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New York,
USA -
Field
Marshall
Yohan
Popwell -
otherwise
known as the
panorama
arranger for
champion
Sonatas
Steel
Orchestra
- pointed to
the far left
and right,
and
instantaneously
the quads
camouflaged
as small
armored
mobile
vehicles
rattled off a
series of
musical
volleys over
the heads of
the audience
that were so
sharp it
seem to cut
a part in
the hair of
one patron,
giving him a
reverse
Mohawk
hairstyle.
We will not mention what
it did to
the women in
the
audience.
He, Popwell,
then pointed
to the sky and
then to the
floor and
the frontline (made
up of
whistling
master tuner
Birch Kelman
tenors and
seconds)
immediately
executed a
chromatic
dive bomb
maneuver at
a rapid-fire
pace that
had folks
diving for
cover - only
to have
them, his
players,
skillfully
pull up at
the last
moment into
a
fascinating
shrill
crescendo; yes, there
were spilled
drinks
everywhere,
mouths wide
open and men
looking to
hide under
chairs. And then the
final blow
was this
Latin
movement - a
very
disciplined
Sonatas
percussive
special unit
began to
rock the
house.
Powell did a
‘cha cha’ move
- he indeed
loves to
dance while
his troops
are meting out musical
punishment
to his
opponents,
and there
was a loud
boom from a
secret drum
Sonatas had
built; everything
came to a
full stop-
the Field
Marshall
Popwell and
his band
saluted the
audience and
judges -
everyone
exhaled and
for all
intents and purposes
- it
was over.
Goodnight! Sonatas
owned New
York for
another
year.
And they
also owned
the
championship
trophy and
reported
first prize
of
$25,000.00.
General
Mack
Scott, the
president of
Sonatas and
otherwise
affectionately
known as ‘Mr.
Mack’ and
‘Uncle Mack’ to his
brilliant
young
musical
army, with
arms crossed
and a
twinkle in
his eye,
appropriately
seem to call
off the
attack as
the musical
genius of
Sonatas
shined
through,
victorious
once again.
For
Panorama
2010 there
were some
great
performances
as they, the
challengers,
endeavored
to take the
crown from
the
defending champion
Sonatas. In
this year’s
‘battle zone’
you were
quickly
exposed as a
contender or
pretender.
Ah, but let
us review
how we came
to another
classic
moment in
the annals
of New York
steelband
panorama
history.
Yes - it was
an epic
event.
Earlier in
the week
after a
scorching
heatwave
parched the
Big Apple
for a number
of days, the
city that
never sleeps
braced
itself for
Hurricane
Earl.
For a moment
it looked
like this
storm was
going to
collide
smack into
the Empire
State right
before the
New York
panorama,
and wreck
havoc on the
‘Battle
Zone.’
Un-phased by
the elements
- heat and/or impending
hurricane,
the New York
steelband
generals who
have a history
of being NOT
afraid of
anything
when it
comes
to panorama
music wars,
issued
orders to
their
steelpan
troops “all
systems go -
man your
posts” (WST
intercepted
these coded
messages on
Facebook).
Moreover,
live music
ammo in the
form of
sweet
steelpan
music was
continually
handed out
to shoot
Hurricane
Earl out of
the sky on
sight. The
pan folks
relished the
idea of
doing battle
with Earl as
a warm up to
the
impending
panorama
war. In
addition, to
be caught
not behind
your pan, was
indeed a
serious
offense at
this time of
the year,
that could
result in
immediate
banishment.
Anyway, we
watched pan
folks
consisting
of people
and little
people arrive at
their yards
in SUV’s,
on bicycles and
feet. And of
course there
were many
who arrived
on scooters
with
backpacks
carrying
their pan
sticks and
water, ready
to practice
and do
battle with
anyone,
anything.
For whatever reason
- you be the
judge - Earl
turned up
the east
coast but
essentially
stayed out
to sea and
clear
of New York.
Four bands
(Sonatas,
Pantonic,
Dem Stars
and Harmony)
entered this
musical
struggle
with “Battle
Zone” as
their tune
of choice.
Three others
(D’Radoes,
Sesame and
Harmony)
would choose
“Pan Army”
as their
call to
musical
arms. Despers USA
chose to go
with the “De
Last Band.” While CASYM
chose “Tell
Dem” as its
musical
declaration
that the
band would
not go away
quietly,
CrossFire
heated
things up with
“Pan on
Fire,”
and Boston Metro
stayed
patriotic
all the way with
“Ah
Love Meh
Pan.”
-
 Pantonic entered the panorama with
the unenviable task of
playing in position one. ‘Position one’ is known as the
sound check position for obvious reasons - and none of them
good. Their tune of choice was “Battle Zone.”
Again, size matters in New York’s panorama to offset the
negative effects of the sound system. Pantonic was
served up a triple whammy - playing first, small in size
(their smallest ever), and braving a bad sound system.
-
 CASYM
followed Pantonic on stage and came ready to take
everything, but could do no better than third this year, a
repeat of last year. Their tune of choice
was “Tell Dem” which, indeed, was the
battle cry of CASYM all season. It was also the first
time they went to panorama with a selection composed by
their arranger, Arddin Herbert. CASYM took the
stage with 100 players. The orchestra has been in the top
three, seven out of its last eight panorama competition entries.
They continue to be one of the best bands in North America.
-
 Despers USA
played third for the night, with all eyes upon the band this
year. They came into the 2010 competition with very high expectations.
Indeed, many looked for them to move into one of the top three
positions, and possibly even outright win the panorama.
“De Last Band” was an ideal tune for Despers USA.
The band looked exceptionally dapper and well-dressed in white and gold.
Despers USA took the stage with 100 players.
-
 Harmony
was up next, and performed
“Battle Zone” as their tune of choice. They have
now been around
for a number of years, but have not figured out how to change
their zip code to the contenders’ row.
-
 D’Radoes
drove into the musical fray in position five for the
evening, with Al Foster who hails from
Canada, in behind the arranger’s wheel. Finally D’Radoes seems
to
have brought some stability to the position.
This was Foster’s first attempt at bringing home the goods
at a New York panorama. By all accords he did
well on his New York maiden voyage which can be brutal on first-timers. The
band’s tune of choice was “Pan Army.” Foster
proved to be a competent arranger with promise.
Moreover he seemed to have bonded well with his ‘troops.’
-
 ADLIB
continues to maintain their presence in the ‘high-rent
district’ where champions dwell. Sixth on stage for
the competition, their tune of choice
was “Pan Army.” Again their young arranger
André White demonstrated that he is here for the long haul.
ADLIB looked great and sounded great. Their performance
brought the crowd to its feet on a few occasions.
ADLIB took the stage with 100 players.
-
Dem Stars performed “Battle
Zone” in position seven with Sheldon Elcock at the arranger’s controls. Elcock was also part the 2010 crew
in the freshman class of New
York panorama arrangers. His first outing was
unforgiving. Dem Stars was simply not a factor in this
year’s competition. They suffered from their small size,
the sound
system and apparent lack of musical connection with the
judges and the audience.
-
 Sonatas
came into this competition as the defending champions - and
left as the champions. Everyone else was chasing them,
and they took the stage confidently in position eight.
This year they chose “Battle Zone” as their war cry.
Their props and uniforms definitely worked. They
hunkered down in the ‘battle zone,’ and looked every part of
a great musical military machine with their full arsenal of 100 players.
They remain the talk of the town.
-
 CrossFire
called on the services of arranger Leon “Foster” Thomas to lead them
to the next level. Mr. Thomas’ maiden voyage
into the New York panorama scene was indeed a good one. He is part of that
young talented crop of arrangers who can be the new face of pan for the
foreseeable future. On stage in position nine for the competition, CrossFire achieved their highest placement since 2004. Their tune of choice was
“Pan on Fire.” Dressed as
fancy firemen and (women) this presentation definitely worked for the group,
visually, and with the band’s name.
-
 Boston Metro’s
methodology for the New York panorama is considerably different
from that of the local (New York) bands. Theirs is a laidback approach.
Taking the stage as the penultimate band in the competition,
their tune of choice “Ah Love Meh Pan”
brought a completely different feel to the panorama
competition. Again, however, size matters in the New York
arena.
-
 Sesame Flyers
entered this year’s competition with Kareem (Kay) Thompson at the
helm. As arranger, Kareem proved quite capable and ready for the task,
taking Sesame Flyers, which was the final band on stage, to its highest finish ever in panorama
competition. Their tune of choice was “Pan Army.” Indeed, Thompson faired the best
of this freshman class of New
York panorama arrangers. He settled in and dropped some
musical movements that merit serious attention. The future
looks very bright for Thompson.
click for full Panorama results |
We warned
everyone
last year in
our
2009 WST NY
panorama
report
that this
could happen
when Sonatas
Steel
Orchestra
revealed
that they
were a bunch
of musical
marauding
Bandoleros
and took
over the New
York.
Remember?
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