Commancheros NY support group awards four – in celebration of its 20th anniversary

By Linda Straker

THE awarding of two persons who were respon-sible for establishing Commancheros steel band and two who have provided helpful supportive service to the work of the Commancheros New York Support Organisation (CNYSO) was the highlight of the organisation’s 20th celebrations.

Held last Saturday night at the Grand Prospect Hall, 263 Prospect Avenue, Brooklyn, the platinum celebrations in the form of a Dinner, Awards and Dance brought out hundreds in the New York Grenadian Community as well as a delegation from Commancheros Grenada.

20 YEARS OF STEEL: The Commancheros New York Support
Organisation celebrated its 20th anniversary with a Dinner, Awards
and Dance on Saturday night. Here, (from right) receiving crystal
awards were founding members of Commancheros, Denis Phillip
and Leslie Robinson, while Michelle De Souza
and Cecil Belfon received wooden plaques.

Described by Master of Ceremonies, Derek Ventour, as “paying recognition to the four for their outstanding, exceptional and excellent contribution towards the preservation of the steelband culture in Grenada and in the Grenadian Community in New York”, there was a live performance from Spiceisle Rockers – a group of Grenadian steelband players who presently reside in Brooklyn.

Receiving crystal awards were founding members of Commancheros, Denis Phillip and Leslie Robinson, while Cecil Belfon and Michelle De Souza received wooden plaques. According to the citation, Denis Phillip has the distinct honour of being the man with the foresight of establishing Commancheros steel band 46 years ago.

With his foresight and tenacity, he captured the attention and talent of the boys in the village. They included Leslie ‘Fats’ Robinson, Oliver ‘Dolly House’ Charles, Harold ‘Old Post’ Charles, Jude ‘Bassay’ Phillip and others, who were making music on the oil cans they collected from the gas
stations and tuned to their likeness in those days.

Gizel Eastman presenting to founding member, Leslie Robinson.

They named themselves ‘Tin Tots’. Having had some experience in playing pan, Phillip bought a pair of pans from Kenneth ‘Tilloty’ Hood of Wayside Symphony and thereafter got his good friends, Steve “Spanky” Cyrus and Jonathan “Jukie” Phillip, to make some others pans for the boys to play, resulting in the re-birth of a steel band in the community of St. Paul’s. “From initiative and motivation, to physical, financial and moral support to individual members and the band, he is seen as a father to all,” said that citation.

Leslie Robinson was described as a pillar of strength for the band from its foundation because of his ability to make things happen. “He was responsible for running electrical cables from the kitchen of his parents’ home without permission and connecting a light bulb to a tree, to provide light for practising. The designer, the architect, the builder, from board stands to iron stands to mobile stands, whether with a hammer or the wielding torch, he always made sure there was enough for practice and play out,” said the citation.

Brian Robinson presenting a plaque to Michelle DeSouza.

Though not a registered member of CNYSO, Michelle DeSouza has given unselfishly to the organisation for over 15 years. “Whether it is selling tickets for many of our functions – often surpassing the sales of most of our members, or sampling of her exotic culinary skills, to making suggestions for menus  and helping  in the preparation of them, she has been there for us and given to us without seeking payment in return,” said the organisation about De Souza.

Cecil Belfon, according to the organisation, has unselfishly written and produced many winning compositions specifically for Commancheros Steel Orchestra’s renditions at Spicemas Panorama competition. As co-sponsor to the tour of the steel band to the North-East United States in 1997, he worked tirelessly with CNYSO to negotiate and co-ordinate  the many arrangements that led to the last live recording done by the steel band.

“Whether it was the need to reproduce CDs or the promotion of the interest of the steel band and CNYSO on his website, the response to our calls has always been enthusiastically filled with advice, suggestions and or opinions; and may I say ‘free of cost’,” said the organisation.

There was no featured speaker and the surprise highlight of the awards ceremony was the reading of a message from Mayor Michael Bloomberg by former Consul General, Janice Celestine, and a proclamation from Borough of Brooklyn President, Marty Markowitz, which was read out by Ventour.

Bloomberg said that Caribbean New Yorkers have contributed greatly to the diversity of New York City, while Markowitz applauded the organisation for their many contributions towards the development of Caribbean culture, both in New York and Grenada.

The delegation from Grenada used the occasion to also recognise the New York Support Group’s contribution towards the sustainable development of the steel band over the past 20 years with a plaque.