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New York Steel Orchestras Panorama 2013: Panyard Recordings by Basement Recordings

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A When Steel Talks Exclusive

Brooklyn, New York, USA -  For this year 2013, Basement Recordings captured six of Brooklyn’s finest steel orchestras franchises as part of their annual panyard panorama music recording series. All the orchestras operated at very high level this year and were indeed deserving of having their musical performance captured and preserved for the historical, cultural and community archives.

The Basement yard recordings are made with the purpose of allowing the listener to hear and feel the power of the New York steel orchestras, along with the sonic clarity, musical sophistication and the rhythmic complexity and genius of the all-percussive engine room. The recordings were done using Basement’s distinct in-house “box and one” technique.

The orchestras recorded this year are Despers USA; Pantonic; CrossFire; D’Radoes; Sonatas and CASYM, the eventual 2013 Panorama champion.

Each orchestra was afforded the opportunity to record both a slow (cool-down) version, and a version ‘at tempo’. As is the Basement Recordings tradition only one take for each version is allowed.

The music and performances need no interpreter or narrator. Embrace the sprit, the genius and live the experience, culture and greatness of New York steel orchestras through their music.

For the steel orchestras which were recorded - special thanks to all their ‘generals’ (Ms. Glenda Gamory, Mr. Mack Scott, Mr.  Williams Jones, Mr. Edgar  Gamory, Mr. Martin Douglas and Mr. Junior Samuel) - captains (Wayne Bernard, Wilfred Kieal, Jr., Travis Roberts, Sadé Constantine, Junior “Mann” Samuel and Arielle Chase) - arrangers (Duvone Stewart, Leon “Foster” Thomas, BJ “Terrance” Marcelle, Odie Franklin, Seion Gomez and Kendall Williams) and of course all the foot-soldiers, support staff and musicians whose endless efforts made this work.


D’Radoes Steel Orchestra logo

D’Radoes Steel Orchestra performs “Fantastic Friday” as Basement Recordings captures their performance as part of the NY PanYard Recording series one day before the annual New York Panorama steel orchestra competition. The arranger is Terrance “BJ” Marcelle. Their instruments are tuned by Roland Harrigin and Learie Harrigin, and their captain is Junior “Mann” Samuel. D’Radoes Steel Orchestra took the stage at the competition with 100 players.

D’Radoes was established in 2002. The orchestra is made up of primarily veteran players who have very deep steelpan roots. The Canarsie-based steel orchestra is a Brooklyn favorite.

D’Radoes during their Basement Recordings 2013 NY Panyard recording session
D’Radoes during their Basement Recordings 2013 NY Panyard recording session

D’Radoes Steel Orchestra line-up...
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Despers USA

Despers USA Steel Orchestra performs “Wining Queen,” as Basement Recordings captures their performance as part of the NY PanYard Recording series two days before the annual New York Panorama steel orchestra competition. The arranger is Odie Franklin. Their instruments are tuned by Clement Franklin and Emmanuel “Jack” Riley. And their captain is Wilfred Kieal, Jr.

Despers USA took the stage at the competition with 100 players.  The organization is one of the iconic musical institutions of Brooklyn, New York. They have been located on the border of the Crown Heights and Bedford-Stuyvesant communities for decades.

Despers USA during their Basement Recordings 2013 NY Panyard recording session
Despers USA during their Basement Recordings 2013 NY Panyard recording session

Despers USA Steel Orchestra line-up...
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Pantonic Steel Orchestra

Pantonic Steel Orchestra performs “Live Yuh Life (Like Yuh Playin’ Mas)” as Basement Recordings captures their performance - as part of the NY Panyard Recording series one day before the annual New York Panorama steel orchestra competition. The arranger is Seion Gomez. Their instruments are tuned by Roland Harrigin. And their captain is Wayne Bernard.

Pantonic Steel Orchestra took the stage at the competition with at least 65 players.  The exploits of the world-famous Pantonic Steel Orchestra have been well documented. The current edition of the orchestra is no less talented and driven. Truly a Brooklyn gem, East Flatbush has been the home of Pantonic Steel Orchestra since its inception in 1998.

Pantonic during their Basement Recordings 2013 NY Panyard recording session
Pantonic during their Basement Recordings 2013 NY Panyard recording session

Pantonic Steel Orchestra line-up... Performing artists/Band members
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Crossfire Steel Orchestra
CrossFire Steel Orchestra performs “Leh Go” as Basement Recordings captures their performance - as part of the NY PanYard Recording series two days before the annual New York Panorama steel orchestra competition. The arranger is Kendall Williams. Their instruments are tuned by Roland Harrigin. And their captain is Arielle Chase.

CrossFire Steel Orchestra took the stage at the competition with at least 60 players.  The group has equally established itself as one of the staples of the New York steel orchestra franchises. Young, progressive and talented, CrossFire continues to produce music that has grabbed the attention and respect of the music community. East Flatbush has been the home of Crossfire Steel Orchestra since its inception in 2003.

CrossFire during their Basement Recordings 2013 NY Panyard recording session
CrossFire during their Basement Recordings 2013 NY Panyard recording session

CrossFire Steel Orchestra line-up... Performing artists/Band members
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Pan Sonatas Steel Orchestra logo
Sonatas Steel Orchestra performs “Fantastic Friday” as Basement Recordings captures their performance as part of the NY PanYard Recording series, two days before the annual New York Panorama steel orchestra competition. The arranger is Leon “Foster” Thomas. Their instruments are tuned by Bertram “Birch” Kelman. And Sonatas’ captain is Sadé Constantine. The Basement yard recordings are made with the purpose of allowing the listener to hear and feel the power of the New York steel orchestras, along with the sonic clarity, musical sophistication and the rhythmic complexity and genius of the all percussive engine room.

Sonatas Steel Orchestra took the stage at the competition with 100 players.  The orchestra has won more Panorama competitions than any other steel orchestra franchise in the history of New York - truly a Brooklyn, New York original and the pride of Crown Heights. The mighty Sonatas has called Crown Heights home for over 40 years.

Sonatas during their Basement Recordings 2013 NY Panyard recording session
Sonatas during their Basement Recordings 2013 NY Panyard recording session

Sonatas Steel Orchestra line-up...
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CASYM Steel Orchestra logo

CASYM Steel Orchestra performs “Fantastic Friday” as Basement Recordings captures their performance - as part of the NY Panyard Recording series, one day before the annual New York Panorama steel orchestra competition. The arranger is Duvone Stewart. Their instruments are tuned by Andy Neils. And their captain is Travis Roberts.

CASYM Steel Orchestra took the stage at the competition with 100 players and went on to win prestigious title of undisputed 2013 New York Panorama champions.

The organization is celebrating its 30th year of existence. The franchise is one of the bed-rock institutions of the New York steelpan movement.

CASYM during their Basement Recordings 2013 NY Panyard recording session
CASYM during their Basement Recordings 2013 NY Panyard recording session

CASYM Steel Orchestra line-up... Performing artists/Band members
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