NSSO Pushing Pan - Beyond Boundaries

by Frank Philip

After hearing the National Steel Symphony Orchestra play ‘Ashley’ by Len “Boogsie” Sharpe, I went to the internet to see if there were any other versions. The four that were available were all very good but none achieved the virtuosity of the NSSO’s version at their tenth anniversary show, Pan on a Higher Note—Beyond Boundaries which took place this past weekend at NAPA, Port-of-Spain.

According to the programme for Pan on a Higher Note, ‘Ashley’ was originally scheduled for midway during the second half, but whoever decided to put it at the end of the programme made an inspired choice. There was pure electricity onstage as Duvone Stewart, Natasha Joseph, Kareem Brown, Arthur Peters and Carlon Harewood performed their solos in almost pan shoot-out style, with playfulness, deftness and silkiness that kept the audience thoroughly engaged and excited.

The star of that performance was undoubtedly Duvone Stewart, the highly-regarded composer, arranger and pan player from Tobago. Stewart is the only arranger in the history of the National Panorama competition to have won four successive Panorama [medium conventional] titles. Stewart plays with a smile on his face and a twinkle in his eye and he got the audience laughing when he cheekily played a couple of notes from the underside of the pan.

read more - Trinidad Guardian - G life - August 2, 2017

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