Almost three years ago to the date friends, family, and fans gathered together to pay homage to a man who had the divine ability to make steel pans sing.

Clive Bradley died at the tender age of 69 but not before earning the title of master pan arranger. A big title for a man whose musical capabilities far outweighed his formal musical knowledge.

Being called a musical genius was a phenomenal compliment for Bradley, considering that he was given his big musical break by another maestro in the calypso world, Mr. Roy Cape of Roy Cape and the Allstars. At the age of 32, Bradley was thrust into his first Panorama competition with his composition of the Sparrow hit- Mr. Walker in 1968. This arrangement earned him a place in the finals, a place that would soon become a second home for Bradley and his compositions.

Clive Bradley’s arrangements were noted as being innovative, smooth, extremely musical and not to mention timeless. He had the incredible versatility to take music regardless of genre and create pan arrangements that broke or rather smashed the pan boundaries that had been set. Creating arrangements from song such as So Sick by Ne-Yo, Ordinary People by John Legend and of course some of the biggest names in the calypso world like Sparrow’s Mr. Walker, Nelson’s Disco Daddy and many arrangements to the songs of the late Lord Kitchener.

Bradley arranged for some of the most well known steel orchestras in the world. Creating compositions for Nutones, Pandemonium and Pantonic Steel Orchestra to name a few. The most notable of all was his work with the Witco Desperadoe’s. It was working with the Desperadoes that Bradley became a household name and a familiar face to those in the pan industry.

Signing on with the Desperadoes to replace previous arranger Beverley Griffith was the best career decision that Bradley made, without ever realising the overwhelming potential that it would have. From the moment Bradley decided to arrange, produce and compose for the Desperadoes everything he touched turned to gold, or a few times at the disappointment of many, a silver or bronze.

Between 1968 and 2005 Bradley won 13 major competitions, among those winnings were six Panoramic championships, two championships from Pan Fiesta, and a first place finish in Pan in the 21^st Century. However, there are many remarkable arrangements which did not take place during competitions. For example “Symphony G” which was produced in 1979, a year when there was no Panorama competition.

Sadly, Clive Bradley and the Desperadoes parted company in 1985 much to the dismay of many. This, however, was the time in which his talent would be tested the most. Bradley was known for his work with the Desperadoes, and leaving the orchestra critics believed that he would never be able to compose successfully the way he did for the Desperadoes. It was during this time which Bradley expanded his horizons. He went on to produce for many calypsonians and other steel pan orchestra’s, showing the critics just how versatile he was.

Never one to succumb to the expectations of others Bradley showed the world in 1998 while producing for the Nutones, that he would not perish, but rather that he would conquer all. At the moment the winner was announced at Panorama 1998, Bradley became the first arranger to ever have won Panorama Championships with two different bands. The song that he won with was none other than the David Rudder smash hit, “High Mas.”

In 1999 after a fourteen year hiatus from the Desperadoes, Bradley defied all the odds that were stacked so highly against him and came back to win the Panorama competition. A feat that has never been duplicated since, and one might even dare to say it will never happen again. The song that led him to the foreground once more was “In my house”’ by Oba. Proving that the master had returned. Bradley’s winnings continued in 2000 when he won the Panorama championship again. He won Pan Fiesta in 2003 and took two first place finishes in 2005 winning Pan Fiesta and Pan in the 21^stCentury. It can be said that unbeknownst to us all his final year was to be his best year to date.

While it is easy to reminisce on all the musical achievements of Clive Bradley, it cannot be forgotten that to some people he was much more than a renowned pan arranger. He was also a father of four, a partner, teacher, friend and a significant role model in the pan community.

“Clive Bradley was the giant that all other giants looked up to and wanted to be. He is simply put, ‘The Master’ ” wrote a fan paying tribute to Bradley on one of the many websites set up in his honor.

And so although Clive Bradley is gone, it is safe to say that his musical arrangements will be remembered for a long time to come. Not only through his recordings and panorama championships, but through the up and coming pannist both young and old alike who aspire for the greatness he accomplished.

{This article was aired on Flow 93.5 during Soca Therapy}

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