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Lara Brothers and Daisy Voisin

Page history last edited by Parang Lovers 13 years, 4 months ago

 

LARA BROTHERS

 

 

The Lara Brothers is the oldest parang band in Trinidad. In 1945, Tito, Willie, Antonio, and Victor Lara launched the family group. Their parang credentials were impeccable: the boys learned traditional folk songs and music from their Venezuela-born father Ignacio Monastero, who spoke only Spanish. As children, the story goes, before they had instruments, they would improvise by making the sounds of the cuatro and shak-shak with their mouths.

They started their career as parranderos with Ignacio in Caura, a village in one of the valleys of the Northern Range. When he retired from the band, his sons took the maiden name of their mother, Lena Lara, who was also born in Venezuela and enjoyed singing parang songs. They were founding members of the National Parang Association, which was launched in 1958.

In the last half century, the band has, inevitably, had a few personnel changes. From seven, the number of musicians had

grown to sixteen. Antonio, the eldest “Lara brother”, died in 1992, and many of Tito’s sons have played with the band at one time or another. Other parranderos who were drawn to the band’s authentic sound include Andrew La Fortune and Irvine Antoine. The Lara Brothers have produced several albums over the years, including songs with themes ranging from religion to romance.

 

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http://www.newsday.co.tt/features/0,95999.html

Memories of Tito Lara

By JOAN RAMPERSAD Monday, March 2 2009

 

 

The Lara Brothers...

CHRISTMAS will certainly not be the same with the loss of Tito Lara, one of the two surviving Lara Brothers in one of the most enduring and popular parang bands in Trinidad and Tobago.

Tito, who passed away on Friday 27th February, had been looking ahead to the future of parang and felt that Latin America should be targeted for the promotion of the art form.

Originally, a family of four brothers — Antonio, Tito, Willie, Victor — and two sisters, the Laras were proud to be related to cricket superstar, Brian Lara. They started singing in Caura with their father, lgnacio Monastero, in the 1940’s.

Ignacio was Venezuelan and only spoke Spanish. As he got old and left the band they took the maiden name of their mother, Lena Lara, and became the “Lara Brothers”. The youngest brother, Victor, left the band because of pressures of work but still gives guest appearances with them. The oldest, Antonio, stayed with the band nearly up to the time of his death some years ago.

The brothers welcomed newcomers open-heartedly. Andrew La Fortune, who was originally from Moruga, is one of the best parang guitarists and also plays the mandolin. Irvine Antoine also from Santa Cruz, joined the band in the very early days when he was just 16 years old. And so, others had been recruited by the band, including many of Tito’s sons, two of whom, Carlos and Daniel, are still with them.

In the early days, though, seven was the magic number for the band. When they reached a house they would sing Serenal or Pasen Pasen, songs for the ‘opening of doors’. Then the friendly host would invite them in to sing three or four songs. Often the host would give them drink and put food to cook.

Now and again the sessions lasted quite long — in some cases they spent as many as two or three days at a hospitable house! Sometimes they were not so fortunate.

In a recent interview, Tito and Willie remembered with laughter one dark night when very heavy rain caught them in a cocoa field. But rain could not quench their spirits. They kept on going and eventually found a home, some good strong coffee, and off they went again.

Many people would join in using makeshift instruments, such as bottle and spoon, singing for the joy of performing and sharing. Some of the singing was pure picong, lively rivalry between two or more singers in a quick up-tempo beat. The laughter, the food, the merry singing filling the warm country air — that was the perfect way to heighten anticipation and make the Christmas season memorable!

Tito and Willie remembered the names of some early pioneers of parang, including Papa Gun and Ramos Fuentes. They also recalled the first competitions which were held at Piarco Junction and later at the Arima Grandstand. The Lara Brothers were founding members of the National Parang Association in 1958. Parang, like everything else, has succumbed to modern technology, in this case electronic instruments. These have introduced experimentation with Latin beats and other changes. Calypso has also had a powerful influence on parang.

The Laras felt poignantly the loss of Daisy Voisin, whose singing had a real Venezuelan flavour. They feel that what now exists is largely “socaparang”. The traditional song is being forgotten as it is so often ignored or “modernised” in favour not only of the new beat but also the new kinds of lyrics that are loosely called “parang”.

The house to house singing is quietly dying out. How can the old joy, sharing, spontaneity and openness of the old times be re-kindled? The Lara Brothers were determined to stay with traditional instruments and the lovely singing that celebrates the birth of Christ and the festive hospitality of rural Trinidad.

Included in one of the last Lara Brothers’ collections was the traditional range of true parang, from religious themes anticipating and celebrating the birth of Christ, to songs about everyday life. There was the Coronaron, Vamos, and En Santa Helena, written for their mother who used to enjoy singing parang and other songs.

 

Willy Lara

Willy Lara remains committed to the traditional, 'ole time' parang and, singing since the age of 17, still sings about the birth of Christ and will continue for as long as he can. In the interview we had with him, Willy said he started house paranging at the age of 20, back in the day when they used to use 'pitch-oil' lamps. He said when they paranging outside a house and you see the lamp 'raise', it was a good sign; you were welcomed. But if the lamp 'lowered' then that meant'bye bye', you were not welcomed, move on! He started singing in the country  He and his four brothers used to do the house to house paranging. He has 27 tunes that he composed himself and after 67 years of singing parang, his only wish is that it could return to a bit of the 'old time' way. (Part of Interview with Willy Lara.MOV)  

 

 

DAISY VOISIN.

 

http://www.tntisland.com/daisy.html

 

Alexandra "Daisy" Voisin
Daisy
"de Queen of Parang"

September 23, 1924 to August 7, 1991

Daisy Voisin - Queen of Parang

Alexandra Daisy Voisin was a deeply religious and devoted person to La Divina Pastora (The Virgin Mary of Siparia). When she ended her mortal reign as Parang Queen of Trinidad and Tobago, her body was returned to the church where, eighteen years ago, she had received a message to spread parang throughout the world. And since that time she continued to do just that. She was born at Carapal, Erin on September 23, 1924, in a family consisting of six girls, of which she was the youngest. She was of Spanish and French parentage. Her mother, Juliana Hospedales, came from Tocopita, Venezuela. Daisy's father, Mathias Voisin, was of French origin and came from Arima. She received her early education at Lorensotte Government School and became a monitor (apprentice teacher). Being a monitor in those days signified brilliance, dedication and conscientiousness. She later taught at the Canadian Mission School in Siparia.

As a young girl growing up in Lorensotte, Daisy was involved in school concerts where she performed as a singer. To pursue a career in singing was the least of her ambitions; to her, singing was a hobby. While awaiting the birth of her only child, Cecily, she became interested in nursing. At first she assisted the qualified nurses at the Health Centre in Siparia, then she began visiting homes with district nurses. It was, perhaps, on those visits that she developed a love for midwifery, an occupation that she pursued for several years. To her credit are more than three hundred successful deliveries in the Siparia district. She later gained employment as manageress at the Consumer's Cooperative in Palo Seco. In 1960, she was appointed to a clerical position at the Family Planning Association and it was during that period of her life that she became involved in parang.

Arrival Of The Queen

In 1968, she joined the Siparia Village Council, Fyzabad Choir and Morne Diablo Group. Her first opportunity to lead the Morne Diablo Choir in parang was in 1974, when the lead singer, Francis Molloy, became ill and had to be hospitalized. Her stepfather, Lucien Bravo, whom she called "da da", had given her all the help he could. Her first solo "Aquinaldo" was partly composed by him. Lucien had predicted that she would be a queen one-day. His prediction came true on the night she replaced the lead singer at the Best Village Competition. After that performance there was no turning back for Daisy, who provided in the years that followed, that she was the undisputed queen of Parang in Trinidad and Tobago.

As a lead singer, Daisy assumed new responsibilities, which she carried out with diligence and professionalism. Even though she spoke the Spanish language with a fair degree of accuracy and fluency, she could not write it. With the help of Mrs. Hoyte, a Venezuelan national resident in Siparia, Daisy overcame her initial problems. During her successful reign she composed "Sereno Sereno", "Daisy Voisin", "Daisy Daisy Daisy", "El Nacimiento de la Verdad" and many others. "Alegria Alegria", was however, her favorite composition. Leroy Birch, a qualified musician, had helped her to put the finishing touches to this song, which was a big success.

 

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Before her death, she recalled that her most memorable occasion was when she sang for Jose Echevaria, former Venezuelan Ambassador to Trinidad and Tobago. On that occasion, she sang "La Historia Trinitaria" which was composed by William Joseph, a Spanish teacher at Presentation College, San Fernando. To see Daisy on stage was an exciting cultural experience. She was explosive, vivacious and tempestuous. She enjoyed every moment on stage.

The fame of Daisy and the La Divina Pastora group took them as cultural ambassadors on missions throughout the Caribbean, Margarita, Venezuela and North America. She had created such an impact with her performances that she became the most sought-after parang voice in the nation. As a leading cultural personality, she became a household name, not only in Trinidad and Tobago, but also throughout the West Indies. In 1982 she received the Parang Association's highest award, a gold medal. This was followed in 1988 with a National Humming Bird Silver Medal from the government. But Daisy was not only a parandero, she was a gift from the Creator.

Eighteen years ago, she had received the inspiration from La Divina Pastora. Shortly after this, she sought and obtained permission from the then Parish Priest, Father Eugene Delahunte to organise a parang group and use the name La Divina Pastora. Bishop John Mendes was born in Siparia and knew Daisy for many years. On the occasion of her demise, he performed the burial rites at the La Divina Pastora R.C. Church and he had to say this: "Daisy was an angel who had received a gift from God. She is not dead. She has gone to sing in a higher place."

Although a talented musician and singer, she never allowed her popularity to go to her head. She was simple, yet sophisticated. Her voice had a rich tone which provided auditory excitement. Her tunes were always up-tempo, emotive and dramatic. The peak of excitement was reached with her favorite expression "Aiyee."

Daisy will be missed not only by her relatives but also by the entire community of Siparia, and indeed Trinidad and Tobago. At the funeral service on August 10, 1991, Hazel Voisin, granddaughter of Daisy, read the eulogy, which said in part: "Granny has gone to sing in a higher place, as she so often said she would."

In her declining years, she survived on humble means and was regarded as a forgotten heroine after giving cultural wealth to the national community. But she persisted in her endeavour to spread the Gospel of Prang. Her final effort to ubiquitise parang was mad when she visited New York in 1990. On her return, she suffered a stroke from which she never recovered. She died on August 7, 1991. Her funeral was attended by a wide cross-section of the Nation. As a true exponent of the art of singing parang, she was truly the Queen of Parang and will always be remembered for her contribution to this art form.

The Queen is dead, Long Live the Queen
Source: National Heritage Library
website: Trinidad & Tobago National Library & Information System Authority

 
 
Daisy's Tunes
 
 
  • A La Media Noche

 

 
  • Esto Se Paso & Golpe

 

 
  • Alegeria

 

 
  • Gloria En Las Entoras

 

 
  • DeVerdad

 

 
  • Hurah Hurah

 

 
  • El Diablo Suete

 

 
  • La Historia Trinitaria

 

 
  • El Guarapo

 

 
  • Nosotros Tenemos

 

 
  • El Naciemento

 

 
  • Sereno Sereno

 

 

 

 

TO CONTINUE EXPLORING THIS WIKI, CLICK THE DESIRED LINK BELOW:

 

  1. PARANG - Information
  2. History of Parang  
  3. Junior Parang Competition
  4. Parang Instruments
  5. Lara Brothers and Daisy Voisin
  6. Soca Parang
  7. Current Status of Parang  
  8. Recording Software
  9. Research on Sonar 6
  10. Los Alumnos De San Juan Brochure
  11. Parang Videos
  12. Parang Pictures
  13. Parang Songs
  14. Listen to Parang Songs
  15. Bibliography 

 

 

 

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