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Great Expectations Delivered...
A Review by JT Snags
Utopia
Pan Soul: The Next Generation again demonstrated why they are one of the
most promising and exciting music performing groups in New York.
Bolstered by playwright Michael Roberts and classical pannist Andréa Rose,
Utopia Pan Soul continues to successfully move the art form of pan into new
arenas with talent and vision.
 On Sunday January 4, 2004
Utopia performed as part of the
Sunday Concerts at Central series sponsored by the Folk Arts Program at
Queens Council on The Arts.
The audience was treated to a special performance
mixed with drama, theatre and comedy. Moreover, Utopia demonstrated both
the versatility of the steelpan instrument and their musicians as they
skillfully navigated seamlessly through a set mixed with pop, jazz,
calypso, and classical music to the delight of the mixed audience.
The
show opened with a moving rendition of Louis Armstrong's What a Wonderful
World featuring Marlon Guerra on Tenor pan and pannist Andréa Rose.
The band then moved
through a series of crowd pleasers which included Harold Melvin & The Blue
Notes “Wake Up Everybody” - which displayed the group's ability to be
equality adept at playing cool jazz to popular music. Popular standards
like The Theme from The Odd Couple” and “I'm Telling You Flat” featuring
playwright Michael Rogers' spoken word accompaniment received rousing applause.
![]() Rogers dropped his brand of
science, history and currents news through his skillful maneuverings and
merged his command of the spoken word. Indeed, the audience left
educated in facets of steelpan culture. On hand were such notables as Dr. L. Grant author
and promoter who found the performance to be both entertaining and
motivating.
Utopia Pan Soul left the demanding New York crowd
who been used to great performances begging for more. Indeed, they are
"The Next Generation"...
©2004 All rights reserved.
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