The Good Parranderos Crowned Parang Champ
Trevor Burnett – Trinidad Express
Monday, December 19th 2005
Gail Ganpat leads her band Los Buenos Parranderos on Saturday night
School teacher Gail Ganpat led Los Buenos Parranderos to the National Parang championship on Saturday night.
Twelve parang bands performed before the judges at the parang headquarters in Arima.
In second place was Barataria’s Amantes de Parranda led by George Carter and Los Parranderos de UWI with lead singer Joanne Briggs, came in third for the first time in seven years.
Los Parranderos de UWI has placed second in the parang finals for the past six years.
In order of final positions, the other parang bands were Paramininos of Paramin Maraval, Courts Ruisenores of Pointe-a-Pierre, La Familia of Rio Claro, Unidad Serenaders of Mt Pleasant, Arima, Los Amigos Cantadores of Trincity, La Rueda del Agua of Diego Martin, Voces Jovenes of Diego Martin, La Casa Parranda of Princes Town and Los Amigos de Jesus of La Canoa, Santa Cruz.
Former parang champion Los Alumnos de San Juan with lead singer Alicia Jaggesar did not participate but was among guest performers along with Lara Brothers and Con Amor.
THE GOOD PARTYERS
The band originated from the choir of the Good Shepherd Anglican Church, Tunapuna, Trinidad. Its leader was Sean Lewis, a respected music teacher and members included persons from some of the prominent families of the area.
In 1978, Gail Ganpat, a very well-known and excellent Spanish teacher was invited to augment the choir’s repertoire of English and French Carols by teaching Spanish ones. By 1979 the choir had learned several new Spanish Carols and the name Los Buenos Parranderos evolved.
Subsequently it performed the new repertoire at the homes of member families during the Yuletide Season. Sean Lewis contracted appearances on Trinidad and Tobago Television’s (TTT) Christmas programs for a period of ten consecutive years during which Los Buenos Parranderos was considered to be the resident Parang band of TTT. The group is deeply grateful to Messrs. Ian Ali and Holly Betaudier, as well as Allison Hennessy for their support during the formative years. Many of the founding members have since migrated while others have formed their own Parang bands.
Because of the public exposure gained on TTT, Los Buenos Parranderos has contracted many performances – both public and private – during the last 10 years. Many friends are made at every venue because the band always gives a lively performance, has a unique sound and maintains the traditional form of Parang. Furthermore Gail and Jason Ganpat – two Spanish teachers of excellence – insist on correctness of the Spanish and clarity of pronunciation. It is because of these attributes that the band receives many compliments – none more flattering than those paid by native speakers of Spanish who may be in the audience. It is a feature of which the band is very proud.
The recording was done at the auditorium of the Central Bank of Trinidad and Tobago on April 22 and June 7, 1999. The songs are deliberately sequenced, beginning with Levanta which invites you to get up and take note that the Parang has arrived and ending with Vamos the farewell song. The album title Golpe was chosen in tribute to the late Daisy Voisin for her priceless contribution to Parang in Trinidad and Tobago.
© 1999 Jason Ganpat
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