Blue blood music lovers of T&T are in for a special treat when Pamberi takes the stage at Studio 66, 66 Sixth Street, Barataria, on June 2 in a show entitled Take Five. Jazz in De Studio, features Pamberi, the San Juan steelband that has been winning over audiences in Europe, North America and the Caribbean, and especially in Japan, where they have made 19 tours thus far.
One of the most musically innovative steelbands in the world, Pamberi is long associated with originality, cutting its teeth with composer Godwin Bowen, then nurturing its own homegrown composers and arrangers, such as musical director, Brian Villafana, arranger Cheo Cato, and Reon Patterson.
This is not to say Pamberi does not play music by other composers. The band’s repertoire includes, among others, the music of Andre Tanker, Hugh Masekela, Lord Kitchener, Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie, Merchant, Bob Marley, Duke Ellington, Chick Corea, Horace Silver, Stevie Wonder and William Cepeda. So far, Pamberi has recorded 16 CDs and one DVD, releasing under French, Japanese and Caribbean labels.
Pamberi has shared the stage with notables like Paul Simon, Kool and the Gang, Third World, Neville Bros and Rueben Blades. The band has also accompanied Taj Mahal at the prestigious Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland in 2000.
Over the years, Pamberi has performed with musicians like Luther Francois and Raf Robertson and, for calypsonians like Relator, Black Stalin, Shadow, Scrunter and Crazy; soca artistes Iwer George and KMC; vocal groups H2O FLO and 3Canal. Pamberi had the distinguished honour of performing with Mamady Keita, one of the world’s greatest Djembe players from Guinea, West Africa.
Take Five is derived from one of Pamberi’s signature covers composed by Dave Brubeck and popularised by Tito Puente.
There will be a special guest appearance by the unforgettable Shanaqua, doing one of Raf Robertson’s compositions—Pan for Carnival—accompanied by Pamberi and described as one of the best pan songs ever written.
Admission to Take Five is $100, and showtime is 6:30 pm.
• Limited seating available and for further information and tickets, contact 675-1421; 343-0126; 353-8233; 786-6658.