Musician/filmmaker Adam Bartholomew’s debut documentary Panazz The Story, provides a unique and personalised view into the journey of the national instrument. Bartholomew, 20, a first-year participant in the Harvard-Berklee College Dual Degree programme in the US, chose to explore the now defunct Panazz steel band as his final year music project.
Bartholomew’s uncle, Barry Bartholmew, was the co-arranger and co-founder of the popular pan group, which also included musicians Dane Gultson, Natasha Joseph and Donell Thomas, among others. When Harvard professor Anne C Shreffler asked the class to choose a band that pushed boundaries and changed perspectives in the post World War II era, Bartholomew said he “obviously had to showcase pan”.
Musician/filmmaker Adam Bartholomew’s debut is flanked by former Panazz band player Dane Gulston, left, and his uncle, co-founder of the band, Barry Bartholomew.
Remarkably, the documentary was selected to be part of the upcoming trinidad + tobago film festival which runs from September 21 to October 1, 2023.
“I have heard the story of Panazz all my life from my uncle and parents. They were asking us to choose a band that influence society, so I messaged uncle Barry and asked him to help me pull together the band members and achieve footage,” Bartholomew told the Kitcharee.
Bartholomew flew back to T&T during spring break to film the interviews. By the time he got back to the US and started editing, however, he immediately realised there was no way he could condense all the information into the recommended 15 minutes, so he produced an hour-long film.
“This started off as me just wanting to present my country and steelpan as a whole to my classmates. Now it has expanded beyond that to a story to share with the world. The film presents pan in a way where international audiences can appreciate it. It appeals to both local and international audiences just as Panazz,” he quipped.
Barry Bartholomew, popularly known as Chef Finbar, said he “broke down and wept” when his nephew sent him the trailer for the project.
Members of the disbanded Panazz in their hey day.
Moved to tears
“I didn’t know what I was expecting, but it was not that. I knew my nephew was doing the documentary and telling the story, but when I saw how well it was put together it brought back so many emotions I broke down,” Barry said.
The younger Bartholomew, who plays the cello, pan and piano, however said he was not surprised by his uncle’s reaction as he knew he had something special after sitting in the editing suite to piece the film together.
“While I was editing it, I was motivated by what I was seeing in front of me and what I envisioned it to be. Since the beginning of the project I had it in mind this could be something great,” he explained.
Bartholomew said his professor and classmates, the first to see the film were equally moved and he received an A grade for the project.
“The score of the film is all Panazz. That, together with the archival footage of them performing really brings the story to life, it’s very stimulating. I was also sure to give context about the rise of pan following the banning of African drums and then tamboo bamboo.
“I let the viewer know how society saw pan (negatively) and how Panazz helped change that perspective,” he revealed.
So, with the immediate success of this project and with all the attention he is receiving, are there more documentaries to come from Bartholomew’s lens? “Well yeah!” he blurted.
“Now that I’ve done this I can see myself doing more. I’ve always loved editing and filming since seeing my dad (photographer) Brian (Bartholomew) at work. So more to come.”
Source: With permission of the Trinidad Express