Every year at the
end of the New York Steelband Summer season, steelpan music fans,
enthusiasts and music educators can look forward to stellar
quality recordings of the steel orchestras as they feverishly prepared for the annual New York steelband music panorama
competition. This year is no exception, as the 2007
offering is just as awesome as the preceding editions of this
celebrated annual music series. These recordings are both for
the uninitiated in the steelband music experience, and the veteran
critical steelband music connoisseurs, as they afford the listener
unparalleled fidelity and realism, and capture the sprit and ambience of
the steel orchestra in the urban pan yard. Moreover, you
get to experience the music the way the music arrangers and
players perform it, hear it themselves, and - how they want the audience to
experience it.
Harmony during
recording of Pan in New York 2007
This year, in
addition to such stalwart performances and recordings by staples
such as
current champion Sonatas and past champion Pantonic - Harmony Steel Orchestra makes their Panyard
Recordings debut with their version of "Nah Going Home". You
won't be disappointed. Under the musical direction of veteran
arranger Ken "Professor" Philmore, Harmony performs with a flare
and poise that are way beyond their years. They are the
surprise of this year's offering. Filling out the 2007 lineup
are Crossfire, Sesame Flyers and D'Radoes, who all bring
superb performances to the Pan in New York CD. Each
orchestra takes the listener on close to a ten-minute story-filled musical adventure
based on the theme of their selections: Band From Space, Pan
Lamentation, Sharing Licks and Nah Going Home.
The phenomenal
realism and quality of these recordings place the listeners
within
the confines of the panyards. Every panyard has a unique
sonic attribute, ambience and character that are partially
determined by its architectural surroundings. All this and
much more are present in the recordings. You will be in
sync with the
energetic crowds present in the panyards at the time of the
recordings, and have a
clear understanding of why the music and art form is so special.
"Pan in New York
2007" is available from participating orchestras and also
online.