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New York - As it ended, the 2006 WIADCA
(West Indian American Day Carnival Association) New
York panorama was filled with joy and laughter for some, and
sadness and tears for others. CASYM Steel orchestra who played
in position eleven out of the twelve competitors, emerged as the
2006 panorama champions. The annual New York steelband competition eventually took place
almost twenty-four hours after its originally scheduled time.
Periods of heavy rains and winds from the tail end of what had been
Hurricane Ernesto kayoed the September 2, 7:00 PM showtime, even
as still-hopeful patrons stood in line at the ticket booth outside
the Brooklyn Museum grounds venue, being soaked to the bone. Officials would eventually appear and inform them and
others awaiting word, that the show would be held at 4:00 PM the
following day, Sunday September 3, as part of the All Day Caribbean
Festival.
Malcolm from Sonatas plays the US national anthem, with ADLIB in the
background
Sunday was the exact opposite of its predecessor; warm weather and a
sunny day replaced a soggy and chilly Saturday. Around 4:23
PM, young Malcolm, tenor player from Sonatas Steel Orchestra opened
the event proceedings with an extremely skillful rendition of the US
anthem on steelpan; and the crowd responded accordingly with an
ovation at the end of his performance. Immediately after, it
was the turn of the first competing steel orchestra to occupy the
spotlight; ADLIB from Long Island,
took the stage playing De Fosto's Tribute to Bradley. By this time, about thirty-five percent of the
seating accommodation was filled. Before the night was over
however,
there would be standing room only. For 2006, seven of the
twelve panorama participants honored the memory of the late master
musician and arranger, Clive Bradley - four performed Len 'Boogsie' Sharpe's &
Anthony Alexis' This One is for You, Bradley, and three
others - De Fosto's Tribute to Bradley.
The sound system remained a sore point as at previous panoramas held
at the Brooklyn Museum grounds. ADLIB, the first orchestra did
not fare well with the sound system; the same was true for several
others who followed in their wake. In what might appear to have some
bearing on the orchestra's eventual sound, ADLIB's captain Franklyn
Mayers told
When
Steel Talks (WST) that on the Thursday night preceding the
panorama, he was in conversation at the panyard with Michael George, the band's
co-arranger (the other was Andre White). Mayers said that he
told George at that point he did not want the band to play with the
sound system in use, because of ADLIB's prior distasteful
experiences when playing at position one or two.
The first few bands feel as though they are guinea pigs, with the
initial competing orchestra resigned to being the "sound
check" for the rest of the show, thereby impacting negatively on the audience
present, and on the adjudicators, who are positioned directly to the
side of the speakers.
ADLIB Steel Orchestra on stage
As a result, Franklin Mayers continued, he planned to insist on having the orchestra perform
at the competition without any sound amplification. He told
WST that John Schmidt, well known among the New York and
Trinidadian steelpan communities, walked in on the conversation at
that moment, and insisted that he, Schmidt "could take care of it
[the sound system]....that he had more than "twenty years experience as a sound
engineer"...and that "he knew the people." Mr. Mayers said he
continued to insist on no amplification whatsoever, and walked away
from an escalating argument. Also present at this interaction
was a parent of one of ADLIB's pan players.
For their competition performance, Mr. Mayers is adamant that he
had remained strongly against any "assistance" from John Schmidt,
 and
categorically states that he never gave his consent for any sound
engineering 'intercession' on his orchestra's behalf. Mayers is
unsure if John Schmidt eventually did "take care of the sound
system" while ADLIB was performing. But
WST has learnt that allegedly Schmidt, along with Arthur Zimmerman, were responsible
for the overall sound of ADLIB; however
WST has no proof
that this was indeed the case.
Band captain Franklin Mayers remains extremely upset at the complete distortion of what
the band had practiced all summer to accomplish, and at the gross
disrespect and unfairness meted out to the debut arranging work of
ADLIB's sixteen-year old co-arranger, Andre White
(pictured right) - regardless
who was at the helm of sound engineering at the WIADCA panorama, when
his band took the stage. And the end result was that ADLIB
could only muster tenth place out of the field of twelve competing
orchestras, which, after the results were publicized, left several of
ADLIB's musicians
openly distraught, sobbing in frustration and disappointment, having
put many of their summer evenings into practice for their
competitive ten-minute stage appearance.
Band after band fared unfavorably as they took
the stage and performed, at least according to patrons who were
further back from the area. Totally disgusted members of the
audience who were standing to the back of the seating area could
only hear horrible distortion, unrecognizable as anything musical.
Some said it was particularly bad when one of the largest bands -
Pantonic Steel Orchestra - took the stage. With one hundred
musicians and instruments in their arsenal, the 2005 panorama
champions could do no better than third place, due in large part,
many felt, to the fact that they were dealt one of the most punishing
blows of the night by the sound system. The sheer volume
and power of the orchestra provided perfect fodder with which the
amplification apparently wreaked havoc on the ears of any within
earshot.
Despers USA, who took the stage directly after
Pantonic, learned quickly - and specifically stated that they wished
'only their front line instruments to be miced/amplified', telling
WST afterward that they made the decision immediately after they
heard complete distortion for Pantonic's performance. After
Despers USA, several of the remaining orchestras, before playing a
single note, requested similar micing
'arrangements' - all of which were announced
each time by the Mistress of Ceremonies before the respective bands'
performed.
Sonatas Steel Orchestra on stage
with arranger Yohan Popwell, in blue
Sonatas Steel Orchestra who copped second place
in the competition with a Yohan Popwell-arrangement, followed Dem Stars and was the third band to take
the stage. Their tune of choice for the 2006 panorama was
This One Is For U, Bradley. According to the MC,
they fielded eighty-five players. They sported instrument
racks adorned with paintings of the late Clive Bradley along with musical
notes; their 'engine room' was especially eye-catching. But what unarguably stole the show for the
panorama, was the appearance of a character
(pictured directly below) in front of Sonatas
as they played - a remarkable Bradley look-a-like -
resplendent with white 'general' outfit, evoking memories of Bradley's
competition attire in 2002, and complete with mannerisms synonymous with Bradley in the last two
years of his life .
Sonatas' 'Engine Room''
Crossfire Steel Orchestra on stage
Not as big as Sonatas, but equally determined to
do their best to cop the panorama title, were Crossfire and Sesame
Flyers Steel Orchestras, respectively. Regardless of what was
heard by the majority of the audience at the show via the sound
system, rest assured that the musicians from each band put on
dynamic displays as they went through their paces. Patrons
fortunate enough to have been present while the bands were warming up in
the rear of the museum got a far more accurate audio
representation of the bands' musical accomplishments. Crossfire
opted for Ray Holman's If We Really Want and placed eighth
in the competition while Sesame Flyers selected Mark Loquan's
Colours Again and came in sixth, up three notches from their 2005
placing. And even though both bands came to panorama this year
with smaller musical complements than in 2005, their players were
quite pleased when their time came to show off the results of their
hard work during the New York summer nights.
Sesame Flyers on stage
with arranger Freddy Harris, III (right)
Pantonic
Steel Orchestra on stage
Pantonic proved wrong those who believed the size
of the orchestra was going to be drastically reduced due to the
'changing of the guard' in arrangers. In fact musicians who
had not played in years, turned up in support of Keith Roberts, to
whom fell the responsibility to deliver a captivating arrangement
after the passing of Clive Bradley, the band's previous arranger for
the last seven years, and to whom the entire panorama was dedicated.
The late master musician's daughter Kelly Ann Bradley shared a few
poetic words with the audience before Pantonic's performance.
Pictures of some of the orchestra's many memorable moments with
Bradley were given marquee status atop instrument racks, and were also
showcased by youngsters, as part of the band's presentation.
Kelly Ann Bradley on stage
Despers USA on stage
Up next was Despers USA who returned to the panorama arena once
again with arranger Eddie Quarless. They were the second of
two orchestras who performed Colours Again, and subsequently
took fifth position in the panorama. The six-time
panorama champions were appropriately attired in various colors as
per the theme of their panorama selection. Perhaps reflective
of the increasing younger membership of the orchestra, 2006 also
marked the second consecutive year the band chose a 'popular and
well-known' selection for panorama; in 2005 it was Shurwayne
Winchester's Dead or Alive.
Harmony in the process of pulling
their pans along Utica Avenue toward the panorama venue
Harmony Steel Orchestra, who
WST spotted
earlier during the afternoon rolling their racks and pans along
Utica Avenue as they made their way to the museum grounds, followed
Despers USA up on stage. With a crew of youthful pan players
on board, Harmony opted to continue the soccer fever which had
seized Trinidad and Tobago earlier on in the year, and combine it
with the youthful fervor of the band's eager young musicians.
The twin-island country had set its hopes for success in Germany on
their soccer team nicknamed Soca Warriors, which was
also the name of Harmony's 2006 panorama selection. The
interesting work put in by co-arrangers Michael Joseph and Kirk
Jardine was intriguing, and made one wonder at the thought of
hearing their version of Soca Warriors executed by a larger
musical contingent; it also netted them seventh place in the
competition.
Harmony on stage
Caribbean Youth Panoramics on
stage
Caribbean Youth Panoramics was one of the seven
orchestras who paid tribute to the late Clive Bradley, executing De
Fosto's Tribute to Bradley as arranged by band leader Joseph
'Franklin' Gerald. The palpable energies which linked arranger
and orchestra manifested as one of the most intense musical Bradley
tributes delivered that evening, but the band was allotted eleventh
place. One young lady who exemplified the phrase 'pan is ah
jumbie' was bass woman Teneisha Gerald
(pictured directly below) who did not let the
availability of mainly one hand (the other was in a soft cast, and
clutched to her side) cramp her style!
CYP's bass woman Teneisha Gerald
with hand in soft cast - in action!
New York Marsicans
on stage
The band playing in position ten, New York
Marsicans, was known as Marsicans from 2002-2005. A drastic
reduction in players and change in management did not daunt this set
of determined young people who have given great accounts of
themselves in the last four years. They remained resolute and
still took part in the 2006 panorama. However this incarnation
placed last in the competition, with Destra Garcia's Max It Up
as their tune of choice. But these are passionate steelpan
musicians, so it will not be surprising if they are back next year
with renewed enthusiasm and bolstered numbers.
CASYM
on stage
Playing in the penultimate position for the night
was the band who would take the treasured title of panorama
champions home with them for one whole year - CASYM Steel Orchestra.
The second band with one hundred declared players for the night,
CASYM put on the type of overall panorama concert presentation that
entranced many who saw them in action. They too, paid tribute
to the late arranger Clive Bradley with
This One Is For U, Bradley, arranged for them by their long-time
panorama arranger, Arddin Herbert.
D'Radoes
on stage
D'Radoes Steel Orchestra closed the panorama
performances for the competition, and was the second band (the other
was Pantonic) to keenly feel the loss at the November 2005 passing
of master arranger Clive Bradley. Since splintering off from
Despers USA in 2002, D'Radoes had secured the talents of Clive
Bradley every year since. For 2006, the orchestra asked for a
moment of silence in Bradley's memory, then, like CASYM just before
them, executed This One is For U, Bradley as arranged for
them by Raf Robertson. At the end of the competition they came
in fourth.
From left to right: WIADCA
vice president Ken Faustin, president Yolanda Lezama-Clarke,
Michael Greaves, MC Jemma Jordon and Hyacinth Williams
The Dimanche Gras show was set to follow the steelband panorama at 10:00 PM,
and even though the results for the panorama were a little bit
longer than usual in coming, the event organizers were not far off
schedule. As soon as the panorama judges were escorted safely
off the museum grounds by security personnel, the competition
results were announced by MC Jemma Jordon, with WIADCA officials -
president Yolanda Lezama-Clarke, VP Ken Faustin, Michael Greaves and
Hyacinth Williams - looking on. In a few minutes thereafter,
ecstatic CASYMites raced up and took over the stage with euphoric
abandon for a short
while, before exiting the stage area so that it could be quickly set
up for Dimanche Gras.
WST
takes this opportunity to thank WIADCA for this year allowing stage
access for photographic coverage - as mementos for the competing
bands to look back on and enjoy, and for sharing with the global
steelpan community.
C. Phillips, Basement
Press Corp
©2006 When Steel Talks - All Rights Reserved
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