New York
-
In the
heat of
the
fiery New
York
Panorama
season,
there
are
oases
along
the way in
the form
of the
smaller
steelband
sides
that
generally
make
their
appearance
on J’Ouvert
morning.
Far
removed
from the
hassle
and
frenzy
that is
characteristic
of bands
preparing
for the
goal of
clinching
the holy
grail of
each
steelband
season -
the
Panorama
championship
title -
these
smaller
pan
sides
have
their
own faithful
following.
It is
made up
of a
usually
more
mature
crowd
which patronizes
them on
a
nightly
basis as
they
too,
practice
and
enhance
their
repertoire
ultimately
for
their
J’Ouvert
sessions
early
Labor
Day
morning
and
before
that,
sometimes for
the band
launches
where
they are
invited
to
perform.
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Legends Stars Steel Band at practice |
One such
is
Legend
Stars
Steel
Band
on the
corner
of
Avenue D
and East
49th
Street
in
Brooklyn,
New
York.
It’s mid
August,
and
practice
has
wound up
for yet
another
night of
the
week.
Most of
the
players
have
gone
home, but
a few
still
linger
for the
‘lime,’
sitting
on
chairs,
instruments
having
been
cleared
away
after
band
practice.
Manager
Joe
Gabriel
(who
also
manages
New York
Pan
Stars)
is
closing
up the
refreshments
area,
but
takes a
bit of
time to
chat
with
When
Steel
Talks.
Manager
Joe
Gabriel
(standing, left) with
Legend
Stars
as
they
practice
“Legend
Stars
came out
of
Invaders”
explains
Gabriel.
Invaders
Steel
Orchestra
(New
York) dissolved
after
the 2001
USSA
(United
States
Steelband
Association) panorama.
In 2005
some of
the
players
came
together
and
formed
what is
now
Legend
Stars,
calling
their
Avenue D
location
‘home’
for each
steelband
season,
and
playing
along
the
J’Ouvert
route
with
their
own mas
band
on
Labor
Day.
A few
younger
people
are now also
part of
Legends
Stars.
Lennox
Leverock
on
guitar
pans during
band practice
One of
the
founding
members
of Invaders, Lennox Leverock
has
joined
the
conversation
by this
time and
reiterates
the
theme of
J’Ouvert.
Both
Gabriel
and
Leverock
laughingly
refer to
Panorama
[when
the band
was
Invaders]
as
‘those
days.’
“Enjoyment.
J’Ouvert
morning,
we come
out to
enjoy
ourselves
- and
that’s
it,”
emphasizes
Leverock.
And
about
twenty
to
twenty-five
steelpan
players
will be
out
enjoying
themselves,
as will
masqueraders
in “Hawaiian
Dancers,”
Legend
Stars’
J’Ouvert
2011 mas
band.
With
selections
like
Trini;
Falling
In Love,
I Can’t
Stop
Loving
You,
Morning
After
and
Who’s
Sorry
Now in
the
band’s
repertoire,
their
interpretations
of these
favorites
are
arranged
by
Patrick
Hypolite.
Their
instruments,
which
include
two
tenor
basses,
two
guitars,
two six
basses,
four
tenors,
one double
tenor -
and more
- are
all
tuned by
“Broko” Jordan.
Legends
Stars
Steel
Band
Like
many
bands on
the New
York pan
scene do
annually,
Legends
Stars
plans to
host a
Fundraiser/Band
Launch.
Costumes
for
their
J’Ouvert
band are
on
display
at their
panyard;
those
who wish
to join
up can
go there
directly
to view
samples,
or
contact
Joe
Gabriel
at 1
(917)
371-9280.
Costumes
from
Legend
Stars
Steel
Band’s
2011
J’Ouvert
mas
band
presentation,
Hawaiian
Dancers