Pan Trinbago celebrates Kitchener, Lord Superior and Joker DeVine

Pan Trinbago celebrates Kitchener, Lord Superior and Joker DeVine
Published: Trinidad Guardian, Thursday, November 16, 2017
http://www.guardian.co.tt/lifestyle/2017-11-16/pan-trinbago-celebrates-kitchener-lord-superior-and-joker-devine

This week Pan Trinbago Inc TC extended congratulations to Aldwyn “Kitchener” Roberts, Winsford “Joker” DeVine, and Andrew “Superior” Marcano on their receiving honourary Doctor of Letters degree by the University of the West Indies.

The three recipients have made sterling contributions to the steelpan movement and the nation on the whole through their music compositions.

Doctors Roberts (posthumously), Marcano and DeVine were among 12 nationals who were recognised by UWI at its 2017 graduation exercise recently.

Roberts, aka Lord Kitchener or the Grandmaster, has to his credit a number of calypso hits spanning six decades including winning the National Calypso Monarch (once) and 11 Road March titles. His compositions were favoured by many steelbands as their Panorama tune of choice even up to today. Kitch gave the steelband such great hits as Pan In A Minor, Pan Explosion, Sweet Pan, Pan Night And Day, Bees Melody and Iron Man among others.

“Joker” DeVine has been virtually unheralded, but as the saying goes “all good things come to those who wait.” A prolific writer Joker has been the vanguard of calypso and soca composing for more than 40 years including his first winning tune in the 1971 Panorama competition, Queen of the Band, sung by the Mighty Sparrow and with Somebody sung by Baron (Timothy Watkins) played by 28 steelbands in the 1989 National Panorama competition.

Andrew “Superior” Marcano, aka Supie, made his debut in 1954 at the age of 16 years when he was recognised as the youngest professional calypsonian to perform locally. A gifted musician, Supie remains a versatile artiste who is brilliant guitarist and singer. “A true calypsonian and genuine calypso lover,” Supie invested his own money in the preservation of the kaiso art form when he secured a broadcast license and started the first-ever all-calypso radio station. UWI Awards are given to individuals of eminence in the arts, science and other fields of intellectual endeavours and made outstanding regional and international contribution.