By CP
Basement Press Writer

  A stunning display of musical mastery in steel unfolded at Reflections in Steel 2001 at the Whitman Theatre, Brooklyn College in Brooklyn on Friday 21 December 2001.

Once again, its hats off to the USSA for this pioneering event that showcased the premier pan orchestras in the US in a fresh, new Christmas production that was daring and visionary.

New York Panorama 2001 champions Pantonic, along with Sonatas, Adlib, Despers USA, Pan Rebels and Dem Stars, were charged with illustrating the versatility and range of the Steelpan in a multitude of musical settings, each by performing four selections comprising one tune of choice, one Sparrow-composed calypso (Reflections in Steel 2001 paid homage to the calypso King of the World, the Mighty Sparrow a.k.a. Slinger Francisco), one Christmas carol, and one Parang piece.

Pantonic steel orchestra was extremely energetic and lively, leaving little doubt as to why they are the 2001 Panorama champs, while quite noteworthy and not to be outdone, was Pan Rebels’ novel twinning of their panterpretation of the Christmas classic Have yourself a Merry Little Christmas with the vocals of soloist Michelle Williams, and What’s Going On with trumpeter Gary Rogers.  Their parang piece re-introduced (and reminded the more knowledgeable in the audience of) the box bass as an integral part of parang music.

Despers USA were crisp, clean and tight in their arrangements, Adlib’s attention to detail stood out with their exquisite dynamics, while Sonatas refreshing jazz-panterpretations demanded notice and acknowledgement of the overall best arrangements.  Dem Stars rounded out the all-star pan cast with distinctive and enjoyable performances of their own, with the only non-pan performance coming from the evening’s honoree the Calypso King of the World himself, the Mighty Sparrow who graced the stage with his royal presence.

Garvin Blake, ace jazz pannist raised the bar in expectations from the Steelpan with his scintillating solos, panterpretation and searing renditions that left the crowd almost delirious with delight as they savored the sounds.  The crowd’s reactions to the entire evening’s events left no doubt patrons were in total awe of their experience at Reflections in Steel 2001 from the musical morsels meted out.

The much heralded Basement Recordings-produced USSA Panorama 2001 concert CD and Video were on sale at the show, and were snapped up by eager patrons who had their appetite whetted and sated for more of what they heard and saw at Reflections. 

Not only is the Reflections in Steel 2001 concert another notch in the USSA’s belt, but it is yet another ground-breaking and historical occurrence in the history of the New York steel orchestra scene, as the successful staging of a musical event that featured 99% pan music without the traditional backdrop of Labour Day festivities and outside the Panorama arena, had never even been conceived, much less pulled off.

The steelband concert proclaimed that which is well known by many, but to which the masses worldwide are now being awakened – the steelband is indeed the premier musical instrument of the 20^th century, and is making its thundering declaration of this in the 21^st.

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