Story Time with Mr. Sanch – Forty Days with Dave Brubeck and TTEC Tropical Angel Harps Steel Orchestra
The legendary American pianist Dave Brubeck composed and released ‘Forty Days’ in 1965 for ‘Time In’, the forerunner to ‘Time Out’, the first Jazz album to sell over a million records. The refrain simulates Jesus Christ’s period of fasting in the Judean desert after Baptism and was later incorporated into Brubeck's oratorio - ‘The Light in the Wilderness.
In 2001, I recorded and produced a 15-track HDCD entitled ‘Sweet Melodies’ for a nine-member ensemble of “Crackshots” from TTEC Tropical Angel Harps Steel Orchestra at their Panyard in Enterprise Village just prior to a two-week tour of Tennessee, USA.
Played in Popular, Latin, Calypso, Reggae, and Jazz rhythms, the repertoire was cleverly arranged by the efficient Clarence Morris, a former champion pan soloist in Trinidad and Tobago (1982-84). The balanced, spacious, harmonious sound is embellished by Clarence’s instantaneous, inspired improvisations in the opening selection ‘Forty Days’.
The Covid-19 pandemic has caused pandemonium and panic for more than ten times forty days. However, this quintessential pan video, played at a comforting tempo, will evoke tranquillity and hope amidst anxiety, anguish, and suffering. It is serendipitous that steelpan intonation specialist Andy A. Neils, a Jazz enthusiast, is now the resident tuner for TTEC Tropical Angel Harps Steel Orchestra.
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