LABOR DAY WKND: Get ready for New York’s Panorama Finals!

CASYM Steel Orchestra

With Tropical Storm Irene now but a memory, all systems are a go for this weekend’s West Indian Carnival celebrations in New York.

Tomorrow, the grounds of the Brooklyn Museum will throb to the sound of sweet pan when ten steelbands with their arrangers in tow, clash in a royal battle in the Panorama final.The last band standing will be declared the pan champion of 2011.

Word on Brooklyn streets is that Arddin Herbert and Casym, buoyed by Arddin’s fourth placing this year with Caribbean Airlines Invaders in Trinidad and Tobago’s National Panorama finals, is taking no prisoners with Doh Be On Dat. Herbert is coming with guns blazing and is hoping to beat Yohan Popwell and Pan Sonatas like a bobolee, the ignoble traditional Good Friday character.

Popwell is banking to run pole to pole with Showtime. Another name making the rounds is Terrence Marcelle (BJ) whose interpretation of Benjai’s Trini is expected to lift D’Radoes to top spot. Other arrangers looking for that Trini flavour are newcomer Odie Franklin of Despers USA. It will be interesting to see what Odie has to offer.

Another name in the mix is the fast-rising Leon Foster Thomas whose Crossfire is expected to heat up the place. Like Benjai’s Trini, Destra’s Calling Meh gets a look-in from three bands—Metro (Seion Gomez), Pantonic (Keith Roberts), and, the grand-daddy of arrangers Eddie Quarless with Harmony. Andre White of Ad Lib (Do Something for Pan) and Boston Metro’s Glen Gabriel are tackling Soca Night.

Tomorrow’s NY Panorama final is expected to be one of the hottest and keenest in years.

Read more of Peter Ray Blood’s story HERE