Pedro Burgess, a Musician of the Community.

Apr 10

Apr 10 Pedro Burgess, a Musician of the Community.

On the 10th March 2023, the news broke of the passing of Pedro Burgess in Barbados, a well-loved steel pan musician and friend to everyone who knew him. His death came as a shock to everyone and even though he had re-located from the UK to Barbados, some ten years ago, he was still in communication with his friends and former students of pan.

Pedro was born in St Augustine, Trinidad, and from a very early age, he was involved in the steel band. His childhood friend, Kenny ‘Congo-man Thomas said of his friend, ‘His life was built around the instrument. From way back, he joined the Falcon Steel Band in St Augustine, and received his initial tutorage from Oscar Pile the well-known pioneer from Casablanca. Pile started Pedro on the second pan, but his talent shone through and he was moved to the tenor pan. Later, he went on to St James and played with Sun Valley steel band. He soon became known as a rising star. His early friends, Godwin Collins, Cyril Khamai, Pepe Francis, Bertrand Parris, Kenny Thomas, Eustace Benjamin, to name but a few all recall his infectious smile, great personal / communication skills and his warm personality. As one of the rising stars of the steel band movement, Dougie Swizz Dallaway explained, “I was not one of his students, but he knew my father, and was always willing to share his knowledge with me. He was always open, friendly and there to show his support. I couldn’t think of a friendlier guy in the steel pan fraternity”.

Pedro playing at the 2006 World Cup in Dortmund, Germany.

Pedro arrived in the UK around 1962, and soon became submerged in the steel band movement, inspired by the interconnected London Steelband cultural landscape. In the 1960s, Pedro Burgess became a part of Cyril Khamai’s touring troupe, setting off on a tour to Russia, becoming one of the first (small) steel bands to have gone there. He was one of the biggest forces on the UK pan scene in the early 1960s. He started out on the gig scene, working along top musicians like Annise “Halfers” Hadeed (champion Panorama arranger), “Two Lef” Smith, Max Cherrie and Daniel Lewis. This also brought him in contact with the established music agents, i.e., Claude Brooks and Paul Cherrie. He would bring his skills to many other established bands, including Glissando, Metronome, Nostalgia, and Pantonic steel bands.

In London, Pedro first lent his support as a music teacher to the Venture Kids steel band, which was later re-named Metronome steel band by Selwyn Baptiste. Between 1980 and 1988, Pedro joined forces with Haslam Parris at Metronome steel band, and, after Parris left to set up Glissando steel band, Pedro joined him there. He became the arranger of Glissando steel band, winning the London Festival (at the London Festival Hall, and at Wembley), on a few occasions. These Music Festivals were the forerunner of the European Steel Band Festival.

Tamla Batra, the current leader/ arranger of PanNectar steel band who had played along-side Pedro at the music festivals in that early Glissando period, remembers him fondly as… ‘The most pleasant person you can ever be around. He was always smiling, and his brand of musical arrangements reflected his positive vibrations. I really miss him, and he played a pivotal role in my life and my development as a pan musician’.

Pedro also had connections with Nostalgia steel band, through Sterling Betancourt, the then leader of Nostalgia. They were close friends. In 1993, Pedro joined the band to perform at a music festival in Paris. Sterling recalls him as… ‘always smiling and a joy to be around’. In 1996, he was an important member of the Nostalgia steel band when they performed at the Panorama competition. He was the bass man, and that was the first, and only time that a ‘traditional’ steel band was allowed to enter the competition. Some years later, around 2005, Grafton Yearwood suggested that Pedro should return to Nostalgia, as its musical arranger. Pedro came to work with the band, donating his services, free of charge, arranging the carnival repertoire for a solid three years. He was with the band when they performed at the FIFA Football World Cup, Dortmund (2006).

Dougie ‘Swizz’ Dallaway, has compiled this list of Pedro’s early arrangements, and achievements, in the UK:

1978 – Glissando

1979 – Glissando - _”Symphony in G”_

1980 – Glissando - _”Soca Baptist”_ & _”More Pan”_ (came 4th)

1981 – Glissando - _”Ethel”_ & _”J’Ouvert Morning”_ (came 4th?)

1982 – Glissando - _”I’m Going And Party Tonight”_ & _”Lorraine”_

1983 – Glissando - _”Rebecca”_ & _”Ooh La La”_

Here are some of Pedro’s earliest arrangements to his latest in UK that I’ve archived:

1984 – Glissando - _”Feeling It”_ & _”Tourist Elsie”_ (came 5th)

1985 – Glissando - _”Me Eh Fighting No Man”_

1988 – Metronomes - _”Pan In Yuh Rookcung-Kertungkung”_ (came 2nd)

1990 – Pantonic - _”Nah Do Dat”_ (came 6th? out of 11 or 12 bands)

1991 – Pantonic - _”Virginia Wine”_, this year collaborated with Raymond Joseph & @⁨Daniel Lewis⁩ Daniel Louis (came 8th)

1992 – Metronomes - _”Bess Melody”_, this year collaborated with Freddy Totesaut & @⁨Kyron⁩ Kyron Akal (came joint 2nd with Mangrove)

And

1993 – Pantonic - _”Dus’ In Dey Face”_ (came 8th)

Dougie Swizz Dallaway added, “I would like to pay my respects to his legacy, and his history so that it could be cemented in time. Officially archived and documented, both in books and online”.

Pedro Burgess has touched the lives of so many people. We will never forget him.

Panpodium salutes this outstanding, dedicated, talented and much loved iconic musician who is responsible for hundreds of pan players being involved in the UK Steelband fraternity today. Serenade the heavens with your music Pedro. You will be missed by all of us.

By Lionel McCalman