Paul Post
Nov 30, 2009 All Posts
My mother performed with ‘Dem Stars’ her steel drum orchestra. I was very impressed by the musical depth , and dynamics used to express their sound. I did some research + learned some cool info about the creation of the Steel Drum instrument.
Steel pans (also known as steel drums or pans, and sometimes collectively with musicians as a steel band) is a musical instrument and a form of music originating from Trinidad. Steel pan musicians are called pannists.
The steelpan evolved out of earlier musical practices of Trinidad. Drumming was used as a form of communication among the enslaved Africans and was subsequently outlawed by the British colonial government in 1783.[2] African slaves also performed during Mardi Gras celebrations, joining the French that had brought the tradition to the island.[3] The two most important influences were the drumming traditions of both Africa and India. The instrument’s invention was therefore a specific cultural response to the conditions present on the islands of Trinidad and Tobago.
The first instruments developed in the evolution of steelpan were Tamboo-Bamboos, tunable sticks made of bamboo wood. These were hit onto the ground and with other sticks in order to produce sound.[4] Tamboo-Bamboo bands also included percussion of a (gin) bottle and spoon. By the mid-1930s, bits of metal percussion were being used in the tamboo bamboo bands, the first probably being either the automobile brake hub “iron” or the biscuit drum “boom”. The former replaced the gin bottle-and-spoon, and the latter the “bass” bamboo that was pounded on the ground. By the late 1930s their occasional all-steel bands were seen at Carnival and by 1940 it had become the preferred Carnival accompaniment of young underprivileged men. The 55-gallon oil drum was used to make lead steelpans from around 1947. The Trinidad All Steel Percussion Orchestra (TASPO), formed to attend the Festival of Britain in 1951, was the first steelband whose instruments were all made from oil drums. Members of TASPO included Ellie Mannette and Winston “Spree” Simon.
Twitter Weekly Updates for 2009-11-29
Nov 29, 2009 Fuzzy Tweets
- Fuzzy Wednesdays is so crazy tonight. Good to see so many faces!!! #
- Fuzzy Wednesday. This week is goin to be so fresh.. See you @ Time Lounge…271 Granby St. Norfolk #
- @LOLADAVIS I got you. See u at the top… Lola Davis is dope! in reply to LOLADAVIS #
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Nakia Blog #2
Nov 27, 2009 All Posts
Really?
The age-old tradition of the reusable handkerchief is one that has been passed down from generation to generation of the social and cultural elite. It is one that tells a tale of old beliefs and even older money; a tale of bad habits, and even worse social hygiene. Case in point: This weekend, I sat next to Daddy Warbucks himself; old money at its finest. Tragically, I couldn’t help but cringe every time he would withdraw the same square piece of cloth from his pants pocket and blow (at the dinner table mind you), then return his intialed “hanky” back into its home in his pants. Really? Can anyone say H1N1?
Check me out next Thursday for more of my “Really” moments.
Fuzzy Tweets
Nov 26, 2009 Fuzzy Tweets
- Fuzzy Wednesdays is so crazy tonight. Good to see so many faces!!! #
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Fuzzy Wednesdays is so crazy t…
Nov 25, 2009 Fuzzy Tweets
Fuzzy Wednesdays is so crazy tonight. Good to see so many faces!!!