History of the Steeldrum

The Steeldrum, or "Pan" as it is colloquially termed, was invented on the Caribbean island of Trinidad some time during the 1940s.

During the 1700s, British colonists had brought slaves to the island from West Africa, from what is now Ghana and Nigeria. The slaves brought with them as much of their culture as they could manage, including the tradition of drumming.

Obviously the island did not provide the same materials with which to make and maintain drums as in Africa, and the slaves looked for substitutes. The most obvious and widely used was lengths of bamboo stamped on the ground or strugh together. These were known as Bamboo Drums or "Tambour Bamboo" which became corrupted to "Tamboo Bamboo".

The problem with Tamboo Bamboo was that after extensive use, the bamboo split or broke. This led to a further substitution some time in the 1930s. This time paraffin tins, galvanised dustbins and the like were played with sticks.

Some time during the 1940s - the exact date is not known - a guy by the name of Winston "Spree" Simon was playing a tin as a bass drum. As he beat it repeatedly with a stick the end of the tin gradually dented in, which caused the pitch of the drum to sharpen. Eventually he found himself playing a bass-drum part on a high pitched instrument. He picked up a rock and stamped the end of the drum back out from the inside, reasoning that if the dent was again made flat it would regain its bass note.

Or course, the end of the drum did not return to its flat state - instead it dented outward into three distinct bumps. Spree discovered that each bump made a different note. He went around playing "Mary had a little lamb" and the first steeldrum was born.

The idea was rapidly developed and by the early 1950s the 44-gallon oil drum was the standard starting point. Instruments had been divided into those for melody, chords, and bass, and simple tunes or even classical music could be performed entirely on the steeldrum. There was intense rivalry between bands, often leading to bloodshed. The upper classes frowned heavily on pan-man, who were seen as hoodlums at best, and attempts were made to outlaw the instrument.

The instrument (and its image) has been refined and improved, and a modern steelband can have anything up to 120 members. The instruments produce a most pleasing, clear sound, and a band has a range of nearly 5 octaves. Reportoire ranges from brilliantly executed classical music to pop to the vibrant calypso/soca music of Trinidad. Anyone who has heard a steelband in full cry will agree that it has a claim to being the 8th wonder of the world.
(Steve Lawrie 1995)

This group formerly led by Keith C. St. Louis of Trinidad and Tobago came to Virginia under the name of Trinidad and Tobago Pan Professionals in 1994. They worked with inner-city kids from 1994 in the Portsmouth area and continue to do so now. One Love Caribbean Steel Drum Band is a complete steel drum band. The band consists of five professional steel pan drummers. Instruments include: tenors, double seconds, guitars, six bass, and an electronic or acoustic percussionist. Their formal and informal venues include private parties, weddings, corporate functions, boat cruises, school presentations, social centers, college dances and festivals.

We specialize in wedding ceremony music, cocktail hours, receptions, and rehearsal dinners.

A Taste of Summer - Steel Drum Band at Wedding from Matt Davis on Vimeo.

They have performed over 1000 events, from entire East Coast from Miami to Connecticut including Musicfest in Bethlehem, PA, Miami Carnival and the entire Hampton Roads Area. Locally their performances include the USS Enterprise, USS Nimitz, HarborFest, Blackbeard Festival, Seawall Festival, and Afram Festival. They also toured Bermuda in December 1999 and Trinidad and Tobago Carnival in 2000. The five talented members have earned a solid and trusted reputation as polished professionals who have appropriate look, sound and attitude you expect for your event. They have an authentic repertoire and which is appropriate for all ages. They can provide special request with prior notice. They have a sweet mix of calypso, reggae and island music. Some songs from our repertoire include:

Here Comes The Bride Canon In D Forever In Love Falling In Love Jamaica Farewell Over The Rainbow Amazing Grace Mary Ann Hot Hot Hot Margaritaville

One Love Caribbean Steel Drum Band is available for all occasions. They enjoy what they do and they know you will too. Performances can be tailored to the needs of the client and are great for parties, church programs and meetings, as well as educational programs. If you only want one steel drummer or a whole band we can accommodate your needs.

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DATE	TIME	LOCATION
Apr 18	5:00-7:00 PM	Erin Ringhofer & Nathan Russell Wedding Ceremony Pine Island - Great Gap Point Corolla, NC
Apr 27	6:00-8:00 PM	Nicole Henry & Steven Powell Wedding Ceremony Richmond Omni
May 5	Noon-4:00 PM	31st Street Park Catch 31 31st and Atlantic Ave VA Beach OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
May 25	Noon-4:00 PM	Mahi - 7th St. VA Beach OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
June 2	Noon-4:00 PM	31st Street Park Catch 31 31st and Atlantic Ave VA Beach OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
June 22	Noon-4:00 PM	Mahi - 7th St. VA Beach OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
June 30	Noon-4:00 PM	31st Street Park Catch 31 31st and Atlantic Ave VA Beach OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
July 13	Noon-4:00 PM	Mahi - 7th St. VA Beach OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
Jun 22	4:00-6:00 PM	Cassidy Wirthman & Mark Schlitter Wedding Ceremony & Cocktail Hour The Saltaire House Duck, NC
Aug 4	Noon-4:00 PM	31st Street Park Catch 31 31st and Atlantic Ave VA Beach OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
August 17	Noon-4:00 PM	Mahi - 7th St. VA Beach OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

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