WLIB’s coverage of the Panorama this weekend was surprisingly well done.  Surprising because heretofore we have been treated commercials interrupted by pan.  This time, we got live coverage at the Savannah, entire renditions of the tunes, and interviews with none other than David Rudder, Clive Bradley, and Boogsie Sharpe.  The only room for improvement would have been for them to play the tunes of choice, not repeatedly, but once for each of us to hear.

The show flowed smoothly, and the dead spots were filled in with color commentary and interviews.  LIB was also able, apparently thanks to the Elite Ark, to continue the coverage until the results were announced, and even taking calls after the results shocked much of the New York listening audience (or at least shocked some into calling in).

Rudder’s indictment of the music listening world should give pause to all who heard.  In indicating that he did no arrangements this year because “everyone has ‘Trini to the Bone’ playing on their CD but no one bought the record” and noting that there is “too much bandwidth” emphasizes the ongoing problem for artists of the non R & B/hip-hop/pop media – namely, they do not realize the fruits of their labors.

One also gets the sense of pannists eager for a rematch in the post-results banter with the LIB personnel.  The New York pan movement is obviously ready for this summer’s Panorama, and based on some of the comments from the loyal members of various bands, the action should be tight.

Those of us who had to remain in New York for the Carnival season salute LIB for giving us a little taste of the Savannah.  Thank you.

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