TRINIDAD ALL STARS |
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| Trinidad All Stars was formed on Charlotte Street, Port-of-Spain, in 1935 as "Bad Behavior" with a group of panmen that included "Big Head" Hamill and Rudolph "Fish Eye" Olliviere, the band's first leader. In the early-1940s, the name of the band was changed three times, first to "The Hell Yard Boys," then "Second Fiddle," after the 1939 American movie of the same name starring Tyrone Power; and finally "Cross of Lorraine," after the 1943 American movie "The Cross of Lorraine," starring Gene Kelly. In the mid-1940s, the leadership of the band changed successively from Olliviere to Neville Jules and then to Prince Batson. During this time, the name of the band was changed to "All Stars." In 1948, Jules resumed the leadership and the band's name was modified to "Trinidad All Stars." In addition to being the band's leader, Jules was also tuner and musical arranger, positions he held until the early-1970s when he migrated to the USA.
Under Jules' leadership in the 1950s, All Stars began the tradition of interpreting a piece of classical music in calypso tempo and withholding it from the public's ear until the break of dawn on the first day of Carnival. The musical selection was referred to as "The Bomb" and, with the passage of time, other steelbands followed suit. Beginning in the 1950s, the All Stars panyard was located on Charlotte Street near Duke Street on the floor above the Maple Leaf Club; this floor was commonly referred to as the "garrot." All Stars received the sponsorship of Catelli Trinidad Ltd during the 1960s, but later switched to the Neal & Massy Company in 1988. In addition to winning the Steelband Music Festival six times, the band won the Panorama competition six times, with musical arrangers Rudy Wells, Leon Edwards, and Eddy Quarles all contributing to the band's success. In 1982, All Stars received the Trinidad & Tobago Humming Bird Medal Gold for music. All Stars finished among the top three steelbands in the following significant competition: |
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| Compiled by Ronald C. Emrit |