‘Steel pan is in our blood’

THE Johnson brothers are a force to be reckoned with as it relates to their capabilities of playing steel pan since they are considered to be ‘best’ and, they have proven themselves so far by representing Guyana overseas on several occasions.

Jamal Johnson and Don Johnson are members of the National Steel Orchestra which is under the stewardship of the Ministry of Social Cohesion, Department of Culture.

The duo has been into steel pan since 2010 when they began playing in church then after they realised they actually liked steel pan, there was no stopping them.

Jamal, 25, told the Pepperpot Magazine that he started playing with the youth in the church group since it was something to do and a good way to pass time and he is happy he did.

Then, after they were told at church that the ministry needs youth to try out to become members of the National Steel Orchestra, they both did and were accepted and from then on they gradually developed into professionals.

This Information and Communications Technology (ICT) technician who has a daytime job at Qualfon, is very passionate about steel pan and from the way he talks about it, one can easily distinguish his true feelings about the art.

“When I started playing steel pan I had no idea what to do but after I got guidance from the church brother, I realised it was interesting and was something that I can explore,” Jamal said.

He related that steel pan kept him out of trouble and it was time well spent because it was the foundation he relied on to become the person he is today.

STEEL PAN IS ADDICTIVE
“Steel pan is one of those things that you have to experience to feel it and once you understand it, it becomes addictive,” Jamal said.

He noted that steel pan is an art which requires some skill but he did it without any formal training from the onset and he encourages others to ‘come out and experience steel pan, listen to it to have a better understanding of it’.

This vocal but yet reserved young man told the Pepperpot Magazine that since he and his brother became members of the National Steel Orchestra, they have participated at every CARIFESTA event since 2008.

He explained that the group has about 30 pannists and they have become like a large extended ‘family’. The members practice three days per week at the National School of Music on Brickdam, for the upcoming Mashramani events.

Jamal said they will be participating in the Panorama Competition for Mashramani and they are preparing to win again like they did last year.

He added that the entire group normally participates in the various segments of the competition including the duet and Seven-A-Side competitions.

Jamal explained that some people have the wrong idea about steel pan because you cannot come into something that is new to you and expect to be a professional, so he advised that one must start slow and eventually you will get there.

LESS TALK MORE ACTION
As for Don, he is a ‘less talk and more action’ kind of guy who takes steel pan seriously and whenever he is playing one can see why, because he is intense.

During his brief with the Pepperpot Magazine, the 20-year-old said that it feels really good knowing that he came up playing steel pan in church and is now doing it professionally.

He feels pleased with the way he has managed to enhance his skills and for him, every day is a learning experience for which he has an open mind.

Don, who has successfully completed his mechanical engineering studies at Guyana Technical Institute (GTI), is taking a break before he pursues higher studies and is staying focused on steel pan in the meantime.

He stated that when he was selected from the group to represent Guyana it was a really good feeling for him, and that it served as a motivator for him to become even better at the steel pan art form.

Don said that being Jamal’s brother is actually an asset to the group because they usually combine their efforts to the betterment of the group, and that has worked well for them.

The brothers who have since represented Guyana in Suriname, Haiti, French Guiana and Barbados, noted that there is no competition between the siblings, but on stage they ‘give it their best’ as a group.

The Johnsons told the Pepperpot Magazine that when they lost their mother a few years ago it was difficult to cope, but are thankful that they have their father, “James”, who is a source of constant encouragement and strength for them.

Don said that his preference includes up-tempo music but he also likes jazz, classical and originals compositions.

The Johnson brothers admitted that even though the journey wasn’t easy, they were determined to learn and still have an open mind about steel pan and with practice it makes perfect.

The National Steel Orchestra won four large band competitions and apart from playing solely for the Ministry, they do private’ bookings for special events.