‘Tell Me Why ’ - Metro Steel Orchestra - Arranger:  Clive Bradley - 1990

(‘Panyard’ - Audio) New York Panorama Steelband Music Competition

Brooklyn, New York, USA - The year is 1990; the place is Panorama night at the Brooklyn Museum, and master arranger Clive Bradley is about to win his third New York Panorama with this arrangement. Bradley captures the crowd before the intro is even completed.

The audio recording is not very good (from the archive vaults), but it allows you to hear those classic Clive Bradley movements, transitions and urban influences. In addition, at 5 min 53 sec - you can hear the solo Clive Bradley asked a young Garvin Blake to put in. Indeed, a sign of good things to come in the future of Mr. Blake.

This particular incarnation of Metro Steel Orchestra ushered in the beginning of the era of large New York steel orchestras of more than 100 players... Anthony “Big Tony” Joseph was the captain and leader of the band.  In fact it wouldn’t be until a couple decades later that the impact of “Big Tony” on Pan in New York would be appreciated. He was the first band leader who took his youth players (pre teens) and their musical abilities, seriously.

See NY Panorama 1990 results

‘Tell Me Why ’- Metro Steel Orchestra - Clive Bradley, arranger



tell me why