When Steel Talks

 

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Web: www.pantonic.com |

A Special Basement Recordings Production

CD's DVD's and Art

Bradley's Triumphant NY Return
&
the Birth of Pantonic Steel Orchestra
A New York Original

 click to see accompanying music video
 

You are listening to Pantonic Steel Orchestra as captured by Basement Recordings live in their yard. You can hear this track with its full dynamics and sonic magnificence on the Pantonic Live !! CD.

In 1998 a committed group of very young, very talented, very driven, extremely confident but yet unrecognized and relatively unknown steelpan players, came into the consciousness of the New York steelband community, as they took third place in the annual New York steelband music panorama.  That group would soon be known to everyone as Pantonic, and over the next few years would etch it's name permanently in the annals of world steelband music history.

Led by the vision of it's progressive and experienced management team of Glenda Gamory, Keith Roberts, Ralph Davis, Brian Joseph, John James, among others - Pantonic's mission and goal were simple ones - to be the best steel orchestra on the planet.   In 1999 Pantonic secured the final missing piece of the puzzle - that being the return of the great master arranger, composer, musician and composer Clive Bradley, who had already had three successful eras in pan.  His first years were with the storybook Desperadoes Steel Orchestra during their golden years, and then the championship years with  Metro Steel Orchestra in New York where he garnered five championships, followed at that time by his return to major prominence in Trinidad and Tobago through Nutones and again with Desperadoes.

In late 1998 Ms. Gamory, whom Mr. Bradley called 'the best facilitator he has ever worked with in pan,' contacted the music maestro about returning to NY to arrange for Pantonic.  Bradley was very receptive, and actually looked forward to working with these young people who had literally grown up in his lap during his first run in New York (the majority were the offspring of Metro's pan musicians).   Indeed, at this stage in Mr. Bradley's career, working with young people was much more in line with his ever-evolving mindset and musical direction.  Ironically, Mr. Bradley was also in the middle of his second comeback in Trinidad, as he would complete the coveted and elusive hat trick as an arranger, while being at the musical helm of Nutones (1998) and Desperadoes (1999 and 2000), in the Trinidad and Tobago national panorama competition.

In June of 1999 the master arranger arrived in the Big Apple to a mix of skepticism, much anticipation and breathless expectation - depending on who you talked to.  Many wondered aloud whether the master could still work his magic in the now-highly competitive, enlightened, liberal and demanding New York steelband music panorama arena.  The master did not disappoint his fans, and a whole new generation of steelband music devotees would soon come to know why Mr. Bradley is considered the greatest steelband music arranger/composer ever.  And any doubt as to Mr. Bradley's greatness and genius was erased forever.  With Bradley, the Pantonic juggernaut was officially launched, as they would win five panorama championships in the next seven years - all with his arrangement masterpieces.  Moreover, some of the greatest steelband music ever composed, and performances, resulted from this collaboration.   Pantonic, affectionately known as 'Bradley's kids' breathed a new life and energy into the master arranger and global steelband scene.   As Bradley would say many times "this is the only band that I could do this music with... these are my children - I watched them grow up right on my knees."  This was the Pantonic crew. 

Pantonic treated Bradley like a king and viewed him as a father figure; their trust and belief in him were unwavering.  This allowed the band to simply out-work and out-distance themselves from the other organizations.  When they took the stage with Bradley conducting the show, they were one of the most intimidating orchestras in the history of New York panorama competition, and for the most part they were unbeatable.

Beyond the spectacle of panorama competition the Pantonic/Bradley combination produced steelband music classics...  Bradley, who had been a successful and accomplished  producer, composer, and studio engineer, was very aware of the importance of recording.   Pantonic, similar to Pan Rebels was extremely committed to having all their performances  recorded every year.  They may be the only orchestra that has quality digital recordings for every year of their existence.  Indeed, these recordings contributed greatly to the international appeal and recognition of Pantonic.  Clive Bradley and steelband recording specialist Basement Recordings, Inc. had a very special relationship, as many of the Basement Recordings engineers actually played under Bradley as steelpan musicians. 

The 1999 recording of Pantonic's now-classic 'In My House' - in addition to its historical significance, would be the first track of what became the critically-acclaimed "Pantonic Live!" CD.  Basement Recordings took much pride in presenting Mr. Bradley with a recording each year, that he felt accurately represented his musical works and the Band.  And of course every year Clive Bradley took great delight in reviewing CDs and DVDs that  contained Pantonic's - (and later on, D'Radoes') performances.  It had been indeed, a fantastic journey.


WST Steelband Music Video Channel

 click to see accompanying music video

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