Ray Holman and Clive Bradley

​Ray Holman - Started playing pan at the age of 13 with the Invaders Steel Orchestra. Soon after, he was arranging for the band classics such as “Etude in Ab”. In 1963 he would go on to become a member of Starlift and started arranging for them shortly afterwards. By 1969, he won the Panorama competition with “The Bull” by Lord Kitchener and again in 1970 with “Queen of the Bands” sung by Sparrow. In 1972, he became the first steelband arranger to compose and play his own music for panorama; “Pan on the Move”. Since then Ray has gone on to arrange several of his own compositions for many bands. “Life’s too short” and “Special Brew” for Invaders and Tokyo respectively, along with “Pan Woman” by Exodus, “Steelband Paradise” by Humming Bird Pan Groove, “Panic” by Phase II, “Sapna” by Skiffle. In 2006, he reunited with Starlift and took them to 3rd place with another unforgettable composition “If We Really Want”. He has also arranged and recorded with steel bands and artists in the US, Canada, Japan and Europe. In 1988 he was awarded the Humming Bird Medal Silver.
Clive Bradley - His interest in music started at high school where he taught himself to play the guitar. He later went on the learn the keyboard and play with several bands including the Clarence Curvan band. His introduction to steelband arranging came in 1968 with the Desperadoes Steel Orchestra. Two years later, he won his first Panorama with the band with his arrangement of Lord Kitchener’s “Margie”. He would go on to win 5 more titles with Desperadoes - “Pan in Harmony” “Hasley Crawford” “Rebecca” “In My House” and “Picture on my Wall”. Bradley also arranged for Pandemonium Steel Orchestra and in 1988 placed second with what is considered one of the most memorable steelband arrangements to date, “Sailing”. In 1998, he was also victorious with Nutones Steel Orchestra, arranging “High Mas”. Continuing in winners row, his arrangement of “Ordinary People” took Desperadoes to 1st place in 2005 in the Pan in the 21st Century competition. Throughout his career he arranged for the New York panorama and was victorious on 10 occasions, even winning with the same song he won with for Trinidad panorama in 1999; “In My House” was played by Pantonic Steel Orchestra. He passed away in 2005.(Source: the Mannette Academy of Music, Aug 14, 2021) 

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