Jit Samaroo
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Jit Sukha Samaroo (24 February 1950 – 7 January 2016) was a
Trinidadian Trinidadians and Tobagonians, colloquially known as Trinis or Trinbagonians, are the people who are identified with the country of Trinidad and Tobago. The country is home to people of many different national, ethnic and religious origins. As a ...
composer and
steelpan The steelpan (also known as a pan, steel drum, and sometimes, collectively with other musicians, as a steelband or steel orchestra) is a musical instrument originating in Trinidad and Tobago. Steelpan musicians are called pannists. Descriptio ...
musician.


Life and work

Jit Samaroo was born in Surrey village, in Lopinot, Trinidad and Tobago, the seventh of 13 children in a family of
Indian Indian or Indians may refer to: Peoples South Asia * Indian people, people of Indian nationality, or people who have an Indian ancestor ** Non-resident Indian, a citizen of India who has temporarily emigrated to another country * South Asia ...
origin. At the age of 10, he joined the short-lived Village Boys pan-round-the-neck side. His mother, who loved playing the
dholak The ''dholak'' is a two-headed hand drum, a folk percussion instrument. The instrument is about 45 cm in length and 27 cm in breadth and is widely used in ''qawwali'', '' kirtan'', '' lavani'' and '' bhangra''. The drum has two differ ...
, died in 1962, and so, young Jit, appointed the task of taking care of younger siblings, formed the Samaroo kids combo. They were initially
Parang Parang is a popular folk music originating from Venezuela and Trinidad and Tobago that was brought to Trinidad and Tobago by Venezuelan migrants who were primarily of Amerindian, Spanish, Mestizo, Pardo, and African heritage, something which i ...
players but by the age of 14, already a self-confessed "slave to steelpan", Jit joined the Lever Brothers Canboulay Steelband. There he learned and mastered all the orchestra's instruments. Recognising young Jit's talent, the musical director Landeg White allowed him to help arrange the band's calypsos, and also arranged for him to have music lessons. He was hailed as the country's most clinically accurate
arranger In music, an arrangement is a musical adaptation of an existing composition. Differences from the original composition may include reharmonization, melodic paraphrasing, orchestration, or formal development. Arranging differs from orches ...
, arranging one tune by the instrument and composing additional tunes to accompany it. He was a versatile composer and occasional bass player in his family band the Samaroo Jets, Jit was awarded the
Hummingbird Medal The Hummingbird Medal is a state decoration of Trinidad and Tobago, instituted in 1969. The medal is awarded for loyal and devoted service beneficial to the state in any field, or acts of conspicuous gallantry or other outstanding humane action. Th ...
of Merit (Silver) in 1987, as well as the
Chaconia Medal The Chaconia Medal is the second highest state decoration of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago Trinidad and Tobago (, ), officially the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, is the southernmost island country in the Caribbean. Consisting of the ...
(silver) in 1995. In 2003, Samaroo was given an
Honorary Doctorate An honorary degree is an academic degree for which a university (or other degree-awarding institution) has waived all of the usual requirements. It is also known by the Latin phrases ''honoris causa'' ("for the sake of the honour") or ''ad hon ...
from the
University of the West Indies The University of the West Indies (UWI), originally University College of the West Indies, is a public university system established to serve the higher education needs of the residents of 17 English-speaking countries and territories in th ...
.


Music

Victories with the Renegades Steel Orchestra.


Death

Professor Jit Samaroo died at his home on 7 January 2016. He was 65 years old.


Further reading

''Renegades!: The Story of the BP Renegades Steel Orchestra'', Macmillan Caribbean, 2002.


References

Verba D. et Mrejen JJ, Pan in A minor, Iskra Films, 1987, Silver music film award, Cannes, 1988.


External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Samaroo, Jit 1950 births Steelpan musicians Trinidad and Tobago musicians 2016 deaths Recipients of the Chaconia Medal Recipients of the Hummingbird Medal Trinidad and Tobago people of Indian descent