Higher
Levin
Steel
Orchestra
at
CASYM’s
band
launch
New York,
USA -
Today all
roads lead
to the 2010
New York
Panorama
behind the
Brooklyn
museum, as
the lights
come up on
some of the
premier
steel
orchestras
in North
America in
the annual
competition
known as
Panorama.
But one week
ago,
many
steelband
music lovers
made their
way to the
band launch
of CASYM
Steel
Orchestra,
one of those
eleven bands
taking the
stage later
this evening
in
competition.
Held
just one
week
before
panorama,
CASYM’s
event
had been
rescheduled
from the
previous
weekend
because
of
inclement
weather.
But the
evening
- which
got off
to a
lazy
start - heated
up both
in terms
of
performances
and
patrons
pouring
in.
Indeed,
the word
had
gotten
around -
especially
to
visiting
out-of-towners,
some
arriving
early
for a
week of
pre-panorama
and
pre-Labor
Day
activities
- that
this was
the
place to
be for
the
unexpectedly
late,
but most
welcome,
opportunity
to
perhaps
catch as
many as
three
steel
orchestras
in
action.
Sonatas
Steel
Orchestra
at
CASYM’s
band
launch
Before
all was
said and
done,
Higher
Levin
led by
Tichard
Chapman
would
open up,
followed
by the
stage
side of
the
reigning
panorama
champions,
Sonatas
Steel
Orchestra.
A
familiar
face on
the New
York
calypso
scene,
Tunapuna
Scanty,
also
performed.
Then
came the
turn of
the
Natural
Expression
Rhythm
Section.
With
pounding
drums
reverberating
as much
as a
block
away,
this
very
large
group of
rhythmic
masters
touched
off some
chords
that
made
even
some of
the most
reserved
in the
audience
start to
dance.
The
group
used several
well-known
pieces
of music
as the
base for
their
repertoire
of
rhythms.
Natural
Expression
Rhythm
Section
at
CASYM’s
band
launch
At steelband
launches, It
is the norm
to see the
faces of
several of
the pan
players from
other bands
attending in
support, and
this time
was no
different.
Well-known
steelpan
personalities
also made it
a
must-attend
affair -
such as
world-renowned
pan soloist
and
steelband
arranger
Robert
Greenidge,
in town for
only a
couple of
days, and
who will
miss this
evening’s
panorama
because of a
professional
engagement.
Pamberi’s Brian
Villafana |
Panist Ricardo Greenaway |
Pamberi’s
Brian
Villafana
who travels
up to New
York from
Trinidad to
be at
steelband
affairs, was
also
spotted.
And the
versatile
pan player
Ricardo
Greenaway in
the company
of his
lovely wife
was on hand
taking in
the music.
Arranger
Brian “Bean”
Griffith was
on the
scene, and
so was
staunch
steelpan
‘diplomat’ Hueloy Lila
Yip Young.
He has
supported
the
season’s
band launches
and ensured that CASYM’s was
on his
calendar.
(l-r) Robert
Greenidge, Hueloy Lila Yip Young, Brian
“Bean” Griffith |
CASYM Steel
Orchestra
has not held
band
launches in
previous
years,
probably
because
their
practice
space was
located
within the
confines of
a New York
public
school.
But the
change in
status of
that
educational
institution
to that of a
“charter
school”
meant that
they had to
find a new
practice
space for the
2010
panorama
season.
With
a
spot that
has hosted
entertainment
activities
in the past
now serving
as their
temporary pan yard, CASYM was
well-positioned
to make the
best of this
well-traveled
and easily
accessible
location.
Later on
this evening,
seeking a
title they
last held in
2006,
the steel
orchestra -
which will
be
one-hundred
players
strong -
once again moves along
another
well-traveled
path - the
road to the
New York
Panorama
championship.
In
Pictures
|