New York Steelbands - 2008 Panorama and Beyond

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New York Steelbands - 2008 Panorama and Beyond
- Grades A–Z
An in-depth analysis of one of the greatest annual performances of tuned percussionists in North America

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2008 Panorama Champions ADLIB Steel Orchestra

New York continues to be the largest and most vibrant steelband music community outside of Trinidad and Tobago. It is unique in that it is the only place in the United States where there is a huge musical and cultural phenomenon built solidly around a single community. However, this was indeed a very challenging season for the steelband franchises of New York. These are extremely perilous times for the steel orchestras of the area. Re-gentrification has hit the normal neighborhoods of the steel orchestras like the second coming of Christopher Columbus -with disastrous and lethal consequences and effects, on what have been the cultural norms for about the last forty years, of these neighborhoods and their people. The wrecking ball and greed of the unscrupulous developers, treacherous and weak-hearted New York Caribbean politicians, and the carnival event promoters - coupled with visionless and inadequate steelband leadership and representation, may have already driven the stake through the heart of the New York steelband community. Is this a classic case of “dead men walking”? Time will tell. For the moment, there is still a strong heartbeat.

However, the poisonous brew that allows this situation to degrade further annually is the apathy, pettiness, incompetence, delusions that “things will always work out,” delusions of “grandeur” and more, and the “crabs in a barrel” syndrome - that continue to choke the steelband community, alongside the mas bands, who are both integral components of the New York performing arts community. And while this continues, everybody from the local politicians, right up to the office of the governor, are working for the benefit of land developers with their future “visions” under the guise of re-gentrification to the detriment of the community and its customs, and laughing all the way to the bank.

The Good

Lisa Mayers, André White and family celebrate historic feat

As we’ve said in the past there is nothing in North America that comes remotely close to New York’s steelband panorama display of percussion instruments in action. The youth involvement and development are strong and successful. Indeed history was made when eighteen-year old André White became the youngest arranger ever to win a major steelband music panorama competition. And just in case you are unaware, André, arranging for his band ADLIB Steel Orchestra, won from a field consisting of some legendary and guaranteed ‘hall of fame’ arrangers. No surprise here - we did tell you it was just a matter of time in André’s case (check out our comments on ADLIB in our 2007, 2006, 2005, 2004, 2003 and 2002 reviews).

Young arrangers like André White (ADLIB) and Khuent Rose (Crossfire) are major music talents. The future is now - they are realizing their potential and will be major forces in the steelband music arena. Groups like Utopia Pan Soul: the Next Generation and Steel Sensation have provided real nurturing and opportunity for their young musicians to develop and showcase their skills. This investment in itself has begun to pay off great dividends for the steelpan community. Indeed, groups like Women in Steel, Steel Sensation, Utopia Pan Soul and Pan Ambassadors continue to show that there is much more to pan in New York than a panorama competition.

New York remains the mecca for pan in North America. The bands participating in panorama were smaller than previous years. They averaged between 80 and 85 players. However, at least three groups did hit the 100-musician limit.

As the performing New York Steelband population has gotten younger by default, so has the natural acclamation to popular technology by the steelband fraternity. This has instantaneously brought the NY steelband community online, and on par with other performing and artistic communities as they are now part of this millennium’s technology-based social networks, websites and other current communication/entertainment media and relevant devices. It is no longer possible to simply ignore, forget or fudge the history and existence of the New York steelband community through ignorance, or design. Indeed it was just a few years ago a major University percussion professor told us that he was totally unaware of the existence of the steelbands of New York. Moreover he was astonished at the musical caliber at which they operated.

As we said last year, most of the steelbands are becoming internet savvy and are online through one means or another. Some have become e-commerce active, and are finally learning to make their music work for them. And, some have continued to recognize the financial freedom and power that emerging technologies will have on every aspect of their lives. Some of the bands are beginning to understand how to market themselves to a global audience. Not so necessarily the panorama event promoters. Amazingly, with attendance dwindling as far as the panorama competition itself is concerned, thousands of fans continue to come to the event with virtually no marketing or promotion to expand the base.

Regardless of attendance, all the bands on panorama night looked great, epitomizing professionalism for their audience and the artform. Their designs and fashion all accented their chosen themes. Although, this is a music competition, don’t ever let anyone tell you “looks don’t count!”

The Bad

Yes, New York appears to be big, bad and in control on the surface. But once you look “under the table” you will see an infrastructure that is out of step with the times in an increasingly hostile environment that is in direction competition for time, finances, resources and the very people the steelpan movement is depending on. The steelband leadership are in a state of denial of the gravity of the situation, but facts don’t lie. Just look at how many steel orchestras have disappeared from the panorama scene in the last decade, falling victims to either bad management, financial woes, loss of practice areas, or any combination of these. Moreover, once these steelband music franchises suspend operations or fold, the likelihood of a return to prominence is very doubtful. Moreover the majority of the participants and players associated with these organizations retreat from the steelband movement forever - they stop playing and performing permanently, perpetuating the loss of valuable people and some phenomenal musical talent.

In a nutshell - absolutely nothing we said that was bad last year was solved. These issues became worse. click to see last year’s “Bad.”

Gone from the Panorama scene since 2000

Pan Rebels

Metro

Moods Pan Groove

CYP

Marsicans

Tasso

Harlem All stars

Invaders

NY Nutones

Pan Phonic

Eleven orchestras took part in the panorama competition in 2007. Twelve participated in 2006. Only nine orchestras participated in this year’s event. This could easily have additionally been whittled down to six bands due to the drama some went through to secure practice spaces, with as little as two weeks to go before the panorama competition. It was only a few years ago when fifteen bands participated in the 2003 competition. From a financial and business sense, no steel orchestra should participate in the New York panorama. It is simply a losing venture and horrific financial drain. Even the winning panorama orchestra will come out on the short end of the stick financially; factor in the ‘creative’ or ‘corrupt’ math employed - depending on the vantage point vocalized by the show’s promoters - where the bands who place 1st, 2nd and 3rd, forfeit their advertised appearance fees/monies/awards as a result of their high placing. Why would anyone or any orchestra agree to such a scenario? Evidently the panorama organizers have a counting problem. And this has been the case for several years now. This is apparently not the case in the Trinidad and Tobago panorama. It appears all orchestras competing receive their appearance fees - whether they emerge the champions, or place second or third. And they get their appearance fee before they participate - after all, the very name of it - “appearance fee” - is actually meant to assist the bands financially to participate, and to therefore make the show the annual musical and cultural spectacle it is. You would think that maybe New York’s hapless steelband association could have at least renegotiated this incredible point in NY steelbands’ favor. Oops - we had better leave that for the “Ugly” section.

Now we’re not blaming the event promoter (who are also responsible for the entire week of Labor Day activities), - WIADCA, (West Indian American Day Carnival Association) for anything. Their job is to maximize their profits and minimize their costs. That is what promoters do. And anything they can get away with - why not? It’s their show and furthermore it is the New York steelband association or some other entity’s job to represent the interests of steel orchestras.

However, it might be wise to keep in mind, the ongoing lessons of Wall Street, and to observe carefully what could happen when matters are allowed to proceed without oversight. Not only can you shoot yourself in the foot, but you can kill the geese that lay you the golden eggs. In this regard, it is time for the top New York executives - the Mayor and Governor - to start answering some tough questions about the legislative, financial, cultural and economic past, present and future status of the entire Labor Day franchise. Such as: where have the billions made over the past 41 years gone?

Our only question to the promoters, since it was asked of us by a few patrons is: why were panorama attendees not allowed to keep at least half of their ticket stub when they came through the gates? These folks were very piqued that they were unable to retain some portion of the ticket as a memento of their attending, for what was in two cases, their first panorama. It is things like this that can cause folks minds to wonder... but we are sure the association has a firm grip on how many people actually attended this year’s panorama.

Like we said last year it has been thirty-plus years and counting, and we still have not seen the presidents of Percussive Arts Society, Paiste, Yamaha Drums, Pearl, Lugwig, Zildjian, Sabian, Latin Percussion, Remo, Tama and Gator - just to name a few - at the panorama. What gives? This level of disrespect is appalling. If we have to mention this again you can be sure that we will move this issue to the “Ugly” section with the recommendation that the steelbands unite and manufacture their own lines of percussion instruments - such as the plethora in use within their Engine rooms.

The Ugly

With all the critical issues that are faced daily impacting the survival of steelbands in New York, the steelband association personnel have found themselves in a war over J’Ouvert. LOL... Ain’t got a pot to piss in - can’t name one significant accomplishment in six years of existence and y’all... Borrowing a favorite quip from our illustrious Queen Macoomeh: “Steups!!”

Panorama 2008 and more...

An interesting year overall for pan in New York. The non-panorama organization continue to move forward. Panorama 2008 was again fantastic in terms of the efforts and sacrifices the bands made to pull it off.

Sound: - Pass -

This is real funny as the sound at WIADCA’s panorama has historically been a source of much horrors. Last year sound was done by Basement Recordings and by all accounts was excellent. This year WIADCA brought back its regular crew who have been known to turn a panorama into a hideous distorted rock concert.

This year the sound engineer actually attempted a sound check. LMAO... The thing is he only did it for the first band. It didn’t matter anyhow - they got massacred by the sound system. There were also occasions when short bursts of low-pitched feedback emanated from the speakers, caused by hilarious microphone placement. But overall, the sound really wasn’t as bad as it has been in the past. However, what was coming through the speakers bore little or no semblance to the awesome sounding orchestras who only minutes before would have been warming up on the runway to the stage. It is just a shame that these well-tuned and balanced orchestras are not afforded the opportunity to present themselves properly on a panorama night to the audience, particularly after they have invested so much in presenting and creating the ultimate steelband music sonic and aural experience. And it goes without saying that it is of deep concern that every orchestra of the night does not have their rightful opportunity, as competitors, to be properly heard and interpreted by judges without coloration.

Adjudication: - NG -

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2008 Adjudicators at work

hmmmmmmmmm... We haven’t seen the score sheets yet...

2008 Judges & related personnel

Judith de Four-Howard
Franklyn Grant
Tommy Crichlow
Jeff Smits
Ezra Joseph
Keith Preddie (tally judge)
Wade Robinson (time keeper)

As we said last year - the judges’ decisions are final and thus are not subject to question. However, it would have been intelligent if the pan association had someone to monitor the process on the orchestras’ behalf.

Arranging: - Pass -

We are becoming more and more concerned the arrangers are letting judges legislate taste and stifle their creativity through their desire to please the judges at all costs. In this regard we are very pleased with the two young arrangers who dared to take chances and take us and pan to some place new. It is also good to know that music lovers can bank on the solid work of the likes of the veteran arrangers such as Goddard, Popwell and others. Winning isn’t everything. Selling out your musical soul for a win has never worked.

New York Steelband Governing Bodies: - Fail -
It’s a year later and what’s different? We won’t even give them a ‘Z’ grade because that would be too high.

The Bands: - B - (overall) {Pan in New York is like no other place in the world...}

ADLIB CASYM Crossfire Despers USA D’Radoes Harmony Pantonic Sesame Flyers Sonatas
Utopia Pan Soul; the Next Generation Steel Sensation Women In Steel Pan Ambassadors Higher Levin Hearts of Steel

ADLIB Long Island’s Finest
When Steel Talks said last year everything we need to say about ADLIB in our summary. Of course ADLIB going out and actually winning this year’s panorama doesn’t hurt at all. In fact it makes us look like geniuses. ADLIB is a self-contained, progressive operation that exemplifies the modern urban steel orchestra. They have in-house pan manufacturers, tuners, welders, pan stands builders, and arranger!

ADLIB brought it all to this year’s panorama. ADLIB is blessed with a great management team, great players and a great young arranger.

ADLIB is for real, and here to stay. ADLIB is made up of quite talented and extremely humble people. Their only challenge is to remember who they are, what it took to get to the top, and continue to work hard. Always attractively attired, this year was no different when the musicians took the stage clad in snazzy white jackets, the band’s name boldly emblazoned on the left majorly in red, with white trousers. They were topped off - literally - by red-ribbon trimmed white hats.

ADLIB’s tune of choice was “Heat” by Amrit Samaroo. They took the stage with 85 players and delivered the goods. A command performance indeed. Clean, balanced, exciting and true to the storytelling expectations of the song content. André’s transitions through his musical passages were that of a seasoned veteran. In fact only the truly great ones have been able to master that skill set. He nailed his minor mode criterion without any pretentious or canned moments. His harmonies were both tasteful and meaningful. There were none of the ‘just because I can’ moments that plague most panorama arrangers. André White is very good and he is only going to get better. The well-timed fireworks that coincided with a few bars of Maestro’s “Fiery” definitely didn’t hurt the overall presentation.

Congratulations ADLIB, you are truly champions.

Tune of choice: Heat

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