Teague dazzles Queen’s Hall

Professionally referred to as “The Paganini of Pan,” an accolade bestowed on him for his undoubted prowess on the instrument, pannist Liam Teague dazzled a receptive audience with his brilliance when he appeared in concert at Queen’s Hall, St Ann’s, last Sunday evening.

Sharing the spotlight with Teague in the presentation by The Patrons of Queen’s Hall was his performance partner, pianist Robert Chappell, Head of Percussion Studies at Northern Illinois University (NIU), the institution where Teague earned his Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree in Music (Steel Pan). Chappell had visited this country on the occasion of the World Steelband Music Festival staged in 2001. Together, the very proficient duo used the programme’s first half to showcase their artistry in interpreting seven classical selections inclusive of Johan Sebastien Bach’s “Violin Concerto No 1 in A Minor,” J H Fiocco’s “Allegro,” G H Green’s “Triplets,” N Paganini’s “Perpetual Motion,” Teague’s “The Honey Bee” and “Raindrops,” and Chappel’s “Panoraga.”

The last was a serious musical  statement featuring Chappel on the tabla and Teague on tenor pan. Chappel, a multi-instrumentalist, is a composer in contemporary jazz and cross culture idioms. His interest in world percussion resulted in a detailed study of the East Indian tabla that eventually led to the creative composition “Panoraga,” based on the Hindustani classical music of North India. It was Teague’s first concert on home soil in ten years. The last occasion was when he appeared with the National Youth Orchestra prior to his departure for NIU. He spoke intelligently to the audience, stating how “extremely proud” he felt in being able to showcase the steelpan to the world, and return home to appear in concert  “to show what I have learnt.”

He presented, as a guest performer, junior female pannist Mia Gormandy who won justified applause for her spirited interpretation of “Flight Of The Bumble Bee.”  For the playbill’s second half, the duo was joined by esteemed musicians, Wayne Bruno on guitar, Barry Howard on drums and Albert Bushe Jnr on bass guitar. This segment, comprising a variety of well-chosen pieces, allowed for each member of the group to deliver exciting solos on their instruments. Among the choices were Teague’s “Hands Like Lightning,” Ralph Mac Donald’s “Mr Magic,” David Rudder’s “The Hammer,” “Hear That Rainy Day,” “Tico Tico” by Abreu and de Oliveriral, and “Thank You Kitchie,” a combination of the late Kitchener’s calypsoes arranged by Teague that won audience approval and earned a loud encore. Before the programme ended, Teague offered floral tributes to his parents, Pearl and Russell, as well as long time friend and mentor Shirley James.