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Rhythm & Blues and Reggae Rock Despers USA Pan Loft

 Pan Jam session at Despers USA Pan Loft
Pan Jam session at Despers USA Pan Loft

 

 Another When Steel Talks Exclusive     © 2011 When Steel Talks - All Rights Reserved

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New York, USA - Another weekend is upon us, but pan folks are still talking about their experience last weekend, conceptualized and brought to life by Despers USA.  On a sultry Sunday evening, ‘R&R’ was not for ‘rest and relaxation.’  Rather it signified that R&B and Reggae ruled and rocked the Pan Loft of Despers USA, as the panyard of one of New York’s veteran steel orchestras is affectionately known.  A great evening with a bit of humidity was the backdrop for some very good steelband music provided by four of the region’s top music organizations.

An event with a difference, it was a daring move by the younger members of Despers USA’s management team - that of having only R&B and Reggae - sans soca - reign supreme for several hours.  With the New York panorama season underway, and band launches already up and running, there will be without a doubt plenty of soca on steel to sweat through.  But in this R&R (R&B and Reggae) session, it was the music made popular by the likes of Chris Brown, Bruno Mars, Cee-Lo, Ne-Yo, Robin Thicke, Bob Marley, JC Lodge, Tarrus Riley, Dennis Edwards et al, which had the crowd moving.

 CASYM
CASYM

It was 9:00 p.m. when CASYM gave patrons a fabulous opener, dropping Bruno Mars’s Grenade, Commodores’ All Night Long and Cee-Lo’s Forget You, for a snappy and cleverly-selected first showing.  With the musical gauntlet thrown down, reigning New York panorama champs Sonatas Steel Orchestra stepped up to the plate not long after, delivering a cool, rhythmic session for pan lovers to ‘get their groove on.’  It included material highlighting the arranging talents of two members of Sonatas’ robust stage side, as well as the band’s panorama arranger Yohan Popwell (Just The Two of Us).  Orisha John’s work came to life in Seal’s Free, while a swanky steel version of She Ain’t You arranged by Mark Garceran rounded out the band’s R&B session.

 Sonatas
Sonatas

Then came the Queens-based Steel Sensation crew with their deliberately refined approach, taking the opportunity to deliver both their R&B and Reggae sessions in one go.  By the time it was over, the crowd was loud in their applause for the music set which showcased Lost Without You, Don’t Matter, Prison Walls, Call On Me, Jammin,’ Someone Loves You Honey, Forget You and Could You Be Loved.

Not to be outdone, hosts Despers USA took up the challenge with their R&B mini-marathon featuring Clement Franklin’s arrangements of One In A Million and Don’t Look Any Further, and son Odie Franklin’s version of Can We Talk.

 Steel Sensation
Steel Sensation

The unique musical evening, brainchild of Despers USA’s Kern Simon, took the innovative event concept one step further.  Simon was excited throughout the evening, talking to When Steel Talks (WST) about what was to come next.  The by-now fairly customary camaraderie prevalent among several of New York’s younger generation of steelpan musicians, came full circle in Simon’s idyllic vision of the coming together of a few players from the other bands in a jam session. 

 Mikhail Rodney
Mikhail Rodney

Becoming temporary “Despers” for a few minutes, they got behind the instruments of their hosts for the ‘jam.’  CASYM, Pantonic, Sonatas/Steel Sensation - they were all in the line-up as the music flowed for a short while, just before the high-spirited “Pan Ramajay” allowed representative members of each music organization - and a few other well-known faces on the Pan music scene - to individually show off their steelpan skills, to the immense delight of the crowd on hand - all to Ne-Yo’s hit One In A Million.   The “stars” included, but were not limited to Despers’ Wilfred “Wiz” Kieal and one of their phenomenal veteran players, Sterling “Sugars” Sample, Pantonic’s Wayne Bernard, CASYM’s Natalie Wint, and Khuent Rose.  Impromptu performances from Earl Brooks, Jr. and Duvone Stewart who happened to be at the event were also crowd-pleasers.

After a short break, steelpan player Mikhail Rodney exchanged his sticks for a mic as he rapped through a couple pieces.  The versatile Mustafa Alexander also had his turn on tenor in the spotlight as one of the event’s guest artists.  Additionally, with fine food and drink to be had, steelband lovers found ongoing opportunity to have both cravings fulfilled - culinary, as well as music to the max.

 Mustafa Alexander
Mustafa Alexander

Before the evening of R&R was over, the audience enjoyed the return of CASYM for their reggae wrap up with Jammin’, She’s Royal and No Woman No Cry.  In the same order as the first rounds, Sonatas then sounded out Marc Brooks’ arrangement of Rockaway and Waiting in Vain, the oldie goldie How About A Little Love from KC and the Sunshine Band with Yohan Popwell’s touch, and Gyptian’s Hold Yuh arranged by Joshua McPherson.  Despers USA’s Man Down arranged by Wilfred “Wiz” Kieal, and Never Dis the Man along with Too Experienced arranged by Odie Franklin, brought the curtains down on this “New York first” of R&B and Reggae on Steel.

Kernel Simon told WST that feedback on the show was simply great.  “People were like ‘this was one of the best shows...!  A lot of people have been asking for a recording!”  Kern shared happily.

In Pictures

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