Trinidad-Steel Band

Elliot "Ellie" Mannette Known as the "Father of the modern steel pan instrument" The legend says that he was the first person to use the oil barrel to make a steel pan. He was the one who came up with the idea "to sink the lid to create a tensed playing surface and fired the metal to improve the acoustic properties." He played in many bands throughout his life, and he built many steel pans. He has been apart of building up new steel pan orchestras in many colleges in the United States, a main one being West Virginia University.  He also has a website where his instruments are sold. http://www.mannetteinstruments.com/home2.html Ellie Mannette plays "I Did It My Way" There is some controversy over who really invented the steel pan some argue that Winston "Spree" Simon should have the credit.

STEELPAN Steelpans or steel drums originated in Trinidad and Tobago around the 1930s. They were first made up of 55-gallon oil drums that have been dented. Some drums have a higher pitch (tenor pans) and some have lower (bass pans). In an orchestra of pan there is no certain number you can have and they have other instruments accompanying them such as the conga and cowbell. These came to be about because the British had banned drum playing during the celebration of Carnival. Some people say it was originated in the junk yard, because the people of Trinidad started drumming on trash like  biscuit tins. This soon led to them using oil drums that had been left behind and finding out that different pitches could be heard on that one surface. When the steel pans first came about they were seen as an instrument for the lower class. As time has passed it has become an instrument for anyone, despite their class! The pictures above are of much "prettier"...

Summer is just around the corner and of course mother nature has not been kind this Spring. I live in Southwest Kansas where on Monday it will be 90 degrees and beautiful and on Friday it is 40 degrees with 60mph wind. I can't help but find myself dreaming of a tropical place with beaches for miles, palm trees, ocean, warm climate (preferably no wind), and just a laid back fun time. When you think of somewhere tropical i can guess that you more than likely think of a certain kind of music. The music that usually comes to my mind is Reggae and Steel drums. I love the steel drums and listening to the pannists play will automatically take you to the islands even if you're just sitting in front of your computer listening to the wind blow! It almost makes you want to get out of your chair and dance along and forget all your worries.