Ebony wins Panorama 2007!

Ebony has now won 17 Panoramas and a record breaking 9 consecutively. The band played Len Boogsie Sharp's ‘Sharing Licks’.

Panorama for the first time was held in Hyde Park. The best bands from all around the UK spend months rehearsing the latest calypso tunes. Each band has an arranger who will arrange a 10 minute long tune for the competition.

About Ebony

Ebony which was founded in 1969, lays claim to being “Europe’s finest” have built a reputation for musical excellence both nationally and internationally. In October 2000 and 2002, they were crowned the European Champions of the European Steelband Music Festival in France. The Ebony Steelband has performed at prestigious venues for over a decade. Most recently the band has performed on the Fifa World cup stages in Germany, Buckingham Place at least once per year and in Delhi at the launching of the International Cricket World Cup. Touring more than 4 times a year and doing on average 4 performances per week, the band also does regular performances for corporate events, weddings, funerals birthday party’s etc. 

Ebony is an organisation that delivers a variety of steelband workshops and community projects for disadvantaged young people – particularity those from the Afro-Caribbean community. The organisation is based in Kensington and Chelsea where there is the opportunity to work with young people to direct them away from crime and anti-social behaviour and towards living successful and purposeful lives.

At this present and immediate time Ebony needs to find new premises because it no longer has its own permanent premises since their lease expired in 2004. Ebony are working in partnership with other Caribbean arts organisations to establish a Carnival Village, which will be Ebony’s new base, however, this property will not be available until 2008 at the earliest, but in the meantime Ebony needs to find alternative accommodation for the interim.

Ebony receives the royal charter

Ebony Steelband is the first voluntary organisation in Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea to receive the Queens Award for its voluntary work and it is also the first black organisation in the UK to receive this award which was granted by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in December 2005. The Ebony Steelband Trust members are considered “unsung heroes” because of their 18 years of services for people with special needs, young people and offering services to disadvantaged communities.

The Queens Award was presented to Ebony Director Pepe Francis by the Queens Lieutenant Richard Walker Arnot at the Royal Borough of Kensington & ChelseaTownhall.