Pan Masters Does it Again!
2007 Steelband Jamboree a Success
Audiences
Color Show Program
Maryland -
The place to be this past Memorial weekend was at the annual Pan
Masters Steelband Jamboree. The show attendees were treated to
high level steelband music performances by a variety of steel orchestras
from across the US North east regional area. This year was
particularly special as steelbands traveled from as far as Ohio to
participate in the show.
This year's performers included Pantonic Steel Orchestra (Brooklyn, NY),
St. Veronica's Youth Steel Orchestra (Baltimore, MD), Positive
Vibrations Youth Steel Orchestra (Hyattsville, MD), Walnut Hills High
School Steelband (Cincinnati, OH), Rhythm Project All Stars (Hampton,
VA), DC Pan Jammers (Washington, DC), Harbor Knights Youth Steel
Orchestra (Baltimore, MD), Michael George, the One Man Band (Maryland)
and Pan Masters Steel Orchestra (North Brentwood, MD).
The Maryland-based Pan Masters steel orchestra, in addition to performing
at the event played host, organizer and producer to the entire affair.
The theme of this year's event was "One Love". The
performers, the audience and the organizers all embraced this year's
concept. In spite of some moments of intense rain showers the show
went on without as much as a hiccup. Moreover, the patrons remained
after the rains and even more continued to enter the show's compound
afterwards. What was interesting to note was the considerable
number of young children in the audience, thoroughly enraptured by the
display of the performances, and the sound of steelpans.
In tennis there is the Wimbledon, in golf there is the Masters and in
basketball there are the NCAA's - and in pan one can expect that this
Jamboree will become one of the première steelband music invitationals in
the country in a few years. This is based solely on our personal
experience and observations, the rate of improvements over the last
few years - and the organizers' vision and commitment to putting thought and
ideas into action. At the event all of the Pan Masters (literally
from the president on down) organizational members could be seen busily
working attending to tasks, 'outing fires' and problem-solving to keep the
show running smoothly.
When the rain showers broke out none other than the president of Pan
Masters himself came over with wood, hammer and nails and constructed a
roof to shelter WST from the elements and allow us to continue our
coverage of the event.
.
Walnut
Hills High School Drum Band
As we alluded to earlier the presence of Walnut
Hills High School Drum Band (WHHS) at this year's Jamboree was indeed a
bonus. The Cincinnati, Ohio-based organization has more than fifty
performing members. Unfortunately, for us WHHS Steel Drum Band and
two additional bands had already finished performing by the time WST had
arrived at the show, but by all accounts their performance was very, very
well received. We caught the end performances of vastly-improved Harbor Knight Youth Steel Orchestra.
Their varied and well-executed repertoire pleased the audience, and their
performance of Crazy's "Cold Sweat" left the audience applauding and
clamoring for more. Positive Vibrations
Youth Steel Orchestra had the audience jumping with their
spirited performance of "Soca Warriors" under the tutelage of none other
than renowned Trinidad All stars arranger Leon "Smooth" Edwards. In
addition, they displayed their versatility, as they dropped a taste of
classics and gospel, with a moving version of "Oh Happy Day" on the crowd.
.
Pan
Masters
DC Pan Jammers were on top of their game as
they delivered a series of crowd pleasers.
Their rousing rendition
of "Band From Space" had the crowd singing.
Pantonic Steel Orchestra, the provable champions, reminding
everyone why they are one of New York's finest, brought their
undeniably
crowd-pleasing routine to the jamboree. Their well-chosen musical mix
included "Don't Leave Me This Way", "Tiny Winey" and "Rebecca."
As with other bands, the New Yorkers had the audience singing along with their rendition of
David Rudder's "High Mas;" all the selections delivered in a very short but effective set due to time
constraints. Pan Masters showed why
they are one of the best steel orchestras in their region as the host
band wowed the audience with an opening rendition of Explainer's
"All Exclusive," with a follow-up of Len 'Boogsie' Sharpe's "Sharing
Licks." Pan Masters left nothing to the imagination or in
doubt - they brought
all to the table.
.
Harbor
Knight Youth Steel Orchestra
This year the organizers changed the performance area to a ground level
stage and built a nice roofing that shielded the early performances from
the elements. That worked real well. The organizers also moved
away from the double-stage setting utilized last year, which resulted in a longer down time
between bands. We are sure Pan Master's management is already on
the case in terms of improving time management. Pan Masters is a
special organization doing great things. If your organization is
lucky enough to get an invite to perform at this function you are in
good company. The Pan Masters Jamboree can easily become a
Steelband Music Performing Summit involving the best bands in the USA.
One thing is for sure: on Memorial weekend the place to be at for great
steelpan music is the Pan Masters annual jamboree. The only item
missing to put the icing on this 'cake' would have been a superb quality,
professionally-produced
CD and/or DVD of the entire event, to document and relive this
exciting and memorable display of musical talent of May 27, 2007.
Steel Pan Jazz Concert
in New York
David Rudder,
Robert Greenidge & Ralph
McDonald
Steelpan
Jazz comes to the House of Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York City
as Abstract Entertainment presents its annual Steel Pan Jazz concert
on June 16th 2007 on Father's Day weekend. This year's concert will feature internationally famous
vocalist David Rudder, veteran steelpan master Robert Greenidge and
famed percussionist/recording artist Ralph McDonald. This
annual concert is one of the world's most sought after steelpan music
events.