By --Wanda McCrae
 

"Pan in New  York 2003" is the second Basement Recordings CD I have heard, with the first being their USSA Panorama 2001 2-CD set.  After listening to the CD through computer speakers, through headphones, on my six-speaker car stereo, and on my component stereo system with surround sound (where track #3 is currently playing downstairs as I type and listen from my upstairs library),  I can say with conviction that this CD is a winner.

The first thing I noticed about this recording is the stunningly accurate representation of each band's sound.  The big bands sound big, the small bands sound small, and every section in every band is clearly recorded.  Of course, that means even the smallest mistakes are magnified, but it also means the listener gets the full effect of the arrangement in a way you would not even experience if you were in the panyard the night of the recording session.  In the panyard you would best hear whatever section or pan was directly in front of you.  On the CD you hear every section perfectly balanced for an optimal listening experience that will be limited only by the capabilities of your stereo system.

Out of the seven tracks on the CD, the first five pack the most punch.  I particularly enjoyed the smooth harmonies in Bradley's arrangement of "Trini To The Bone" for Pantonic, and Professor's interpretation of "Music In We Blood" for Sonatas immediately captured my attention from the very first note.  Radoes ("Passion"), Marsicans ("Music in We Blood"), and ADLIB ("Bad in Yuh Yard") also gave punchy performances, while Women in Steel's ("Ellie Man") and Caribbean Youth Panoramics' ("Ancient Riddems") performances were much more subdued.  Of the many bands which did not appear on the CD, the most notable absence for me was CASYM's; it was the only major disappointment in the CD.  I would have liked the opportunity to listen to Arddin Herbert's interpretation of "Music in We Blood" in greater detail than I was able to hear on Panorama night.

Say what you would like to say about this arranger or that, this band or that:  "Pan in New York 2003" is great pan music, plain and simple.  It is a stellar addition to anyone's pan music library.

More Info On the Pan In New York 2003 CD