New York
-
Along
with
the
powerhouse
steel
orchestras
that are
in full
Panorama
mode for
the
annual
New York
pan
season,
there
are a
few much
smaller
steelbands
and
single-pan
bands
that
have
their
own
music
business
to take
care of,
and
which do
so quite
happily
several
nights a
week.
One such
is Pan
Royal,
located
in East
Flatbush
in
Brooklyn, on
East 51st
Street
just off
Church
Avenue.
Pan
Royal
practicing
at
their
East
51st
Street
Brooklyn
panyard
Bands
like Pan
Royal
come out
‘on the
road’
with
supporters for the
annual
J’Ouvert
celebrations
in the
early
morning
hours
every
Labor
Day,
rolling
along
Empire
Boulevard
and
turning
into Nostrand
Avenue,
Brooklyn.
Along
the way,
J’Ouvert
mas
bands,
some
costumed,
chip to
steelband
music.
Some of
the
bands
provide
only
musical
accompaniment,
while
others
bring
out
their
own
‘J’Ouvert
mas
band’
and play
for the
masqueraders
as well.
This
year,
“Sailors
of
Africa”
is the
theme of
choice
for Pan
Royal’s
J’Ouvert
band
presentation.
Anselm
Fritz
(right),
along
with
fellow
band
member,
percussionist
Sasha
Hutchinson,
takes
a
break
from
practice
to
chat
with
When
Steel
Talks
With
founders
which
include
three
‘old
boys’
(alumni)
from QRC
(Queen’s
Royal
College)
in
Trinidad
and
Tobago,
the word
“Royal”
in the
band’s
name is
a direct
reference
to “Royalians”
- the
name by
which
the pan
players
were
known in QRC,
explained
band
manager
Anselm
Fritz
aka “Teach,”
one of
those QRC
‘old
boys,’
who
himself
plays a
tenor
pan in
the
band.
Pan
Royal is
a
splinter
group
from
Hearts
of
Steel, a
single
pan band
which
itself
is still
in
existence
and also
comes
out for
J’Ouvert.
Musical
director/arranger
for the
group is
the
no-nonsense
Brian
“Bean”
Griffith,
well
known
musician
on the
steelband
musical
scene.
Some
twenty-plus
players
showed
off
their
musical
mettle
at
CASYM’s
annual
band
launch
two
weeks
ago, and
that
number
is
expected
to grow
by the
time Pan
Royal
hits the
road for
J’Ouvert.
“More
players
are
flying
in for
the
final
week,”
said
Fritz,
“so
there
will be
more
than
thirty
on the
road.”
Brian
“Bean”
Griffith
(in
black
cap) takes
the
band
through
their
paces
Sketches
of
Pan
Royal’s
J’Ouvert
presentation
“Sailors
of
Africa”
They are
definitely
up to
the task
of
getting
their
music
down;
most of
the
members
are
veteran
steelpan
musicians,
tested
through
many
Panorama
competitions
in both
Trinidad
& Tobago
and
North
America,
with
decades
of
musical
experience
under
their
belts.
Having
‘done it
all’ as
far as
Panorama
is
concerned,
they opt
now to
be more
laid
back, and
instead
enjoy
themselves
in these small
bands
that go
on the
road for
the
J’Ouvert
celebrations,
and
sometimes
play out
on gigs.
Pan
Royal
intends
to
remain
active
year
around
says
Fritz,
who is
already
looking
ahead to
the
commitments
that are
lined up
for the
band
after
the ‘Pan
season’
has
officially
ended.
Every
evening,
as Pan
Royal
practices
at their
East
51st
Street
panyard,
pan
lovers
drop by
to hang
out and
enjoy
the
music
session,
usually
running
from
around
ten till
just
after
midnight.
Sketches
and sample
costumes
from
their
2011
J’Ouvert
“Sailors
of
Africa”
presentation
are on
display
as well.
Information
on this,
and on
Pan
Royal
itself
may be
had by
contacting
Anselm
Fritz at
1 (347)
938-1757.
Members
of
Pan
Royal
at
practice