Meet Iman Pascall - Steel Panist Extraordinaire - Up-close!
She is young, gifted, extremely
intelligent, self-aware, self-assured, eloquent, very humble and
respectful. Blessed with an abundance of talent to match her
beauty, this steel panist is out there blazing the trails and meeting
the new challenges.
In an exclusive interview with When Steel Talks (WST) performing
artist, student and now panorama arranger, Iman Pascall shares her
latest experiences, successes and wishes.
Global
- She’s a beautiful
soul, a beautiful
person and an
awesome music
talent. But
are we surprised
at the successes,
accomplishments
and realizations
of Iman?
Absolutely not!!
Anyone who has
watched this
young lady develop
over the years
knew she had
the complete
package.
Coming off of
her recent stint
as arranger
for UK’s Reading
All Steel Percussion
Orchestra (RASPO)
in the 2011
panorama,
Iman is now
positioned
to expand
the
boundaries
and
expectations
of the art
form; she
returns to
work with
RASPO in
2012.
In the
meantime,
school is
first and
foremost on
her mind -
it was a
Berklee
assignment
to study
Weather
Report’s
Heavy
Weather
album which
occupied her
immediate
attention.
In spite of
her tender years
she is an experienced
veteran panist
with a host
of musical accomplishments.
Whether you
have seen her
perform in New
York, Antigua,
Trinidad or
the UK - among
several venues,
you will not
soon forget
her.
Among her influences
and models,
Iman lists steelpan
music legend
Len “Boogsie”
Sharpe who took
the time to
personally teach
her one-on-one,
the panorama
tune he was
arranging when
she was a little
girl standing
on crates to
reach the Pan
- when no one
else would give
her the time
of day.
Another of Iman’s
influential
models is Dr.
Dawn Batson
of Florida Memorial
University who
she studied
under.
Of Dr. Batson,
Iman says she
is “very strict,
she is amazing...
she the coolest
person I ever
met.”
Now in her fourth
year at Berklee
College of Music
- Iman is part
of a crew of
very gifted
and special
steelpan players
who are changing
minds and attitudes
about the steelpan
instrument,
the musicians
themselves,
and their place
among other
great musicians
of the world.
