Pannist Dane Gulston has declared this Sunday Liberation Time.
Gulston says after nearly two years of pandemic-forced restrictions the time has come “to celebrate and free up”. He will be aiming to do just that at his “Dane Gulston and Sons: Liberation Time 2” concert, today, at the Kaiso Blues Café on Wrightson Road, Port of Spain.
Put on by his production company Dane Gulston and Sons, the event will feature soca icon SuperBlue (Austin Lyons), soca veteran Adrian Philbert and Gulston’s son, pannist Daniel Gulston. Kernal Roberts is also set to appear during a tribute to his father the late Grandmaster of calypso Lord Kitchener (Aldwyn Roberts).
“I think ‘Liberation Time’ was a suitable title because of the full meaning in terms of that freedom and getting a chance to free up after being tied down and being pent up with the pandemic for so long,” Gulston told the Kitcharee via WhatsApp Thursday.
The Trinidad All Stars Steel Orchestra star pannist said the concert will be as much a release for the participating cast as it would be for the audience.
“As an artiste being pent up for so long, it is a time for me and the rest of the cast to free up from being tied down for so long. It can get very frustrating not getting a chance to express what yuh love to do,” he continued.
It will also be a special opportunity to share a stage with his son Daniel, he said. Denilson, his second locally based son is currently in Miami and so won’t be able to make Sunday’s showcase, he lamented. Gulston also has two older sons who reside in Canada.
“Anybody will be happy to know their children sharing in what they passionate to do be it a family business or otherwise. My son Daniel is very much involved and is a member of the All Stars junior orchestra. Denilson is more into percussion and plays the drum for All Stars as well as the A Team band.
“I chose to name the show Dane Gulston and Sons because I have intentions of doing something with my kids in the near future. To share the passion is honourable for me to see them playing instruments. Denilson went to UTT (University of Trinidad and Tobago) and graudated with honours and now has intentions of getting his Master’s,” he beamed.
Paying tribute to Kitch
Gulston says he is most looking forward to paying tribute to Kitchener with his son Kernal. The two shared special moments on stage at the recent “100 Years of Kitchener” concerts held at the Southern Academy for the Performing Arts (SAPA) in San Fernando and at the Arima Angel Harps Steel Orchestra pan yard in Arima over the Easter weekend.
“I am one of the last pannists to perform with Lord Kitchener. I think it was suited to honour Kitch, it was suited also to add Kernal to the cast. We say often we don’t honour the legends when they alive and its so true,” he lamented.
Attempting to remedy that he has included SuperBlue and Philbert into Sunday’s showcase and plans to also honour those living legends.
“It’s really honourable to share the stage with people with that experience. It makes you better and puts a different spin and flavour on the concert. I choose the legends because its nice to see them still here doing what they love and to see people come out and enjoy them and thank God for them still being around,” he said.
“Liberation Time” also represents a personal victory for Gulston. The pan man admits to becoming disenchanted with life during the pandemic and describes being able to perform again as a freeing feeling.
“It was really, really difficult not being around people and still is. Fortunately I got a chance to do some virtual performances, but that was tough because you like to feel the vibe of the people. Fortunately for me last year I got a chance to travel; I did some stuff all over the United States, Baltimore, Brooklyn, Miami with Denilson. That kind of helped me to overcome that whole frustrated period, it wasn’t easy and still not easy.
“Things have changed, I’m not even sure if people are fully aware of just how drastic those changes are, economically. (On Sunday) we coming out with a bang, trying to make things a lil different. Especially having that kind of cast, with the legends, my band and sons, I love to see that inclusion of family and friends,” he concluded.
