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PanBrassOrama
:::Tracks include:::
::: 4ths & 5ths Pan
::: The Bees Melody
::: Jit Samaroo and the Renegades
::: Pan In Ah Rage
::: St Thomas – bonus track
::: Symphony In G
::: The Iron man
::: Pan Pirates
::: Guitar Pan
::: Two Days To Go
Jit Samaroo and the Renegades: Every Steelband He Arranged For The partnership between Jit Samaroo and the Renegades Steel Orchestra occupies a special place in steelpan history. Together, they won the Trinidad and Tobago National Panorama competition nine times, developed an instantly recognisable orchestral sound and completed the first three-in-a-row championship run in the large conventional steelband category.
However, the story of Jit Samaroo is larger than Renegades alone. The quiet musical master from Lopinot also created arrangements for his family ensemble, several Trinidad and Tobago Panorama bands, a recording orchestra and an American steelband. His work reached communities in north, east and south Trinidad, Tobago and New York.
This expanded account celebrates the famous Renegades partnership while identifying every steelband for which a direct Jit Samaroo arranging connection can be documented in the available biographies, newspaper archives, competition records and discographies.
Published sources do not provide one official career ledger, and names sometimes appear in shortened or sponsored forms. The most responsible approach is therefore to separate clearly documented arranging work from bands with which Samaroo merely played, taught or had another association.
Who was Jit Samaroo?
Jit Sukha Samaroo was born on 24 February 1950 in Surrey Village in Trinidad’s Lopinot Valley. He was one of 13 children in an Indo-Trinidadian family surrounded by music. His mother played the dholak, while Lopinot’s parang tradition brought Spanish-derived melodies, cuatro playing and house-to-house Christmas serenading into his early life.
At around ten years old, Samaroo began playing tenor pan with Village Boys, a local pan-round-the-neck band. Village Boys was important to his development, but the surviving biographies describe him there as a young player rather than an arranger. It is therefore not included in the arranged-for list below.
His serious training began after he joined the Lever Brothers Canboulay Steelband in Tunapuna at the age of 14. The band’s musical director, Landig White, recognised his potential, encouraged him to take music lessons and allowed him to experiment with arranging. Samaroo learnt the instruments of the steel orchestra from the inside, understanding how the tenor, double seconds, guitars, cellos, basses and rhythm section could function as one musical body.
After his mother’s death, he also used music to keep his younger siblings together. The little family group that followed developed into the Samaroo Kids and later the internationally travelled Samaroo Jets. That family orchestra became a lifelong creative workshop in which he could arrange Caribbean, Indian, classical, popular and original music without being restricted to a single competition format.
The complete documented list of steelbands Jit Samaroo arranged for
The following table combines the names supplied by a detailed biography published by When Steel Talks, reports in the Trinidad and Tobago Guardian, individual band histories, Panorama records and recording information. It includes formal musical directorships, Panorama assignments, early arranging work and documented recording arrangements.
| Steelband | Nature of Samaroo’s arranging work | Documented example or importance |
|---|---|---|
| Lever Brothers Canboulay Steelband | His first opportunity to try arranging while learning under Landig White | The formative beginning of his career as an arranger |
| Samaroo Kids / Samaroo Jets | Founder, family bandleader, composer and principal arranger | Wide-ranging concert and recorded repertoire; international touring |
| Renegades Steel Orchestra | Long-term Panorama arranger and musical director | Nine National Panorama titles and the historic 1995–1997 hat-trick |
| Our Boys Steel Orchestra of Tobago | Panorama arranger | Named in biographical records as one of the Tobago bands for which he arranged |
| Trinidad Nostalgic Steel Orchestra | Panorama arranger | Also referenced as Trinidad Nostalgia or Nostalgic Steel Orchestra |
| Deltones | Panorama arranging relationship | Named in both biographical and Trinidad Guardian accounts of his work outside Renegades |
| Sangre Grande Cordettes | Panorama arranger from the late 1980s into the 1990s | Arranged works including “Toronto, Toronto”, “Gaping Season”, “Panman Vibration” and “Miss Supporter” |
| Arima Angel Harps Steel Orchestra | Panorama arranger and composer | His “Steelband Coup” took the band to the National Panorama semi-finals in 1992 |
| Tornadoes Steel Orchestra | Panorama arranger | Arranged “Lucy” in 1984 and “Tune for Pan” for the 1999 competition |
| Pan Vibes Steel Orchestra | Recording arranger | Arranged several selections recorded by the orchestra |
| Moods Pan Groove, United States | Guest Panorama arranger | Placed second in the 1996 New York Panorama; his first documented arranging assignment outside Trinidad and Tobago |
This gives a defensible total of eleven named steelband organisations, counting the Samaroo Kids and Samaroo Jets as the same evolving family ensemble. The list does not include later bands that performed Samaroo compositions or revived his classic arrangements unless he personally prepared music for them. Nor does it include Supernovas, founded by his son Amrit, simply because that orchestra has honoured and performed his work.
That distinction matters. A composition can be played by many bands, and a famous arrangement can be restaged long after its creator’s death. The phrase “arranged for” should be reserved for a direct working or recording relationship.
Lever Brothers Canboulay: where the arranger emerged
The Lever Brothers Canboulay Steelband—also spelt Camboulay in some accounts—provided Samaroo’s first real arranging laboratory. Landig White did more than recognise a talented teenager. By encouraging musical study and giving him space to try arranging, White helped Samaroo connect instinctive musicianship with theory.
This early experience explains part of Samaroo’s later precision. He knew how parts felt under the sticks because he had learnt to play the orchestra’s different instruments. He understood that an attractive line on paper still had to sit comfortably on the pan, speak at speed and remain clear when combined with dozens of other parts.
Samaroo Kids and Samaroo Jets: the family orchestra
The Samaroo Kids made their public debut in 1967 and later became the Samaroo Jets. Jit taught his brothers and sisters, shaped the repertoire and used the ensemble to explore a far wider range of music than Panorama alone allowed.
The Jets toured extensively across the Caribbean, Europe, Africa, Asia and the Americas. Their repertoire demonstrated that steelpan could interpret calypso, folk music, classical pieces, Indian film melodies and popular international songs with equal confidence. In 1997 and 1999, the family staged full-length concerts devoted to Samaroo’s original music.
The Samaroo Jets were not a side note to his Renegades career. They reveal the full breadth of his musicianship. Through them, he could work with smaller forces, emphasise melody and harmony, and present pan as an adaptable concert and recording instrument.
Jit Samaroo and Renegades: the defining partnership
In 1971, pan tuner Bertram “Birch” Kelman helped connect Samaroo with Renegades. The young arranger entered a strong Port of Spain steelband culture rooted in La Cou Harpe. Renegades had power, identity and committed players; Samaroo brought an original musical mind and an insistence on precision.
Success was not immediate. The relationship developed over years of rehearsal, experimentation and competition. Renegades reached third place in 1980 with “Jean Pierre the Netball Queen” and second in 1981 with “More Pan”. Those results signalled that the band was approaching the summit.
The breakthrough came in 1982 with Lord Kitchener’s “Pan Explosion”. From that first championship through “Guitar Pan” in 1997, Samaroo and Renegades produced one of Panorama’s most sustained periods of excellence.
His nine winning arrangements were:
| Year | Winning Panorama selection | Note |
| 1982 | “Pan Explosion” | The partnership’s first national title |
| 1984 | “Sweet Pan” | Won by a then-record 17.5-point margin |
| 1985 | “Pan Night and Day” | Joint champions with Desperadoes |
| 1989 | “Somebody” | Famous for its changing rhythmic colours |
| 1990 | “Iron Man” | Completed consecutive victories |
| 1993 | “Mystery Band” | Remembered for complexity and control |
| 1995 | “Four Lara Four” | The first title of the historic hat-trick |
| 1996 | “Pan in a Rage” | The second successive championship |
| 1997 | “Guitar Pan” | Completed three Panorama victories in a row |
The 1984 “Sweet Pan” victory was especially emphatic. Renegades’ 17.5-point margin set a Panorama finals record that stood for more than two decades. The 1995–1997 run was even more historic: no large conventional band had previously completed such a hat-trick.
Not every masterpiece won. Samaroo’s arrangement of “Pan in A Minor” placed second in 1987 but became one of the most admired and studied works in the steelband repertoire. This is an important reminder that artistic legacy is larger than a results table.
Sangre Grande Cordettes: a second major Panorama relationship
The Cordettes relationship deserves more attention than it often receives. Samaroo began working with the Sangre Grande orchestra in the late 1980s. Band-history accounts credit him with helping Cordettes become a consistent national contender and with giving the ensemble a sophisticated musical identity of its own.
His Cordettes repertoire included Len “Boogsie” Sharpe’s “Toronto, Toronto” in 1989. The band also performed several Samaroo compositions, including “Gaping Season” in 1991, “Panman Vibration” in 1992 and “Miss Supporter” in 1993. These pieces show that he was not merely supplying recycled Renegades formulas. He could adjust his writing to the personnel, tonal character and competitive circumstances of another orchestra.
That adaptability is a sign of a true arranger. Musical fingerprints may remain recognisable, but the work must still belong to the band playing it.
Arima Angel Harps, Tornadoes and the East Trinidad connection
Samaroo’s work with Arima Angel Harps helped the band progress to the National Panorama semi-finals on several occasions. In 1992, they performed his original composition and arrangement “Steelband Coup”. The title was appropriate: the music helped announce the orchestra as a more serious competitive force.
Tornadoes also received memorable Samaroo arrangements. Available Panorama records connect him with the band’s 1984 performance of Blue Boy’s “Lucy” and the 1999 selection “Tune for Pan”, sung by the Original De Fosto Himself. Those dates, 15 years apart, demonstrate the longevity of Samaroo’s work beyond his main Renegades assignment.
Along with Cordettes, these relationships show how his influence circulated throughout east Trinidad. He did not reserve his knowledge exclusively for a famous championship band. His music helped other communities test themselves against the national standard.
Our Boys of Tobago, Trinidad Nostalgic and Deltones
Biographical sources repeatedly identify Our Boys of Tobago, Trinidad Nostalgic and Deltones among Samaroo’s Panorama clients. Detailed year-by-year records are less readily available for these assignments than for Renegades or Cordettes, but their inclusion across independent career summaries makes the relationships important to record.
Our Boys extended his arranging presence to Tobago. Trinidad Nostalgic placed his work within the distinctive single-pan tradition; a 2005 result, for example, lists the band performing “Um Ba Yo” with Samaroo as arranger. Deltones connected him with another major south Trinidad steelband community.
Together, the three bands reinforce the national reach of his career. His arranging was not confined to one panyard, one region or one steelband category.
Pan Vibes: arrangements made for recording
Pan Vibes Steel Orchestra belongs in the list for a different reason. Career sources state that Samaroo arranged several selections recorded by Pan Vibes. Discographical records also connect his name with the orchestra’s recorded output.
Recording demands a different form of discipline from Panorama. There is no Carnival crowd to carry the moment, and repeated listening exposes every imbalance. An arrangement must remain interesting after the excitement of first hearing has passed. Samaroo’s clarity of voicing, strong inner parts and careful harmonic movement were ideally suited to that environment.
Moods Pan Groove: taking his arranging abroad
In 1996, Samaroo arranged for Moods Pan Groove in the United States. The band placed second in the New York Panorama. A Trinidad Guardian archive record describes it as the first time he had arranged for a steelband outside Trinidad and Tobago.
This was a significant step. An overseas assignment means working with a different rehearsal culture, instrument set, player pool and timetable. Yet the musical principles that made Samaroo successful at home—clear architecture, rhythmic variety, contrapuntal writing and respect for the melody—could travel.
Moods Pan Groove therefore represents more than one additional name. The project demonstrated the international portability of the Jit Samaroo approach.
What made the Jit Samaroo sound distinctive?
Samaroo was frequently described as meticulous or “clinically accurate”. The phrase referred to his precision, but his music was never cold. Accuracy gave the excitement a strong foundation.
He was a master of orchestration. Melody could remain clear in the tenors while middle voices created countermelodies and basses supplied purposeful movement. He knew when to unleash the full orchestra and when to thin the texture so that a new idea could be heard.
His transitions were equally important. Panorama arrangements travel through variations, key changes, rhythmic episodes and dramatic breaks. Samaroo made those sections feel connected. “Somebody” is regularly cited for moving through calypso, soca, merengue, zouk, samba and disco influences without losing momentum.
He also respected the original song. His long relationship with Lord Kitchener’s music was especially productive because Kitchener wrote strong melodies about pan, Carnival and Trinidadian life. Samaroo could preserve the tune’s personality while expanding it into an extended orchestral work.
International recognition and lasting legacy
Renegades carried Samaroo’s music abroad, most spectacularly at Jean-Michel Jarre’s Paris La Défense concert on 14 July 1990. The steel orchestra appeared within an enormous electronic and theatrical production before a vast international audience, placing Trinidad and Tobago’s national instrument at the centre of a global event.
Samaroo received the Hummingbird Medal of Merit (Silver) in 1987 and the Chaconia Medal (Silver) in 1995. The University of the West Indies conferred an honorary Doctor of Letters upon him in 2003. He later became Musical Director Emeritus of Renegades.
He died on 7 January 2016, aged 65, but his arrangements continue to be performed, recorded, analysed and taught. His son Amrit Samaroo and later generations of arrangers have carried the family’s musical contribution forward.
For Steelasophical, celebrating Jit Samaroo means honouring both the famous triumphs and the wider community work. Renegades made him a Panorama legend, but the complete list of bands reveals something even greater: an arranger willing to share his knowledge across family, community, regional, recording and international settings.
Nine Panorama titles made Jit Samaroo and the Renegades champions. His work with Canboulay, the Samaroo Jets, Our Boys, Trinidad Nostalgic, Deltones, Cordettes, Arima Angel Harps, Tornadoes, Pan Vibes and Moods Pan Groove confirms the full reach of his legacy.
Further reading and authoritative resources
- When Steel Talks: detailed Jit Samaroo biography and band associations
- Trinidad and Tobago Guardian: Jit Samaroo’s steelband relationships
- Pan Trinbago: National Panorama results through the years
- Arima Angel Harps Steel Orchestra history
- Sangre Grande Cordettes Steel Orchestra history
- The University of the West Indies archive: Jit Samaroo and Moods Pan Groove
- The UWI honorary graduates register
PanBrassOrama is a midi concept album that was recorded in 1998.
The first ever recording of a Trinidad Panorama arrangement I ever heard was ‘Pan Explosion’ – I had no idea previously that such level of orchestration existed in such a pulsating, rhythmic musical battle. I very quickly obtained recordings of many of the Rama great tunes between what I call the sweet spot from the 1970’s to the early 1990’s .. and although I admired many of the arrangers and arrangements, y head and heart always looked back to the Jit Samaroo musical formulae and the execution of his music in a way that only Renegades could interpret.
Dr Jit Sukha Samaroo
Jit Samaroo was born 24 February,
1950,
Lopinot,
Trinidad.
One of his early musical influences was his mother, who was a versatile dholak player. This led to his involvement in pan at the age of ten when he joined the Village Boys, a pan-around-the-neck steelband. Here he learned the art of playing the tenor pan and later went on to win a solo ping competition in 1972.
In 1962 his mother passed away and with no income Jit formed a family combo, where he played the guitar. They were eventually disbanded due to the lure of the steelband. At fourteen, he became a member of the LBC Steel Orchestra. To enhance his understanding of music he began to read music and take music lessons.
In 1967 he formed the Samaroo Kids in order to earn a living. This band became the platform for Jit’s creativity and with Jit’s knowledge of the guitar, complex arrangements of chord progressions emerged.
The pans were made by Bertram Kelman who was the pan tuner for the Renegades Steel Orchestra. When an opportunity arose in 1971, it was Kelman who paved the way for Jit to become the arranger for the Renegades.
This partnership made Jit Samaroo the most coveted arranger, winning nine Panorama titles between 1982 and 1997.
An example of his meticulous arranging style was demonstrated in 1989 when he used six different rhythms in his arrangement of Somebody (calypso, soca, merengue, samba, zouk, and disco) to win Panorama.
Jit is also the first arranger in the history of the Panorama to win the title three times in straight succession and to win five times in one decade.
In 1987 he was awarded a Silver Humming Bird Medal of Merit.
In 1995 he was awarded a Silver Chaconia Medal.
In 2003 he was awarded an Honorary Doctorate from the University of the West Indies.
In 2008 due to ill heath his baton was passed on to his son Amrit, who had much success with the Renegades Youth Steel Orchestra. Sadly Armit’s time at the helm of the Renegades was short lived and in 2010 the Samaroo dynasty came to an end.
In 2014 local artist Darren Cheewah created one of Trinidad’s largest murals at the Renegades panyard. The mural included a tribute to Jit at the request of the steelband.
On 7 January 2016, Jit passed away at home.
His victories at Panorama:
1982 – Pan Explosion;
1984 – Sweet Pan;
1985 – Pan Night and Day;
1989 – Somebody;
1990 – Iron Man;
1993 – Mystery Band;
1995 – Four Lara Four;
1996 – Pan in a Rage
1997 – Guitar Pan.
One of the oldest surviving steel bands in the Caribbean, the Amoco Renegades (also known as the Renegades Steel Orchestra) have been exciting listeners with their high-energy fusion of calypso, zouk, merengue, soca, and samba for more than half a century.
Although they did not make the finals of the National Panorama Competition until 1976, when they took second place with their tune “Statue,” the ensemble has won the competition 16 times since the mid-’80s.
The group also received a Port of Spain City Corporation Award in 1986, a Pan Trinibago Award for outstanding contribution to the development of the steel band and a Sunshine Award from the United States in 1990, and a National Chaconia Gold Medal in 1992. Sponsored by the Amoco Energy Company of Trinidad and Tobago since 1970, the Amoco Renegades usually perform with 15 musicians.
The ranks have increased, however, to as many as 120 musicians for Carnival performances. Touring since 1960, the group has performed in the United States, Japan, France, Belgium, Italy, Spain, Venezuela, Bulgaria, and Romania.
The band was the opening act at the Nelson Mandela Welcome Rally at Yankee Stadium in 1990. The sound of the Amoco Renegades reflects the vision of arranger Jit Samaroo, who joined in 1971. The group collaborated with Jean-Michel Jarre to record an album, While Waiting for Cousteau, in 1989.
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