WST has begun to post the recordings from this year's panyard sessions.
In addition to experiencing the stellar musicianship of the New York pan players, the recordings provide an opportunity for the listener to experience a deeper insight into the outstanding musical works of the 2015 Panorama arrangers and the exceptional tonal skills of the tuners. All the orchestras were captured just days before the Panorama competition.
Field Engineer - R. Pope
Field Technician - L. Bennett
Pan Photographer - C. Phillips
Producer - T. John
Despers USA Steel Orchestra - Odie Franklin arranger - Clement Franklin tuner
Despers USA took the Panorama stage with --- players...
Despers carries a steelpan family of instruments to Panorama - tenors, double seconds, Triple seconds, double guitars, 4 Pan, tenor bass and six bass
D'Radoes Steel Orchestra - Terrance “BJ” Marcelle arranger - Roland Harrigin tuner
D'Radoes took the Panorama stage with 100 players...
D'Radoes carries a complete steelpan family of instruments to Panorama - tenors, double tenors, double seconds, Triple seconds, quads, double guitars, 4 Pan, tenor bass and six bass
Sonatas Steel Orchestra - Leon "Foster" Thomas arranger - Bertram “Birch” Kelman tuner
Sonatas took the Panorama stage with 85 players...
Sonatas carries a complete steelpan family of instruments to Panorama - tenors, double tenors, double seconds, quads, double guitars, 3 cellos, tenor bass and nine bass
CrossFire Steel Orchestra - Kendall Williams arranger - Roland Harrigin tuner.
CrossFire took the Panorama stage with 75 players.
CrossFire carries a complete steelpan family of instruments to Panorama - tenors, double tenors, double seconds, quads, double guitars, 3 cellos, 4 pan, tenor bass and seven bass
Pantonic Steel Orchestra - Andre White arranger - Roland Harrigin tuner.
Pantonic took the Panorama stage with 85 players.
Pantonic carries a complete steelpan family of instruments to Panorama - tenors, double tenors, double seconds, quads, double guitars, 3 cellos, 4 pan, tenor bass and six bass
ADLIB Steel Orchestra - Amrit Samaroo arranger - Desmond "Mappo" Richardson tuner.
ADLIB took the Panorama stage with 80 players...
ADLIB carries a complete steelpan family of instruments to Panorama - tenors, double tenors, double seconds, triple seconds, quads, double guitars, 3 cellos, 4 pan, tenor bass, six bass and nine bass.
Replies
God bless the iron lady playing for Crossfire at 5:58 to 6:02, she really blessed my heart, I had to rewind a few times because it's not often I see a woman in the engine room. I regret not being able to check out Crossfire this year during their practice sessions, but there is always next year.
I haven't heard all the bands yet, but the few I heard so far, did themselves proud...
I hope that the NY Pan fraternity would realize sooner rather than later the quality of their arrangers and players and depend less on expertise from Trinidad. I'm yet to be convinced that NY Steelband are serious about development when out of just ten bands in a competition, four arrangers come from Trinidad. The same applies to England as well where out of seven bands two (if you count Haffers as English) came from Trinidad. I suppose too that once a band has a winning formula they will not want to change it, but for development's sake take example from Antigua, where they only use their own local arrangers and music too.
Merrytones
I think you have it backwards Merrytones. Look at the type of arrangements and tunes the Trinidad arrangers put down in New York. It is as you said, modern. They would never do that in Trinidad. Trinidad Panorama music is stuck in a time warp. New York is always daring and innovative. I think that is because the players control the music taste in New York. And they are young, vibrant and are from all over the world.
New York has a great group of NY born arrangers that are changing pan music world wide. Look at Andy Akio, Kendall Williams, Odie Franklyn, Marc Brooks, Andre White...
bugs
…and that is precisely why N.Y. Bands no longer need to depend on Trinidad arrangers...
I agree Bugs, all those young arrangers in New York ready for prime time. I also like Leroy Clarke from London, they all can stand-up against the best from T&T.
The New York arrangers are revolutionizing the standards and expectations for a Panorama arrangement. Big up to you guys. Real music Andre White.
Bugs
Bugs,
I AGREE, you’ve said what some of us have seen evolving in front our eyes and ears NY PAN is on the RISE. If you have the ability to access these videos via YouTube on your surround- sound home-theater system, the realism of the sound captured is awesome. My T&T 2015 Panorama DVD audio is way below this production.
Thanks to WST and Basement Recordings in their continuing efforts to record and document this musical revolution. I also like the brand NY PAN.
Thanks ODW. Much appreciated.
WST/Basement Recordings continues to try capture the language, attitude and personalities of each orchestra. The steel orchestra is a very special living, breathing organism whose parts are connected and fueled by the joy and energy of humans.
Amrit you are indeed "ah boss". I love this arrangement and the different colors you were able to bring out from the band. I listened to recording with a beats headphones. The recording is awesome.
bugs