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New York
- An unusually chilly
Spring evening in March did not deter a core crowd of determined
pan music lovers from turning out for the Gospelypso steelpan
concert held at the auditorium at Wingate Campus on Saturday March
27, 2010. Hours earlier, panists and instruments began
showing up at the rear of the building in preparation for the
event.
Organized by the latest
incarnation of the (USSA) United States Steelband Association
- eight of the nine bands advertised eventually took the stage
when the association’s Public Relations Officer Magnus Scanterbury
declared the show open at 7:00 p.m., a mere thirty minutes after
the 6:30 scheduled start time. Kudos to Mr. Scanterbury for making
the decision that with the performers ready on stage, the show
should start without further delay - rather than the customary
‘late start’ for no good reason. With the US anthem performed
by panist and young arranger Kiera Scanterbury, the curtains
slid open to reveal Utopia Pan Soul: the Next Generation as the
first band onstage.
Utopia Pan Soul at the Gospelypso
concert
Utopia
Pan Soul has its own unique style of musicianship, and
stuck to the “Gospelypso” theme of the evening,
delivering a marvelous fourteen-minute medley that was
seemingly over in the blink of an eye, much to the chagrin
of some present. But while it lasted, music lovers were
teased with arranging styles which also included Chutney
and Salsa. Before it was over, “Yes, Jesus Loves Me,” “Laissez-Faire,” the
African Shango piece “I have A Sword” and “What a Friend
We Have in Jesus” were literally ‘music to the ears’
of concert-goers. Utopia Pan Soul founder Sheldon Elcock
afterwards laughingly told When Steel Talks that they
were advised beforehand they had fifteen minutes on stage,
and being the professional organization they were - Utopia
obliged. The audience responded warmly to the group as
the opening act, as they settled back intent on enjoying
the evening.
CASYM at the Gospelypso concertNattily-attired in black
formal
wear, CASYM Steel Orchestra followed and included their
trademark performance of the classic “Hallelujah Chorus”
found on their D’Blueprint CD released in 2006, and finished
off with a rousing rendition of their 2009 panorama tune
of choice “Magic Drum.” And
true
to form, the band’s line-up boasted their veteran players
along
with fresh-faced budding musicians.
Martin Douglas (l) and Keith Marcelle
(r)
Officers for the new administration of USSA were elected
January 13 and president Keith Marcelle along with vice-president Martin “Dougie” Douglas formally introduced themselves to all present, and shared a few words about their organization’s goals and determination for transparency. Mr. Marcelle took the opportunity to thank the previous administration for their work, but pledged to move the organization to greater heights.
Pantonic at
the
concert
Mint green shirts were the choice of Pantonic Steel Orchestra which was next on the program. They opted to start off with Michael Jackson’s introspective “Human Nature.” The band then featured their multi-talented tenor player Mustafa Alexander on trumpet as they played “How Great Thou Art.” Tastefully blended with the band, Alexander’s trumpet work lent additional diversity to Pantonic’s performance, which closed off with Usher’s “Hey Daddy (Daddy’s Home).”
Despers USA performs at the concertAfter a ten-minute intermission,
concert-goers
returned
to their
seats
to enjoy the music of Despers USA, sporting a stage side
line-up which included faces of the younger generation of
this vintage New York steel orchestra. Clad in black
and white
accented by red and white scarves, the group displayed their
customary trademark finesse on their steelpan instruments.
Pantonic’s Mustafa
Alexander
- doing
double
duty
in Despers USA (as did Kernel Simon) - conducted the group
for one selection. The band
included
the well-loved “Hear, O Lord” in their set.
CrossFire on stageBeing the most casually attired
for the evening’s concert in green polo shirts, tastefully
emblazoned with their organization’s logo - in no way impacted
Crossfire Steel Orchestra’s delivery of a pore-raising set,
which included the favorite “Total Praise.” Arranger Khuent Rose alternated between drums and triple guitars. Accustomed
to performing in praise and worship sessions, band members
were completely at ease and uplifted the audience naturally
via their repertoire.
The majority of the pan musicians in New York are of the ‘younger generation’ and this was clearly evident in the make-up of the eight bands taking the stage in the Wingate Campus auditorium. And with them being the future of the steelpan community, a component of the newly-administrated USSA is the Youth Committee, with representatives from several of the New York orchestras. USSA president Keith Marcelle introduced the group of six young people to the audience. In his preamble, Marcelle essentially stated that when sitting in on the steelpan-related discussions of the younger members of New York’s steelpan fraternity, he was flabbergasted at the depth of their passion, visions and goals in relation to Pan, going even so far as to say their drive and emotion left him ‘ashamed’ - when compared to what had not yet been addressed by the more veteran steelpan fraternity members, whose effectiveness is sometimes inhibited by divisiveness.
USSA
Youth Committee
members
address the
audienceAfter
Marcelle’s
introduction,
Wayne
Bernard
and Kiera
Scanterbury
along
with
one other
member
of the
committee
of six
- quickly
but succinctly
shared
their
concerns
and visions
relative
to New
York
pan on
behalf
of the
group. They
ended
with
an invitation
for youth
members
of New
York’s
steelpan
community
- regardless
of band
affiliation
- to
become
part
of and
involved
with
the upward
mobility
of the
younger
steelpan
generation,
and to
begin
- by
joining
them
at an
‘Ice
breaker’
session
scheduled
for next
weekend. Their
genuine
enthusiasm,
openness
and air
of inclusiveness
augers
well
for New
York’s
steelband
future.
Sesame Flyers in concertMusic returned to the forefront
as Sesame
Flyers’
members
took
the stage,
an impressive
sight
in black
and silver
vests. The
orchestra
opted
to maintain
the theme
of ‘reverence’
throughout
their
session
which
featured
Handel’s “Where
E’ er
You Walk,” Ketèlbey’s “Sanctuary
of the
Heart” and David Rudder’s “High Mas.” The latter
spotlighted
the talents
of Berklee
College
of Music
student
Kareem
‘Kay’
Thompson, where
panist
and group
drummer
Keith “KJ” Marcelle
also
attends.
Like
the other
bands and
through
its own
community
outreach,
Sesame’s
ranks usually
include
a couple
new faces.
Pan
Ambassadors
with
vocalist
AkeedaPerforming
in the
penultimate
position
for the
concert
was Pan
Ambassadors.
They
were
proudly
introduced
by Magnus
Scanterbury
who was
also
emceeing
for the
evening.
Young
gents
wore lavender
shirts,
and were
complemented
by chic
young
ladies
in solid
and print
combination
dresses
topped
off by
black
sweaters.
Pan Ambassadors
was the
only
band
in the
concert
to combine
voice
and pan,
featuring
resident
vocalist
Akeeda
Scanterbury
who ministered
through
two songs: “One
Day at
a Time” and “To
God Be
The Glory.”
Sonatas at the Gospelypso concertAnd then came the band which
brought
the curtains
down
- Sonatas
Steel
Orchestra,
resplendent
in gold
and black
- uniforms
AND bass
pans.
The title
of 2009
New York
Panorama
champions
gave
them
the privilege
of closing
the show.
One of
the band’s
signature
pieces,
David
Rudder’s
spiritual “The
Ganges
and The
Nile” was at the top of their
four
selection
set,
which
was followed
by “Blessed Assurance” rendered
as a
Waltz.
The youthful
flame
was alive
and well
in the
band’s
next
choice, “Wild
and Free” written for the 2010
Panorama
season
by New
York’s
André White,
who at
age eighteen made history in 2008 when
he became
the youngest
arranger
ever
to win
a major
steelband
music
panorama
competition. Running
over
an hour
past
the anticipated
10:00
p.m.
finish,
time
did not
allow
for a
full
performance
of Sonatas’
2009
panorama-winning
tune “Bandoleros.” An
edited
musical
snapshot
sufficed,
at which
time
USSA’s
Magnus
Scanterbury
thanked
all for
coming
out and
their
support.
There were many seats still available in the
auditorium during the show - and there were definitely more pan music lovers
in attendance seven years ago back in 2003, when the Spring concert called
Vibrations
In Steel was held, followed by Vibrations
In Steel II that very
December. But make no mistake - the steelpan musicians brought their
A-game for the Saturday show. Many had a musical energy urgently seeking release
since the cancellation of
the December 19 concert due to inclement weather.
So many of New York’s
younger steelpan generation had been quite disappointed with the decision to
cancel the Christmas Show, as much had gone into their preparation for a feature
production outside of the “panorama” season
- a rarity in New York. Musicians of all the bands had been abuzz in anticipation.
The Spring break now afforded the bands the opportunity to be available
for the show, as several of the musicians were home from college.
For the lucky patrons who had
the opportunity
to be at
Gospelypso,
they were
undoubtedly
extremely
satisfied
with the
musical
fare in
general,
and specifically,
when their
personal
favorite
orchestras
took the
stage.
A nippy
March evening
indeed,
but warmed,
and sometimes
even fired
up by
the vibrancy
of the
steelpan
artform
and its
skilled
artisans.
Gospelypso
- In Pictures
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