Exodus Steel Orchestra

Exodus Steel Orchestra was formed on the 3rd May 1981. The band emerged from Gay Flamingoes, another one of the country’s local steelband.

As Ainsworth Mohammed noted:

“The formation of this new band came about after two unsuccessful attempts were made to hold a meeting with the then executive and members of the Gay Flamingoes steelband, to help in reconstructing the said Gay Flamingoes, who were heading downhill”

Particularly after the recent Carnival and Panorama season, the band failed to reach the finals again. Amin Mohammed, a member of the band realised that the band was not growing so he told the members he was going across the street to form a new band, those who were interested could go and those who were not interested could stay.

The players who were interested left and formed a band and called it Exodus. The name Exodus, therefore, which means ‘The Movement’, emerged from this shift in membership.

Exodus, under the management of Amin Mohammed, began rehearsals with 25 players, their arranger Henry “Bendix” Cumberbatch, and using pans loaned to them by Rudolph Charles from the Desperadoes steel Orchestra. Amin Mohammed, in the early stages of the band, mortgaged his house to buy instruments for the band.

The intention of the band was to become a great steelband and also to be an exemplar to other steelbands. They decided to lay down proper infrastructure, such as discipline and respect for one another and their instrument, as their foundation.

The elements such as great instruments, tuners, players, arrangers, music and management were also important in trying to achieve the band’s objective. The band’s first entry into competition was the following year into the National Panorama competition.

Exodus made it to the finals in their first competition with an arrangement of Scrunter’s “The Will”, arranged by Kenrick and Harold Headley, and placed eight at that final. This placement laid the way for the band to get sponsorship in nineteen eighty three (1983) from American Stores.

Exodus Steel Orchestra continued on their journey following the foundation and infrastructure that they laid as a guide with many successes along the way. When the band grew other different organisations supported them in helping to offset their expenditures. Republic Bank, Angostura, National Brewing Company and K.F.C are a few of the corporate institutions which assisted the band.

From their inception, the band has been ranked among the best in the country. This has stemmed from results of various competitions.

They are now called Sagicor Exodus, being sponsored by Sagicor Financial Corporation, their second major sponsor.

With respect to arrangers, Henry “Bendix” Cumberbatch, being the first as stated above, set the tone for brothers Kenrick and Harold Headley, Ray Holman, Desmond Waithe, Anthony (Juggy) Rose and in nineteen eighty nine (1989) to the present Pelham Goddard.

One of the few tuners that the band had was Wallace Austin who had to leave the band for personal reasons, but eventually returned and is at present the band’s tuner.

Others included Clifford Alfred, Lincoln Noel, Leo Cooker (deceased), and most recently Andy Neils, the latest, who lasted the shortest. This arose from Andy’s not wanting to tune a pan from another specific tuner, a pattern specific to the older days. Andy and the band’s management were in disagreement on this matter and he eventually left.

The management of Exodus believe that there are not enough good tuners in the country, and they are currently involved in their own pan tuning. They have also been in discussion with numerous individuals with respect to the size of the drum, the proper acoustic, and they are also working with Derek Gay on the engineering aspect.

Captains in this band over the years comprised of Andy Husband, Steve (Dark Horse) Pierre and Anthony (Juggy) Rose not necessarily in that order.

The band’s management has over the years been challenged to find persons to fill the various management functions in the band. Inevitably all the work fell on the shoulders of the few, especially the Manager. Thus, they decided that they will have a manager and a few other individuals forming the committee of the band.

There were only two managers in Exodus’ history: their first, Amin Mohammed (now deceased), and his brother, Ainsworth Mohammed, the present manager.

An aspect of the band’s philosophy is to encourage and contribute towards community development and for this reason, it has loaned its instruments to the St Augustine Senior Comprehensive who, at present, is doing very well having won the schools’ junior panorama for the last two years.

Exodus also has its own junior band, Exocubs, which also has been successful thus far, having won competitions in minor categories in the 2004 World Steelband Music Festival and 2005 Steelband Music Festival, senior and junior respectively.

It has also won the Ensemble category for the seniors in 2004. Exocubs and Exodus are also involved in learning music theory at all different levels. This development in the younger players is beneficial to Exocubs and also to Exodus, because most of the players in Exocubs will eventually play with Exodus at a later stage. This will only help in making this band better equipped and efficient.

In the history of Music Festivals, Exodus has moved from the last spot in the “Pan is Beautiful” series to winning the first spot in the World Steelband Music Festival. In the year nineteen eighty eight (1988), the band could not complete its rendition of Tchaikovsky’s Capriccio Italienne. It was noted that one of the melodic embellishments was played loudly when it was not to be played. That confused the entire band. The then conductor, Desmond Waithe, stopped the band and proceeded to the calypso.

The following are a list of notable musicians who worked with the band: Earl Wright, Louis McIntosh, Maureen Clement -Moe, Desmond Waithe, Jesus Acosta and Dr.Pat Bishop. Below is a list of some of their achievements in the music festival competitions.

Exodus First Touring Party
Edmonton Canada 1983

Exodus, in addition to being successful in the competition arena, adds to its list of successes the Pan Ramajay competition. This competition was started by the band to raise money for the band, instead of merely depending on its “sponsors”. In addition to that they felt they were contributing something to the pan community.

This competition started September 16th 1989, and it was meant to be biannual but instead, after 1991 they changed it to be an annual event. This competition gave many individuals the recognition needed through the art of playing, performing and improvisation. Each band could have no more than ten players.

In addition to all this, the band can boast of receiving numerous awards. It received the Chaconia Gold, a national award in the year 2003.

Without support, no organisation could survive. Except for the players in the band, who contributed much to the organisation, these are some individuals who also contributed to Exodus’ development and status:

The Ramlogan brothers, Dennis Ramdeen of Stag, Nicholas Inniss of Angostura, Rae Stewart of  Illuminat, David Williams of Century Eslon, TSTT, National Flour Mills, Chancellor Hotel, Pernod Ricard, Detour, Suzuki and Gillian Bishop.