Vibrations In Steel 2– Warmth In The Midst of A Winter Storm
A Review

Continuing on Brooklyn Avenue and then turning right beyond the handball courts on Rutland Road, the parked U-Haul trucks with men off-loading steel pans signaled that the show would continue.  Inside the warm, dimly lit Wingate auditorium, the DJ blared Caribbean renditions of Christmas carols to a crowd growing in numbers and in anticipation of Vibrations In Steel 2, the scheduled Christmas concert, presented by the Brooklyn Pan Ensemble.

About an hour past start time, the auditorium was near capacity.  The show began with a call to stand for the National Anthem.  The audience stood in respect while Pan Ambassador's Kiera Scanterbury and Pantonics' Wayne Bernard played an allegiance-building, expression of the Star Spangled Banner.

The performances that followed presented a pageantry of steel orchestras, talented pan duets and soloists and unfolded into a musical storm in its own right -- defiant of the weather with warm, beautiful, captivating and thoroughly enjoyable rhythms and melodies on a wide palette of steel pans.  There was too, a tremendous charge of pride that came from witnessing the harvest of discipline and dedication to Pan from so many young people and adults enjoying their performances.
 

Pan Ivory, smartly attired with white, silk shirts and black pants, was the first band to grace the stage.  With only eleven band members and a drum machine, Pan Ivory sounded light but the members delivered a soothing medley of Christmas carols including a reggae-flavored rendition of "Joy To The World".  The set concluded appropriately with "We Wish You A Merry Christmas and A Happy New Year”.

Following appreciative applause for Pan Ivory, the duo of 17-year old Sade Constantine on double tenor and 14-year old Andre White on Tenor took to stage front and center.  The duo evoked the spirit of the venerable and innovative ancestor, Lord Kitchener (ne Aldwyn Roberts) with a faithful rendition of "Pan In A Minor."  The performance awoke the audience and drew fervent applause as it evidenced not only the superlative talent of the two youth but their commitment to honor one of the greatest, if not the greatest lyrical contributor to Pan culture.

The curtains opened to Pan Ambassadors after the time break.  The band sported black shirts and red ties.  Their repertoire included "Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire", "Dance With My Father", by Luther Vandross and "Dream Dream".  The interpretation of "Dance With My Father" was simply beautiful and although the experimentation with the vocalist showed a sense of adventure, the voice detracted from the sweetness of pans playing such a sensitive song.

The unassuming, sixteen-year old Imani Pascal came to center stage following Pan Ambassadors.  Her presence spoke to the ever increasing ranks of young women playing in steel bands.  She appropriately chose "Woman Is Boss", to showcase her crystal clear rolls and blistering pace of improvisation.  Her awe-inspiring performance placed her at the core of excellence.  Even at her youthful age Imani Pascal's skills call to mind the outstanding jazz panist, Garvin Blake.  Imani's ability to raise hair and grow goose bumps reflected in the thunderous ovation she received from the audience.  She is well on her way to master her instrument and to create new standards of achievement in her craft.

Wearing elegant black dresses, black shoes and stockings, the beautiful, Women In Steel (and one lucky male drummer) was next in the program sequence.  They opened with "Carols of The Bells".  Up to this point the concert felt like an exceptional recital because the audience had not felt the full, free and racing energy of a steel band.  The mellow milieu prompted a lady in the audience to exclaim in a Trini accent, "Play something peppy!".   Women In Steel stayed with the program script and played Stevie Wonder's perennial ballad, "Ribbon In The Sky".   Erica Reid sang the lead melody however, her voice was much more amplified over the pans; overwhelming and detracting from Women In Steel’s arrangement.  In the following song, "Morning Dance", soprano saxophonist J.D. Crafton, lent his artistry to Women In Steel, playing a solo that yielded an intriguing, sonic alloy of steel and sax.

Women In Steel's performance gave way to an awards ceremony and the show returned with the vibrant sound of CASYM Steel Orchestra, playing "Music In Me Blood" -- just the juice the audience needed to feel the grand energy and arrangement of music on steel reminiscent of a panorama competition.  With about 25 youthful players CASYM delivered a heavy sound that got the audience dancing and truly enjoying the experience.  The band members themselves danced underscoring that to play pan is to dance with pan.  CASYM too mirrored the tremendous growth in young women playing pan.  Almost the entire front line of tenor pans consisted of young women.

The flamboyant and kinetic Dane Gulston, wearing his signature Kongol hat, took stage left to deliver his crowd-pleasing performance of a ballad.  In his characteristic style, Dane worked a feast of extended rolls and arpeggios throughout the song to convey a fervent, yet sensual interpretation.  On his next song "Trini To De Bone", Dane threw off his jacket, cajoling the audience to participate.  The audience obliged filling in his rhythmic rests with a raucous 'Yeah!'.   He at times played with one hand while he danced on the side of his pan.  That move certainly was one to remember.

The seven-time panorama champions, Pan Sonatas claimed the stage next with yet another strong contingent of women holding the front line pans as well as 2 sets of the bass pans.  Their set included "Its Christmas", John Lennon’s "Imagine" and "Passion".  "It’s Christmas" began with the all-to-familiar Jingle Bells melody and then broke in an instant to a more syncopated rendition.  "Imagine" stayed true to the melody for the better part of the song but their performance of "Passion" was delightful enough to elicit singing and dancing from the audience.

A poignant moment in the concert came when the host of the program, Mark Anthony prevailed upon Mr. Roger Toussaint, President of the New York City Transit Workers Union to come to the stage to say a few words.  Mr. Toussaint stated, “Encouragement and support on behalf of 38 thousand men and women who move the trains and buses of New York and move 7 million New Yorkers every day.  This was a superb performance of all the panists and pansides.  I know there were others, soldiers in the background who made this happen.  What you're doing here is institution building.  There is a time and place for fun and entertainment but there is more than that going on here.  What you are doing here is creating an institution that will last into the future going forward for younger people, for our community.  And Lord knows there isn't enough of that type of serious work being done in this community for the past 30 years that I have been around on these streets.  So once again congratulations and support.  Keep up the good work, all the panists all the pansides - and the work behind the scenes to make this happen.”

Perhaps the New York Pan community and the Transit Workers Union can form a common bond in helping to build tangible institutions that will ensure the future of Pan as a cultural, political and economic force in the Brooklyn community and beyond.

Coming into the light of Roger Toussaint’s message, Utopia Pan Soul:  The Next Generation claimed the stage.  Utopia made a pleasing departure from uniform colors choosing, instead to show a more of rainbow flavor with their orange, white, metallic gray, red and black shirts.  Utopia’s version of "Sleigh Ride" was uneventful until the closing verse.  Of note, Utopia’s arrangement of "The Theme from The Odd Couple" included a tenor saxophone solo by Tia Fuller and then a tenor pan solo by Marlon Guerra.

Pantonic -  2001, 2002, 2003 New York Panorama champions came on stage with about 20 members opening their set with such a soft and soothing version of "Oh Holy Night" that the audience sang throughout the piece.  Pantonic followed with the red-hot "Trini To De Bone" and closed with R. Kelley’s funky "Step In The Name Of Love".  True to the stepping theme of the song, the members danced off stage left in single file, leaving just the rhythm section on the stage to keep the music playing.  Pantonic’s energy, consistency and mix of songs set the bar for thrilling an audience with the power of pan.

Roger Bell, a member of the Transit Workers Union, like many others in the audience, expressed tremendous satisfaction with the Christmas Show, stating, “I am very pleased, especially with the weather as a set back and starting a bit late.  But they have grown from the last show and can only get better.  It’s great when you look at the young kids and teenagers showcasing art and culture.  There is very much a sense of hope and promise.  This is not going to die, its only going to go to higher heights.”  Roger Bell’s son, 14-year old Sekoui Roger Bell, plays 6 bass for Pan Ambassadors.

Certainly there is room for improvement as far as production aspects. Fewer bands, a refinement of the sound reinforcement, a better program guide, and a multiple camera video recording of the performances are critical matters to be addressed for the next event.  Nevertheless, Vibrations In Steel 2 - The Xmas Concert warmed all hearts on a very cold December, evening. Kudos to all involved.

©2004   All rights reserved.

"A Perfect Pan Christmas"

From Vibrations In Steel 2

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