New York - It was the power
of Praise, right alongside the Power of Pan at the Premier Baptist Church
(PBC) in Brooklyn last Saturday. Music director and arranger Khuent
Rose on steelpans joined with a couple other musicians to give those already
comfortably seated in plush red “pews” just a taste of what was to come,
setting the tone, even as proceedings were almost an hour behind the 7:00 p.m.
scheduled start time.
A two-tiered stage was set with glistening
pans and other conventional instruments, awaiting the moment to spring to
life in musical synchronicity; the pan players from Crossfire Steel Orchestra
(led by Martin “Dougie” Douglas) were also present - anxious and ready to
sound off with works arranged by Rose.
Douglas himself was crisply attired in a white shirt with black pants, the
former emblazoned with black print in full support of the steelpan art form.
Earlier on in the evening, last-minute details were being seen to, with the
steel orchestra having a brief sound check, and Khuent Rose
in his capacity of music director overseeing particulars, ensuring that all
was in place and would go according to plan.
PBC Singers Inga Wynn, Sheila Parson, Mildred Bodden and Norman
Ankle
officially kicked off the concert with gusto after the opening prayer and
welcome. They lifted the
concert goers - who included several
familiar congregants -
to spiritual heights and led in spontaneous praise and worship with songs of
choice Holy Are You Lord, Shout to the Lord, All My Help and I
Feel Like Running.
As PBC music director, Khuent Rose was on
keyboards with the house band that accompanied the gospel singers. Next up was featured artist and soprano soloist
Carla Fouché (pictured right), who simply stunned those listening, entreating, captivating and ministering to all
who would hear. The lusty applause that followed Fouché’s performance
said it all.
Then it was the turn of Crossfire Steel Orchestra, with Sparkle Demming, Navarre Mason
and Elizabeth McPherson on tenors; on double tenors-
Liddell Rose, Marlon Andrews; double seconds- Alicia Andrews; guitar- Olivia
Graham; cello- Khuent Rose; and on bass- Jelani
Williams and Tanika Phillips. Versatile and blooming all round
musician/steel pan player Iman Pascall this time around dutifully took up residence
behind the drums to skillfully steer Crossfire through their set.
Rounding off with Aldwyn Barton on congas, the group delivered an array which
featured uplifting favorites Stand up, Great is Thy Faithfulness (duet), and Deliverance. The
latter selection was encored, and joyfully ended the first half of the
program.
After a short intermission featuring truly delicious Caribbean-flavored
morsels prepared by the PBC hospitality committee and Crossfire Steel
Orchestra parents, it was
time to get back to the main item on the evening’s agenda - Music. This time
the band Evidence
(left),
took center stage with Don Goodridge,
Gerald and Lorenzo on bass, drums and
vocals respectively, and Steven Forde and Ezra Hoyte together on guitar. Little Brandon
(pictured lower right), around seven years old, was
featured laying down a very good percussion session on drums with a
competence that belied his stature and age - even though
one could barely see him behind the drum set!
Vocalist Carle Fouché
reached out, touched and soothed the souls and spirits of concert goers yet
again, before
Crossfire returned to close out the program with renditions of Total
Praise and Hallelujah. Iman Pascall resumed her role as
steel panist for the last selection, taking her place behind the cellos
relinquished by Rose as he in turn directed the band
as the group brought the curtains down on the
show. PBC’s
senior Pastor Robert Watler was vocal in his appreciation and praise for the
talent and work of all who put on, participated in and patronized the show, while inviting
everyone to continue
in their current spiritual “quest,” and of course to consider PBC for
assistance along their journey.
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In Pictures