Panorama
Carnival for most people starts on Saturday evening with a Panorama held in the north of the borough of Kensington & Chelsea at Emslie Horniman's Pleasance in Kensal Road W10. It involves approximately 1,000 performers and attracts almost 5,000 spectators. The best bands from around the UK spend months preparing a piece of music, improvised and arranged to last for up to 10 minutes.
Panorama has been going for 28 years and Ebony Steelband has won a record breaking 15 panoramas, 9 consecutively.
Jouvert
J’ouvert (pronounced "Jou-vay”) is the official opening of Carnival! It is the tradition in Trinidad & Tobago and other countries throughout the world and it is an opening ritual enacted to the accompaniment of mud, oil, pitchforks and pointed tails in which the first revellers hit the streets jumping and dancing. In essence it is the celebration of the darker side of human life leading into the light of carnival (freedom)! In 2004 the Director of Ebony, Pepe Francis brought Jouvert to the streets of London. Now every Sunday, before carnival, at 6am Jouvert begins. The Notting Hill Carnival Association said 2006 had at least 2,000 people walking the streets covered in powder, mud and paint – and the culture of Jouvert is growing!
Carnival
Ladbroke Grove is the heart of the spectacular Notting Hill Carnival, held each August Bank Holiday since 1966. This holiday always falls on the last weekend of August with Sunday for the children and Monday being the major carnival day for adults.
There are scores of massive 'sound systems', many spectacular costume bands and the steelbands to keep you well entertained. There are hundreds of stalls lining the streets of the area selling all sorts of Caribbean food, drinks and local specialities.
EBONY SAMPLER ALBUM NOW AVAILABLE!!!
This Compilation Album includes some of the ‘Award-Winning’ Ebony Steelband Trust‘s
greatest performance renditions including:
Yesterday, Island in the sun, Knocks me off my feet, Imagine, Nani wine and Many More!
The CD is also available FREE whilst stocks last from 09.09.2007.
Contact :
Ebony Steelband Trust
Unit 39, Baseline Business Studios,
Whitchurch Road, London W11 4AT.
Tel 020 7792 1418,
Email: services@ebony.org.uk.
Podcast Available Here:
http://ebonysteelband.podomatic.com/