New York
-
Spacious
surroundings,
good
vibes,
good
food,
drink,
carnival
costume
teasers, pan
lovers,
attentive
hosts, and the
clincher
that
brought
it all
together
- steel
orchestra
stage
sides at
their
best -
were the
necessary
ingredients
to
make an
enjoyable
steelband
launch.
All
these
were in
the mix,
together
with a
shocking,
9:00
p.m.
on-time
start in
Pantonic
Steel
Orchestra’s
2011
Band
Launch.
There
never
really seems to
be
enough
Pan for
the
relatively short
steelband
spell
that is
somewhat
season
and
weather-constrained
in New
York; and
before
long,
the
summer
weeks
are
over,
with
Panorama
being
the
marquis
event at
season’s
end.
So for
the
ardent
steelband
lover -
band
launches,
steelband fund-raising
Curry-Ques, BBQues
and the
like
make up
all
the fun
things
to look
forward
to every
time
Spring/Summer
rolls
around.
Emerson Gamory takes care of business on the barbecue
Wafting
in the
air was
the
irresistible
aroma of
chicken
being
barbequed
right
there in
Pantonic’s pan
yard.
This
task
fell to
a master
in the
kitchen
and
always
in
culinary
demand,
Emerson Gamory,
son of
Pantonic
president
Glenda
Gamory.
And in
close
proximity,
ladies
were
serving
up Caribbean
fare,
the
variety
making
the choice
difficult
for
those
contemplating
just what to
have.
The dour
weather
forecast
shed
some
doubt on
just how
much of
a good
time was
going to
be had,
and was
obviously
the
deciding
factor
for many
music
lovers
in even
coming
out to
begin
with.
But for
the
determined
ones
there,
they
expected
a treat.
And the
likes of
Higher
Levin,
Harmony,
Despers
USA,
Sonatas, D’Radoes,
Pan
Ambassadors,
New York
Pan
Stars, CASYM
and
hosts
Pantonic
-
ensured
that the
people
who came
out (equipped
with
umbrellas in
a
pre-emptive
move)
got what
they
came
for.
Taking in the music of Despers USA at Pantonic’s launch
Signature
selections
that are
synonymous
with
some of
the
bands,
like
D’Radoes
with
Don’t
Look Any
Further,
in
addition
to new
material
added to
their
repertoire
- for 2011
-
(think
Militant’s
Hot and
Groovy
(Despers
USA), Cee Lo’s
Forget
You
(CASYM),
Chris
Brown’s
She Ain’t
You
(Sonatas),
Destra’s
Cool It
Down,
and much
more,
are to
be heard
and
danced
to at
the band
launches.
No
shortage
of
music,
and a
well-received
variety
of soca,
R&B, pop
and
reggae
was the
order of
this
night
for
attendees.
The
requirements
for Pan
lovers?
Walk
with
your
appetite
for
both great
steelband
music,
and the
delicious
food
available
in the
refreshment
areas,
comfortable
shoes
for
chipping
and
moving,
cool
‘hang-out’
buddy or
buddies
- and
you’re
good to
go.
Wendy McKenzie enjoying the music at the launch
There is
always
support
from
other
steelband
music
organizations
in
evidence
at New
York pan
events,
even if
their
band is
not
performing
or
participating.
They
always
make
their
presence
known,
such as
Utopia
Pan
Soul:
the Next
Generation.
Other familiar
faces,
like pan
tuner Learie
Harrigin,
were
on hand.
Iconic
Desperadoes
pan
woman
Ursula
Tudor
enjoyed
her time
around
D’Radoes
with
band
veterans
“Binks”
and
leader
Junior
“Man”
Samuel. And
other
visitors
to the
pan yard
as well,
such as
Wendy
McKenzie
with
friend
Mary Grandsire
of
Westchester
in tow.
Wendy
brought
with her
the
sense
and
importance
of the
history
and
character
of the
steelband
movement;
even
while
chipping
and
without
missing
a beat,
when
asked
what she
thought
of the
event - her
awareness
of the
challenges
to the
steelband
culture,
art form
and its
people,
were at
the tip
of her
tongue.
“It
reminds
me about
the
history
of the
people,
spirit
of
survival,
self-confidence
and
sheer
joy in
spite of
all,”
she
shared,
with her
air of
quiet
revelry.
|
|
|
Utopia Pan Soul at Pantonic's launch |
|
Learie Harrigin with friends at Pantonic’s launch |
Friend
Mary was
there to
hear
CASYM,
who she
loves,
and with
whom her
son
plays.
“They’re
the
best!”
she exclaimed.
Her son
has been in
Brooklyn
a few
nights a
week to
practice
with
CASYM;
but
tonight
was her
own night at
the
Pantonic
band
launch,
and she
was not
wasting
a single
second
of the
steelband
music
going
around
the
yard,
gravitating
like
many to
each as
they
played
in turn.
In the
end,
steelband
music
and
those
who were
in
attendance
won out.
A
well-organized
event
where
the
steelband
performances
flowed
in
succession
and like
clockwork,
and DJ
music
interludes
which were
short
and enjoyable,
not ear-splitting
and
deafening
as
sometimes
occurs.
He did
not try
to “star”
in what
was
essentially
a
steelband
launch.
And the
rain
never
came; a
few
drops
drizzled
now and
then,
but that
was all.
For the
family,
friends,
and
folks of
Pan who
came out
- it was
a great
call,
and
a great
way to
spend a
Saturday
evening
in New
York’s
steelband
season.
Related
articles:
In
Pictures
Additional
pictures
on
Facebook