A Class Act:
Steelpan and Alice Tully Hall





New York - June



The almost sold-out, 1,096-seat Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center was
host to an innovative musical showpiece entitled An Acoustic
Revolution: A Steel Pan Jazz concert. Premiere artists from the
global pan community commanded attention for three hours on the Sunday
evening affair, featuring the likes of the ADLIB Youth Symphony, who
filled the hall with jazz-influenced standards interpreted in steel.
The fifteen-member orchestra moved expertly through a musical vista of
pan works as the opening act. Andy Narell, who is a proven staple in
the pan world, took the stage with his band directly after and
delivered an infectious session to which the near-capacity audience
responded favorably.



There were two awards given out during the evening - a Visionary award
to living legend drummer Max Roach - Buddy Williams accepted on his
behalf, and a Lifetime Achievement award to improvisational pan jazz
solo great Emmanuel Riley, a pioneer and legend in the steelpan world.
New York-based 98.7 Kiss FM's Lenny Green hosted the pan jazz
concert, which was sponsored in part by WBGO Jazz 88.3 FM and WWRL1600
AM.



After the short intermission New York's own star pannist Garvin Blake
was center stage, accompanied by his band which comprised accomplished
musicians in their own right - including ace arranger and
world-renowned keyboardist Frankie McIntosh and the respected and
multi-talented Tony Cedras on guitar and accordion. Blake decided on
a traditionally-tinged repertoire which struck the right chords with
the audience who sang right along; in fact Blake and company received
a standing ovation. US-based academic and pannist Liam Teague was the
final pan artist for the evening and gave the crowd a combination of
sax and steel, with Arturo Tappin on the former. Veteran great Buddy
Williams on drums and Gary Haase on bass were part of Teague's
complement.



From comments during and after the show - that overall, people were
quite pleased - would be an understatement! With no conflicts of
impact, the event went off with the professional deftness expected
from one held at such a venue. What appeared to be sometimes rather
abrupt endings unexpected by most of the artists themselves, upon
investigation turned out to be their own penchant for understandably
enjoying their on-stage presentations, to the extent that they
over-ran the strict time limitations communicated to them prior to the
event.



Of special note were the sound reinforcement arrangements, as, with
the exception of the ADLIB Steel Symphony who took full advantage of
Alice Tully's natural sonic beauty - the acts were all superbly miked
with the emphasis on complimenting the performances rather than
amplification - no small feat in a hall specially constructed
primarily for natural acoustics.



The entire package, as produced under the aegis of Abstract
Entertainment, Inc. headed by businessman Ralph k. Ramsey, is just one
of the catalog of works for the company. Based on the acclaim and
positive feedback, Ramsey is looking forward to next year's monster
production. The 2005 initiative of the Steel pan jazz show is already
on the drawing board, with talks on-going with artists who are hoping
to be part of that box office draw line-up. Go to
http://www.tropicalsensation.com/reviews/ for pictures and more
information on the event.