New York
- The
2010 late-March “Gospelypso”
concert that
featured
eight New
York-area
steel orchestras
was actually
the replacement
event for the
cancelled
Christmas
concert back in December
due to a
severe snow
storm.
This time
the concert
would be
based on
a
“Gospel/Calypso
Theme” -
hence
“Gospelypso.”
Regardless
of the name,
it was a
terrific
musical experience
and moreover
a thematic
and artistic
success.
The audience
was both discerning
and supportive.
Marrying the
Gospel music
theme with that
of Calypso/Soca
in an urban
setting that
has deep roots
in both genres,
is not the easiest
of musical tasks
to pull off.
However, this
concert’s participants
did so with
amazing ease.
New York is
the largest
center of steelpan
musicians, steelpan
music fans and
enthusiasts
outside of Trinidad
and Tobago.
There are literally
thousands of
highly skilled
and talented
current and
past players
of this tuned
percussion instrument
known as the
steelpan, all
over the New
York city area.
This was the
first public
event sponsored
by the new USSA
(United States
Steelband Association)
administration.
Following up
on their attitude
of less “talk”
and more “get
it done,” USSA
was focused
and activated.
Public relations
officer Magnus
Scanterbury
recently said
that the operating
theme of the
organization
from now on
would be “For
Us, By Us and
With Us.”
With Gospelypso,
the event’s
achievement
seems to have
completely embodied
this thought
process and
mandate.
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