had walked with some of my equipment and borrowed some from friends in New York. We set up at his apartment and we recorded until we got it done because I had decided that when I visited him again, it was to talk and lime.”
But Sparrow had a different take on things. In a phone interview with Sunday Newsday, he said with a hearty laugh, “He didn’t like the cold and he was trying to get out of New York fast...I don’t think he will come to New York in winter again if you give him a million dollars.”
Pantin said when they were finished, Sparrow said, “Dante you real wuking me.” He said they both bonded over the music and humour, making the age difference seem non-existent.
[caption id="attachment_997083" align="alignnone" width="922"] Proman Starlift Steel Orchestra musical director Dante Pantin, right, and the Mighty Sparrow share a light moment after recording a re-mastered version of Sparrow's 1976 Witch Doctor, which the band will play for Panorama 2023. - PHOTO COURTESY PROMAN STARLIFT[/caption]
The new version was directed by Pantin with Proman Starlift Steel Orchestra as executive producer, and Alex Gooding a
