Global Recognition for Steel Band Music

Congratulations are in order for the people and the government of Trinidad and Tobago with the worldwide recognition of the steel band instrument and music by the United Nations as they pass a resolution naming the world Steel Pan Day to be celebrated on August 11th. This recognition is long overdue and is well deserved because Steel Pan has made a significant contribution to the world of music for decades.

Trinidad and Tobago, a small country but with very industrious and creative people who have given the world this beautiful instrument out of discarded oil barrels to create the only major acoustic musical instrument to be invented in the 20th century.

The modern Steel Drum can cover the chromatic scale in tune just capable of playing any melody, in any key when you look at the Steel Drum you would have no idea music can come from this instrument but in fact, it does. Originated in nine in the 1930s the pan takes pride as a National Instrument of Trinidad and Tobago in those early days Trinidadians used trash can buckets to make music for carnivals and other festive events and it was during these times that the Steel pan came into being.

Carib News welcomes this recognition and feels privileged to have been a part of working with the Trinidadian Association on providing a global stage for the instrument and the orchestra. It was in the 1980s that  Carib News assembled sponsors and while working with a mainstream corporate newspaper Daily News we brought the winner of Panorama, the Desperadoes Steel Orchestra to play Carnegie Hall with the New York Pops. It was an audience already sold out because of the New York Pops Orchestra’s annual event but space was made for the full orchestra of the Desperadoes. 

It was Carnegie Hall in all its splendor, and the Desperadoes under the direction of Pat Fuller brought a kind of music to Carnegie Hall that was just overwhelming and an evening when you had all kinds of stars from Hollywood and Broadway performing, the one standing ovation of that evening was for the Desperadoes when they ran through a fantastic classical piece that had the entire audience on their feet, it was a joy to see this global recognition for the music. It was a pleasure to see the musicians of Trinidad and Tobago playing the steel pan and alongside the pops orchestra and making such a great hit.

We had the pleasure of bringing in the Desperadoes a second time to Carnegie Hall in New York City for another successful performance and to have taken other steel orchestras to Brooklyn Academy of music to the World Trade Center and various concert halls throughout the city, spreading  the popularity and the talent oh the orchestra.

Once associate once associated with gang rivalry steel pan now has become a musical ambassador of Trinidad and Tobago,  in fact of Caribbean culture and is now recognized and played throughout the world. There will be celebration rightfully so in Trinidad and Tobago as it celebrates the UN declaration of World Steel Pan day.