D’Radoes Steel Orchestra

Manager – Junior Samuel

Founded in 2002 by Junior ‘Man’ Samuels, Radoes Steel Orchestra as an off-shoot of the Trinidad band, Witco Desperadoes, a band originating in Laventille, Port ofSpain. The band tapped the amazing musical gifts of Clive Bradley to arrange for the steelband Panorama competition and came as high as second in 2005 under Bradley’s guidance with his arrangement of Darlin’.

After Bradley’s death, Radoes worked with talented arrangers such as Curtis Edwards, Eddie Quarles, Raf Robinson, Robert Greenidge and Earl Rodney and Al “Allos” Foster; but it was Terence ‘BJ” Marcelle who came up from Trinidad in 2011 who ‘completed’ the band’s sound that it clawed its way back in the steelband Panorama to third place three years in a row with Trini, Bacchanalist and Fantastic Friday and to championship status in 2014 with his arrangement of Superblue’s ‘Spankin’. Subsequent wins in 2015 and 2016 with Machel Montano’s Like a Boss and 5Star Akil’s Different Me gave Radoes a hard-earned three-peat and the band retained champion status for 2017. Radoes won again in 2019 with Farmer Nappy’s Hookin’ Meh.

Comprised of members whose age ranges from 8 to 80 (literally), Radoes offers youth an opportunity to have a positive activity over the summer, while continuing in its efforts to preserve Caribbean culture in NYC.

Radoes has been a regularly featured band at New York’s Greenwich Village Halloween parade, but a culminating event in the band’s history was it’s inclusion in a tribute to percussionist Ralph Macdonald – a Radoes fan himself – in Connecticut after his death. Radoes shared the stage with music legends Jimmy Buffett, Roberta Flack and Bobbi Humphrey to pay homage to the jazz legend.

The band has also played out at the Brooklyn Roots Festival (caribbeanlife.com/brooklyn-roots-festival-celebrates-tradition-diversity/), and at holiday festivals in Kings Plaza Mall to keep the culture alive despite the hardships of managing such a large group in an ever-gentrifying New York City.

Follow the band on Facebook, check out some performances on YouTube, and visit the yard in Canarsie to hear the Radoes sound.  The band looks forward to participating in your event.

Ralph Macdonald tribute youtube.com/watch?v=2Lm0tg20hHs

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