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Brooklyn, New
York
- Blazing Saturday
afternoon sun,
and sumptuous
steaming curries
- two ‘very hot’
scenarios which
both unfolded
at the pan yard
location of
one of New York’s
stellar steel
orchestras this
past Saturday
in New York.
Three weeks
in the planning,
it began to
come together
when key members
of the steelband
music organization
met with some
of their earnest
volunteers and
supporters and
put heads together
to ensure another
of the band’s
much-anticipated
annual Curry-Que
sessions.
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Curried
Shrimp
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Curried
Channa,
Apple
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And so, When
Steel Talks
was on the road,
off on another
steelpan-cuisine
quest - this
time the Curry-Que
of reigning
New York Panorama
champions Pan
Sonatas. The
group is known
for having the
sweetest steelpan
instruments
in the tri-state
area, courtesy
of master steelpan
manufacturer
and tuner Bertram
“Birch” Kelman.
But, they are
equally adept
and renowned,
especially throughout
the community,
for their food
- with many
“sweet-hand”
chefs who command
the kitchen
whenever the
occasion demands.
This organization
does everything
with style,
and the tickets
printed for
the curry-que
were a sign
of things to
come this Saturday.
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Mrs.
Scott
sees
to eager
clients
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Buss-up
shot
wrapped
and
ready
to go
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Expecting to
fill some three
hundred orders
before all was
done, Sonatas
cooks had been
hard at work
overnight, and
during the early
hours of the morning.
All this culinary
diligence resulted
in a smorgasbord
that fulfilled
the promise
of the event’s
promotional
fliers of “Everything
and Anything
Curry.” Curried shrimp,
string beans, channa, chicken,
beef, goat,
mango, potato,
apple and pumpkin
were complemented
by “buss-up
shot” roti.
Cook-up rice
was also
available
for those wishing
to consider
an option outside
of everything
and anything
curried.
An undertaking
such as this
is dependent
on as many hands
as necessary;
and when those
expected on
site happen
to be delayed
for any reason,
it falls to
others on hand
to fill in.
But that is
what Pan is
about, first
and foremost:
community.
With Pan Sonatas
president Mack
Scott running
around, in and
out, and up
and down - trying
to be everywhere
at once, and
ensure that
things were
in place - his
efforts were
assisted by
the likes of
Shirley
Griffith,
whose niece
Danielle
Jones is a
member of
the
orchestra.
Up since
four o’clock
that morning,
Ms. Griffith
was still at
it after two
in the afternoon,
preparing orders
for delivery,
and for those
coming by in
person to collect
their curry
delights.
Joanne Scott,
wife of Mr.
Scott was just
as active, also
wearing
multiple
hats.
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Shirley
Griffith
(foreground)
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Marlene
Smith
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And it did not
end there.
Marlene Smith
from Washington
DC, visiting
with Ms. Griffith,
found herself
“drafted” as
well, filling
in - with a
smile, of
course - admirably
and tending
to those waiting
patiently in
line to be served.
Another enterprising
lady ‘stepping
up to the plate’
was Lisa Songster
- herself a
former Sonatas
panist - and
whose godchildren
Sapphire Borneo
(tenor bass)
and Andrea Parks
(double guitar)
are part of
Sonatas’ current
musical arsenal.
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Lisa
Songster
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Charmaine
Roberts
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The steelpan
recording of
one of Sonatas’
own performances
wafting through
the air put
an additional
‘pep’ in Songster’s
step as she
chipped around
occasionally
while taking
care of business.
And when Songster
eventually relinquished
her gloves and
dashed off to
her job, Charmaine
Roberts took
her place and
joined in preparing
the take-a-way
curry-que.
Her son Radix
Simpson was
most present,
but relaxing
a bit in the
shade under
an erected tent.
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Lisa
Songster
with
son
Malik
and
daughter
Malaika
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(l-r)
Andrea
Parks,
Sapphire
Borneo
& Radix
Simpson
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A few “elders”
of the band
were also there
- one of its
founders and
former band
captain, Hugh
Raphael, along
with Cecil Wilson,
another founder.
Assistance was
the order of
the day, and
these gentlemen
were part of
the team, as
was Winston
Young.
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Hugh
Raphael
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Cecil
Wilson
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Winston
Young
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As people paused
curiously while
passing by,
several were
inveigled to
stop and choose
from the menu.
Long-time supporter
of twenty-nine
years Andrew
Blackman, happily
collected his
three boxes,
and was all
smiles as he left.
A very pleased
Andrew Blackman
with his
Curry-que
More tempting
curry concoctions
kept arriving,
along with folks
pulling up in
cars, eager
for their share
of the choice
menu.
On this
particular Saturday,
the trips to
Sonatas’ pan
yard were for
servings of
culinary
fare.
In a few weeks
and on a
nightly
basis,
many will also
be turning out
for servings
of another
kind from
the
organization - musical
fare - at which Sonatas
has long
excelled.
It will not
be long now.
More on Pan
Sonatas:
www.PanSonatas.com
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