Photos: Rudy Lu

If you have heard steel pan drums before, it is likely to be with Caribbean music. Jonathan Scales is determined to have audiences hear its musical tones in other settings and genres.

Bela Fleck has revolutionized where and what context we hear the banjo. Jonathan is doing the same with the steel pan drums.

With no real setlist and accompanied by topnotch bassist E’lon Jid and drummer Maison Guidry we embarked on a musical journey that took us through classical, hiphop, jazz, rock, r&b, soul, jam-band and back.

Per Jonathan, most of the music doesn’t originate from the brain but from the body. The brain then receives the information and feedbacks the information on what else to play.There were compositions that were introduced as a journey from Johann Sebastian Bach to Dr. Dre. Another was dedicated to fellow musical pioneer Bela Fleck “Lurkin”.

During much of the performance, Jonathan would either be playing the pans together with the band, or standing back letting E’lon and Maison play. He did perform “Airborne” solo.
This was composed to express the feeling of jumping out of a plane and parachuting to the ground. Jonathan is an army brat, his father was soldier in the 82nd airborne.

The musical mayhem of the set turned into civilized actual mayhem. Jonathan invited the audience to climb onto the stage and in front of the stage for the final 2 performances of the night. The Fourchestra is not unfamiliar with large crowds. They do participate in many outdoor festivals all over North America and the world. This performance was definitely worth a trip outside the 518. They will be playing @ the Rochester Jazz Festival on June 22nd as part of a tour that will bring them to the South and then Europe.

Opening was the duo known as Strange Weather. A husband and wife team of Sean and Callie Brennan. This duo is one of Marlboro’s newest transplants. It was great to see this indie psychedelic duo bring their talents to the Hudson Valley. One of their compositions “Rip Van Winkle” seemed tailored to the region.

The 3.75 round trip to Marlboro on this how summer day was certainly worthwhile.

Jonathan Scales Fourchestra is on Ropeadope and La’Rue Records. Strange Weather can be followed on by clicking here.

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