Thursday, December 20, 2012
Thursday, December 13, 2012
Musicians needed for Advanced steel drum class
We're looking for 5 capable musicians to join our steel drum group in the eastbay. Requires discipline and a willingness to learn. Helps if you read music but not essential. Call Harry at PanWest Caribbean Steelpan Music Center in El Cerrito: 510 222 1123.
New Digital Pan Sounds available for panKAT
New digital pan sound samples are now available for the panKAT. See link below:
http://www.alternatemode.com/soundlibraries/indigisounds.shtml
Holiday Pan Jam!
Harry Best and friends will host a special holiday pan concert this Saturday, Dec. 15, 8pm at Soccer4, 2101 Telegraph Ave, Oakland. Come enjoy the holidays with some warm Caribbean steelpan sounds. Admission is free! Harry will have his newly released CD on sale. Also available on Amazon.com, Cdbaby.com and kakesa.com. Call 510 222 1123 for more info.
Free Beginners Pan Classes Every Monday night
We are now offering FREE beginners pan classes every Monday night at 7pm. Just drop in. Our address is 10855 San Pablo Ave. in El Cerrito 94530.
Steelpan Package for sale
Former student is selling her pan, case, stand and music stand at a bargain price. Call Harry if you're interested 510 222 1123.
Wednesday, August 22, 2012
Friday Night Pan Lime!
Come play a tune, listen or just hang out, 8-12midnite. Bring
a friend. Beverages on sale. PanWest 10855 San Pablo Ave, El Cerrito CA 94530.
PanWest to showcase students at Solano Stroll
PanWest students from San Rafael will showcase their talents at the 38th Annual Solano Avenue Stroll, "Step into the future", Sunday, September 9 between 11am and 1pm. Among those performing will be Glenn Bowland, Linda Fox, Albert DeLima, Maureen Delema, Megan Black, Louise Yost and Margie Wade. The students' set will be followed by Shabang Steel Drum Trio featuring Harry Best, Dexter Bruce and Ed McCarver.
Since 1974, The merchants,
restaurants, and professionals, as well as the twin cities of Albany
and Berkeley CA, have hosted the Solano Avenue Stroll, the east bay's
largest street festival! The Solano Avenue Merchants Association
invites you to come and see what makes Solano Avenue such a wonderful
place.
Over five hundred vendors,
non-profit organizations, food booths and entertainers!
Participants and the event
guests visit from everywhere throughout California; as well as
neighboring states from Nevada to Maine.
The fun begins at 10 am with
the opening of Solano Avenue businesses and Stroll booths and the
kick-off is the theme parade with about 100 groups.
After the parade, you can
visit one of 50 entertainers, 50 food booths, 150 juried arts and
crafters, state of the art mechanical rides, and 150 community
non-profit and government organizations, not to mention the unique and
popular professional services, restaurants, and shops already here on
Solano Avenue.
You will hear the best in
local music, dance and other performances and absolutely stunning
costumes from all over the globe!
This is a family event! A special area set aside just for kids offers giant slides,
carnival games, clowns, jugglers, stilt walkers, face painters,
magicians, and maybe even wizards and elves -- come and see
for yourselves...
Come join us for an
afternoon in the sun.
Monday, August 20, 2012
Help Needed, Save on Registration-Tuition Fees!
- e-commerce
- publicity/PR
- booking and managment
- steelpan mallet crafting
Sunday, August 19, 2012
PanWest Open House a resounding success
- the Best family, especially my wife Romaine, our mothers, my sons, my brother and his family, the whole Best clan.;
- Claude Gonzalez for landing the building for us and for the numberless conversations on pan.
- Duvone Stewart for his special appearance and for lighting up the crowd.
- fellow musicians and students at the different community centers.
- everyone who turned up to celebrate the Grand Opening and those who intend to join us in activities
We feel a sense of fraternity with all others who play the instrument, regardless of what level of proficiency.
At PanWest, we feel pan is an instrument not just of music but also community. We truly believe that is the purpose of it's emergence. And if you take the time to track it's evolution you will see that everywhere a pan program exists you have the nucleus of a community.
We also believe that music and the arts is where the answer to our societal woes lies. Because everyone is a creator whether in music or another art form. It's this belief that inspires our mission statement here in this venture:
PanWest is dedicated to enlightening people to their own musical potential. At PanWest we see everyone as a musician whether or not they have ever played a steel drum/pan. We recognize that in each of us is a creative spirit with a unique voice. We believe that for the sake of health that voice needs to be expressed. When that voice is a steel drum/pan, we provide products and support that help that voice come forth.
We are about more than teaching steel drum/pan music. We are about the healing power of music to meet human need for joy. That's why we encourage and support efforts of individuals and groups who work to bring steel drum/pan music to their community. It is our goal to use our mental, physical, and spiritual resources to enrich the lives of our students, teachers, and supporters through steel drum/pan music.
In this
way we hope to enlighten you to your own wonderful musical potential and by
doing so add harmony to this world.
We invite you to come join our musical community and enjoy a most unique art form that validates you as the creator you are. Bring your children and family members. Make it a family activity. We promise you will gain more benefits and improve the quality of life for you and your family better than any other activity we can think of.
We welcome you and assure you that whether you take our classes or not this will always be a haven for you when you need to enjoy the soothing sounds of pan to relieve the stresses of the day.
Once again, thanks to all of you.
Saturday, July 21, 2012
PanWest CSMC Announcement and FAQs
Announcement:
We are waiving the registration fee for the first 20 students who enroll
before Aug. 20. See Registration Form below.
Some FAQs
Q: Are pans provided for the class or do students have to bring
their own?
A: We provide all the pans for the classes but students are welcome to
bring their own.
Q: Does anyone rent pans(so I could practice and/or have them for class
if needed)?
A: We don't know of anyone else who rents pans and all our pans will be
in use at the Center. But if there is enough interest in renting we will
look into bringing in more pans.
Q: Is a double seconds spot in the class still open?
A: Yes, Double seconds are open.
Q: Will the classes run for a certain # of weeks then finish with a
performance, or will the class just run open-ended? If a performance, do
you know that date?
A: The classes will run open-ended and we plan to have quarterly
performances but no date has been chosen until we know what the full
enrollment will be.
Q: I'd love to do the Thursday class but couldn't because I already have
a commitment that night of the week.
A: For now the classes are set tentatively. If more members in the
Intermediate class would rather meet on Thursdays or vice versa we would
consider switching them.
Q: Is the Adults reading/rhythm class included in the tuition or is that
a separate fee? Should I do that, too?
A:Right now, the reading/rhythm is offered as part of the tuition and
is optional, as needed.
The Pandamentals class is also free to all registered students. It's
intensive and is really aimed at mastering the instrument.
Please send your questions and/or suggestions to panwestcsmc@gmail.com,
or call 510 222 1123.
REGISTRATION FORM
Student Name:
Last__________________________
First______________________
Address:
Number &
Street__________________________________________
City________________State_____
Zip____________________
Telephone:
Day__________________________
Evening________________
Email:________________________
Date of Birth:___________
Father's Name
(Youth)___________________________
Mother's Name (Youth)___________________________
Previous Study: Instrument/Number
of Years:
_______________________________________________________
Registration Fee: $35.00
individual/$50.00 family per year________
Class Tuition: $100/month (10%
discount to former students of Harry Best and one referral of their choice; 20% Discount for additional
family members)
Make check payable to: PanWest
CSMC Amount Enclosed: _____________
(Please circle one)
MC, Visa, Disc,#
__________________________
Exp Date: ____________ Zip Code
________________________
Signature:
______________________________________________
Mail Form to: PanWest CSMC 10855 San Pablo Ave. El Cerrito
CA 94530
Tuesday, July 10, 2012
PanWest CSMC Open House
You are invited to the Grand Opening of the PanWest Caribbean Steelpan Music Center. Open House August 18, 3-7pm. Bring a friend. 10855 San Pablo Ave El Cerrito CA 94530. 510 222 1123. Meet and greet other Bay Area pan musicians and learn about PanWest plans and programs for the future. Classes begin Monday August 20.
Join PanWest Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/323445861080320/
Sunday, July 08, 2012
Saturday, July 07, 2012
Sharon Baird with the 'Bang Band
Sharon Baird with Ed McCarver (L) and Dexter Bruce (R) of Shabang at Sam's Chowder House in Half Moon Bay June 16, 2012. Trio did a repeat performance July 7.
Thursday, July 05, 2012
PanWest CSMC program set to launch in August
10855 San Pablo Ave. El Cerrito CA 94530 - 510 222 1123
We have finalized terms with our landlord and classes are set to begin the week of August 19. Here is what the monthly program looks like right now. Things could change as we progress:
Mondays
Kids/Jumbies (Beginners) – Reading and Rhythm (4-5pm)
Kids/Jumbies (Beginners) – Jumbie Jam Tunes (5-6pm)
Adults/Beginners – Rhythm and Reading (6-7pm)
Adults/Beginners Pan Tunes (7-8pm)
Tuesdays* (Pickleweed Community Center, San Rafael)
Beginning Caribbean Steelpans 6-7pm
Intermediate Caribbean Steelpans 7-8pm
Wednesdays
Kids/Pandaleros (Intermediates) – Reading and Rhythm (5-6pm)
Kids/Pandaleros Steelband – (6-7pm)
Adults - Rhythm and Reading (7-8pm)
Adults – Cerritos Intermediate Steelband (8-9pm)
Thursdays
Adults – Panchant Advanced Steelband (7-9pm)
Fridays
Caribbean Film Festival (8-10pm)
Saturdays
Pandaleros Pandamentals 10-11am
Adults Pandamentals 11-12noon
Private Lessons 12-5pm
Small Ensemble Performances (Fourth Saturday) – 7:30-9:30pm
Sundays
Pan in the Park Jam sessions (check for schedule) (3-6pm)
*El Cerrito CSMC closed.
Monday, June 11, 2012
PanWest Caribbean Steelpan Music Center
This is our proposed headquarters for the new Caribbean Steelpan Music Center. It is located at 10855 San Pablo Ave in El Cerrito. We have an agreement in principle with the owners of the building. The details will be ironed out soon and we plan to begin classes in August. We will be releasing more information on the program and classes as we progress. Thanks for the great show of support!
Saturday, June 09, 2012
Friday, June 08, 2012
Bellstars New Pete Engelhart creation
Bellstars
Configured by Harry Best
Designed and created by Pete Englehart
2012©
- Fully Chromatic – C#
- Wholetone inverted images on each side
- Geometrical symmetry
- Played with hands or rubber tipped mallets
Pete Engelhart
Pete Engelhart began crafting metal percussion instruments after spending time in Brazil in the 1950's. He combined his life long love of jazz, knowledge of Latin rhythms and sounds, and his ability as an artist to produce complicated resonant tuned bells.Pete has now been handcrafting metal percussion for nearly 43 years. He has designed a large variety of highly creative instruments that are now used worldwide by many professional musicians.
This current line of 9 instruments has been designed to fill the basic needs of the working drummer / percussionist. It represents the essential toolkit for the modern drummer. The metal instruments are all hand made with care by Pete Engelhart. The bells are made of heavy gauge metal and are individually tuned.
Harry Best
Harry Best is a professional steelpan player and innovator
and enjoys exploring the correspondences between music and geometry especially
as it relates to the steelpan.
This configuration was inspired by the Ellie Manette
standard pattern for the double second steelpans. The right side of the
Bellstars is an exact image of the right side of the Manette double seconds.
Harry simply created an inverted symmetry on the left side.
Tuesday, June 05, 2012
Guppy lead for sale
Mr. FixIt readies pan float for T&T Steel at SF Carnaval
Carlyle, Mr. Fixit! the hardest working man in the Bay Area built the float in the eastbay, towed it to SF at 5am, made all the secure adjustments then joined the rhythm section for a hot jam down the road.
Pan on the road in SF Carnaval
Pan rep at Black History Celebration
PanWoman Sharon Baird and Harry Best share a moment with Rev. Richard A. Roberts of the San Francisco Community Fellowship at a Black History celebration in Daly City.
Thursday, May 24, 2012
New Steelpan Program to Launch in East Bay
Friday, May 18, 2012
Stanford's Cardinal Calypso in Blue Panic
Stanford's Cardinal Calypso in 'blue' (we won't tell CAL)playing Adam Genecov's Beat Panic at a May 11 spring concert in Toyon Hall.
Thursday, May 17, 2012
Third Annual Pan Ramajay Summer Steel Drum Festival
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Steel Jams in May
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At Intuitive Surgical, Inc. "TGIF" party: |
At ISES Eventworld Conference at
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A small graduation party, a company picnic for hundreds, or a
conference for thousands--Steel Jam makes the entertainment a success!Harmonics Revival
Former members of the Harmonics Steelband had a rare get together at the Hyatt Regency in Monterey last night. L-R: Fogi Glasgow on 3-Cellos, Paul Sangg on DSeconds, Harry Best on LTenor, and Peter Best on DSeconds.
Saturday, May 05, 2012
Spiceman Pan at the Vallejo Farmers' Market
Paul Snagg's setup at the Vallejo Farmers' Market on this beautiful day!
Pan Gold at Richmond - Shimada Sister City Festival
Panman Phil Hawkins plays with Ray Obiedo at a concert last Saturday at the Richmond Auditorium for the Festival of Gold: Richmond-Shimada Japan sister city celebration.
Asheba rings out a tune with the little Pan darlings
Asheba entertaining the kids at Whole Foods in Oakland April 22.
Glorious Day for Pan at the Farmers' Market
Sun cam out early today heralding a glorious day for pan playing around the Bay. Most appreciated at this Farmers' Market in El Cerrito where Harry Best was doing his thing.
Thursday, May 03, 2012
Cardinal Calypso Goes Blue for Spring Show
Just wanted to notify you guys about our spring show if you want
to/have time to come down and watch. It's May 11th from 7-8:30pm at
Toyon Hall on campus: we'd be excited to have you and you guys. If there are other people in the
area that you think would be interested feel free to invite them. Below
is a blurb I made for people who have had us play for them this year so
feel free to forward the info and the flyer to whomever.
Gracias!
Akwasi
We wanted to present you with an opportunity to come see us perform in our biggest show of the year from 7:00 to 8:30pm on Friday, May 11th! This
year, the show is called Blue Pan Group (steeldrums are actually called
steelPANS... and we like puns) and will feature most of our new
repertoire from this year (including an original piece), Blue Man Group
themed skits for comic relief, and random blue and non-blue antics.
Also, if you're a fan of decorations, costumes, and random giveaways...
you might enjoy the show. This is our chance to present all of our work
- in a more informal way - to the Stanford community and all else who
want to come and listen.
There is limited parking in the back (at the end of Buckeye Ln) and
on nearby streets (Serra and Escondido). Parking is also free on the
the weekends (weekends start at 4pm on Friday). It will be free for anyone with a Stanford ID and only $5 for those without.
RSVP is not necessary, but please notify us if you are planning on
bringing a large group of people; Toyon has space for about 200 people
and we want to make sure people can be comfortable.
Please forward the attached flyer below to
people in your dorm, department, school, colleague groups, friend
groups, and/or emailing lists that you think would be interested: it's a
show for everyone so invite anyone you want! It should be known that if
the show were a movie, it might be rated PG-13: only in terms of
language - there may be a couple clips of limited curse words.
Feel free to check out clips of our last spring show, Discalypso, on our site and/or Facebook page and/or Youtube channel.
If
you can't make it to the show, there are a plethora of campus events at
which you may catch us playing one of our sets. You can be updated
about them on our site as well (click on the gig to see details and
check if it is open to the public): http//:cardinalcalypso.stanford.edu
Hope to see you there!
Akwasi Abrefah - Emma Sagan - Adam Genecov
Co-Presidents - Cardinal Calypso
Wednesday, May 02, 2012
2CanPan Duo of Moraga CA
Husband and wife duo Yvonne and Mike light up the Moraga Farmers' Market with some sweet pan playing Jimmy Buffett's Volcano.
Harmonics sighting!
Paul Snagg and Peter Best of the Harmonics in Redwood City Health Fair April 21.
Sharon Baird and Our Boys on the Road for SF Carnaval
Sharon Baird will be leading the Trinidad and Tobago Steelband on the road in the San Francisco Carnaval Memorial Day weekend. Parade starts at 10am on Mission Street.
Come out and join for us for a day of steelpan music on de road for the SF Carnival with the Trinidad and Tobago Steelpan along former members from Our Boys Steel Orchestra, Bruce, Sharon, Ollison, Skiffle Bunch and The Coffee Boys member, Terry Kinsale Figuera, Chabot Panhandlers member Anna Talamo, along with lengendary percussionist Val Serrant, Zwadie - Grenada, Hugh Humphrey - T&T, Carlyle Garrett - St. Vincent, Harry Best - St Lucia, La Mantia (Liz) - Cali and a host of others. De truck will be on de road, with pulsating steelpan music for yuh to wine yuh bumcy, play yuh self or shake yuh tailfeather..de choice is YOURS.
Come out and join for us for a day of steelpan music on de road for the SF Carnival with the Trinidad and Tobago Steelpan along former members from Our Boys Steel Orchestra, Bruce, Sharon, Ollison, Skiffle Bunch and The Coffee Boys member, Terry Kinsale Figuera, Chabot Panhandlers member Anna Talamo, along with lengendary percussionist Val Serrant, Zwadie - Grenada, Hugh Humphrey - T&T, Carlyle Garrett - St. Vincent, Harry Best - St Lucia, La Mantia (Liz) - Cali and a host of others. De truck will be on de road, with pulsating steelpan music for yuh to wine yuh bumcy, play yuh self or shake yuh tailfeather..de choice is YOURS.
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