Yuggy Ramsamy – Where Words Fail, Music Speaks!

In Spring 2005, is when Yuggy Ramsamy saw one of those tiny adverts in a free local paper asking if you wanted to learn a new instrument. She made a phone call to West Acton and it was on her radar, except the Universe had other plans in motion for her. A month later she serendipitously met Chris Storey, a Steel Pan tutor and arranger for the Pantasia Steel Orchestra, that was local to her as she was based in Tottenham, North London. She had never heard a live steel pan instrument before. At 23,  Yuggy did not even really know what Soca was even though she listened to Martin Jay’s Caribbean Affair Radio Show on Sundays on Choice FM.

Yuggy at Endurance Steel Orchestra’s Blockorama 2025

She was completely new to everything.  So, Chris Storey invited a couple of them to come down and play pan. She distinctly remembered hearing this sweet soft vibrant sound of pan travelling across the car park from a tiny portable cabin hut. Stunned probably did not compute what she was witnessing and hearing. There were only 5/6 players in the room, she remembered in the likes of David, Chloe, Ziggy, Micquel - people whom she had witnessed go on a beautiful journey with Pan, yet at the time she was just surrounded by their fresh young musical talents!

The fact that she could get involved immediately. Literally pick pan sticks and start playing with a band like that felt very magical to her. Yuggy’s musical journey with the steelpan instrument began. She played Double Seconds for about 15 years. Her open mind and love for  learning especially something that gave her so much fun was a life treat. She played at the UK National Steelbands Panorama competitions with Pantasia Steel Orchestra and then Pan Nation Steel Orchestra all under the amazing guidance of Chris and other players at Pan Nation.

Younger Yuggy considers herself more of a domestic player. She would turn up and play what she has been taught and then go home. She admits that she had not really mastered her pan beyond her stage side capability.

Yuggy performing at Pan Nation Winter concert 2024.

With all the bits of knowledge shared with her from all the amazing musicians around her – she recognised that none of the classical theory would really sink in. The patterns did not properly make sense. She extends her thanks and blessings to Dan Sadler for all his attempts but she thought she was just a very surface player in the beginning. So, when an opportunity came for her to do something for herself. In her own words, she felt that she was guided by the Universe to choose to visit Trinidad and Tobago out of her home comfort zone and push herself as a player in the Mecca of Steelpan.

She was definitely tested by the Universe. After being rejected from entering first time and still persevering – She eventually succeeded. So from having basically nothing - not even real contacts in Trinidad, her host, Natalie Clifford, showed her true Trinidadian hospitality, so from arriving as a stranger she left Trinidad with a Pan Sister for life. Yuggy stated, ‘The whole Trinidadian Pan fraternity had my back. She had the great blessing of joining Pamberi Steel Orchestra for the National Medium Steelbands’ Preliminary and Semi-Finals competitions giving herself the maximum chance of catching André White’s music.

Playing at BAS Steelband Jamboree on Trafalgar Square with Pantasia Steel Orchestra.

What a perfect San Juan experience for Yuggy to feel the Steel Pan culture and local life. She stated that she was surrounded by such ridiculously talented players at Pamberi who all wanted to help get the best out of her in their own special way. It was so unbelievably blessed.

She was so addicted that she returned the following year but not for playing in Pamberi but spending five weeks in Tobago giving her the opportunity to experience life in the twin islands of Trinidad and Tobago. It’s always an amazing adventure with Pan. So once again she had an amazing time of my life watching Katzenjammers Steel Orchestra and probably one of her only REGRETS in life - was not taking up their invitation to play tenor with them in the National Panorama competition. She was tempted but thought it best not too as it was a prestigious band and she did not want to be that person not mastering it.

However, she turned up at the Steel Explosion Steel Orchestra’s pan yard and played a Tenor Bass for the first time in the Medium Bands Panorama competition. The call of playing and rehearsing on Buccoo beach was way too intoxicating for her.

Yuggy on Scratcher at Pan Nation Winter Concert 2024.

 Then she had the unbelievable JOY of being in the BP Renegades pan yard and watching them rehearse their tune, DNA. There have been many life changing moments of music that touched her soul but this was a complete Mecca of them. She never expected all these amazing opportunities, moments, culture, people, places - everything. All from the love of Steel Pan.

On her return to the UK she never expected Pan Nation Steel Orchestra not to attend the National Steelband Panorama competition that year. Once again the Universe provided an opportunity. Never in a million years she would have thought of playing for a different band in the UK. So, when the opportunity to go anywhere came up she was very confused at where she wanted to go and who to support.

She decided to choose what felt like the biggest challenge, Ebony Steelband. She had never played Duvone Stewart's music and there were quite a few moments where she thought she was not going to get the music. But once again, with so many brilliantly talented players’ help and support coupled with her dedication she got through! She acquired so much from the individuals there. And they definitely welcomed them all into their carnival community and was awarded best newcomer player at Ebony.

Yuggy on stage with Pan Nation Steel Orchestra at the UK Panorama 2022.

Who would have known that all the issues she had including all the amazing moments with Pan would lead to Lindsay Campbell - another Pan Nation player advising her to become a Steel Pan instrumentalist teacher. (Luckily, she is one herself so she knows exactly what she's talking about!!) Her faith and guidance in Yuggy has led her onto another new journey with Steel pan.

Not only is Yuggy still learning but she is helping to spread that vibration of steel pan to first access beginners. In her first teaching year she completed 1-2-1s, adults, community groups, nurture groups, workshops, tamboo bamboo and, djembe!

She has also been asked to start leading gamelan classes! She thinks that for the moment it is way out of her league but believes that all challenges make you a stronger person. And this will be another rollercoaster in learning for her but she is looking forward to the experience.

Yuggy stated that once again the fantastic pan community has given her access to players who can help give her ideas, songs, warm up exercises - everything! She considers herself very lucky to be able to tap into such a wealth of knowledge and techniques.

She feels the Trinidad spices are definitely part of her DNA now. The healing vibrations of music and steel pan is a very exciting journey for her to be on and looks forward to what it brings in the future. She is a bit sad that she is unable to return to Trinidad soon because of her school commitment which is heart-breaking for her, especially as she still has the UK National Large Bands Panorama on the cards to do this month. The only time in their steel band community where they go to a musical war over their performances!! Apart from that - it's all complete love in their UK Steelpan world!! And what a great world to be part of she declared.

Yuggy enjoying herself in Tobago

Panpodium wishes this amazing musician and tutor all the best in the future. Thanks for keeping the steelpan culture alive and spreading the pan gospel far and wide!

Yuggy appearing in the Observer newspapers.