So what's the name of the instrument? Is it STEELBAND or STEELPAN or PAN or STEELDRUM?

Oh, and forgot this one:

[End: CONVENTIONAL Steelbands Section]

There still remains a light cultural musing argument which asks, by what name should these steel drummers and their steel drum bands be correctly called? Are they Steel Orchestras or are they Steelbands? One side states that only the toffee-nosed, those of higher learning and the establishment, want to call them Steel Orchestras; it's an upper-class and imported term. On the other side it is argued that from the stance of their musical abilities, that the steelpan instruments have matured to an amazingly high quality, that the range (of voices) of the instruments is now so wide that the bands can manage to play adequately, any sort or class of musical arrangement, that they should be called Steel Orchestras. The truth for both sides, may be that actually there is no argument here at all. The bands in TT call themselves Steel Orchestras, rightfully in the pride of the musical achievements they have grown to be able to make; and on the other side of the road, at whatever function, festival or event at which the bands are due to appear, there is always that simple local question that absolutely levels the playing field; “Dat steelband reach yet?”

Trust Claude to his stirrings.

The ‘Steelband’ is a collection of people and instruments indigenous to Trinidad and Tobago; and not an instrument.

‘Pan’ is a cultural art-form indigenous to Trinidad and Tobago; and not an instrument.

The steelpan, steeldrum(s) or steel drum(s) are the general names given to the ‘pan’ instruments used by those practicing proponents indigenous to Trinidad and Tobago who may pursue this art-form.

California is California. We are TT. We have an indigenous ‘pan’ culture that we market ‘as is’. What you do with your ‘pan’ out there, is your business.

Additive to these discussion, are as follows:

From: The Steelbands of Trinidad & Tobago - TT Home Page

The STEELBANDS of Trinidad & Tobago

MELODIC

We are now walking up the stairs of the years at the beginning of the 21st Century, some near 70 years after the birth of an unusual cultural heritage termed the Steelbands of Trinidad and Tobago (TT). But what are the Steelbands of TT? We need first to traverse a little legacy cultural 'word play' within the context of the semantics of the words 'Tradition' and 'Traditional', as applied by TT to their indigenous steelbands, to find a meaningful answer.

We can start with a basic root of tradition, in that the steelbands of TT are mostly all voluntary groups of participants, drawn from usually local sites or communities, to pursue an indigenous musical art-form that they all fondly recognise and simply call 'Pan'. We expand this with one further simplistic note to stress only that; the participants usually volunteer their time and energies with no expectation of financial gain, but rather mainly for the joy of a shared social experience.

The evolutionary arrival of 'Sponsors', 'Panorama' and 'Prizes', would tarnish this voluntary tradition somewhat with 'contract players' and the carrot of '10 minutes of glory'; but that particular story, unfolds here later, in a different section.

THE TRADITIONAL STEELBANDS OF TT

Starting from groups of mainly the under-privileged in TT society, but with some extraordinarily focussed and talented individuals in the mix; the 'panmen' or 'steelbandsmen' (kindly excuse the sexism for the moment) were so busy in developing and playing their 'Pan', that they had little regard to such academic notions as 'the march of time' nor 'history'. It took them about two and a half decades, or near 25 years later, to realise that their steelbands had evolved to diverge along two different paths. Although 'historically' both may be classed as The Traditional Steelbands of TT, local mores muddied the definition with the following local naming.

The steelbands that still performed with a single 'pan' per player, carried with 'round the neck' straps, were labelled the 'Traditional steelbands' or the 'Traditional Pan 'round the neck' steelbands. The steelbands that performed with the newly evolved double or multiple-pans per player, arrayed on 'racks', were labelled the 'Conventional Steelbands'. The 'Traditional Pan 'round the neck' would later be relabelled as the 'Single Pan Bands' (SPB's) [1999]. This would put the slightly ambiguous 'Traditional' and the unwieldy 'Pan 'round the neck' terms, into one tidy box; but all these naming 'details', and the differences within these steelbands, are again visited here, in different sections.

We should however note that at present; these Conventional and Single Pan Bands make up the bulk of the performing 'Panorama Steelbands' of TT. Because this group of steelbands are all derived from the same historical beginnings, or the cultural 'roots,' of the steelband art-form of TT, we class them all together as the Traditional Steelbands of TT.

e.g. Central Symphony (TB, Small), Dem Boys (TB, Small), Flamingoes (ET, Small), New World Symphony (El Dorado) (ET, Small), Merrytones Steel Orchestra (NT, Small), Morvant Ebonites (NT, Small), Morne Diablo Philadelphians Funkadelic (SC, Small), Starland (SC, Small), Dixieland (TB, Medium),West Side Symphony (TB, Medium), Arima Angel Harps (ET, Medium), Sforzata Steel Orchestra (ET, Medium), Panatics Steel Orchestra (NT, Medium),Valley Harps (Deigo Martin) (NT, Medium), San City Steel Symphony (SC, Medium), Trinidad Valley Harps (Penal) (SC, Medium), Redemption Sound Setters (TB, Large), birdsong Steel Orchestra (ET, Large), Starlift (NT, Large) and La Brea Nightingales (SC, Large), all Conventional steelbands; Get Down On It (TB), Hope Pan Groovers (TB), Pan Stereonettes (ET), San Juan All Stars (ET), Belmont City Kids International (NT), D' Original Woodbrook Modernaires (NT); Scrunters Pan Groove (NT), Jah Roots (SC), Rio Claro Koskeros (SC), all Single Pan Bands (SPB's).

Further classes of steelband would also evolve over time.

--------------

Also additional to these arguments is a clip from the section:

CONVENTIONAL Steelbands

We begin this brief run-through of the description of the Steelbands of Trinidad and Tobago with the 'Conventional' Steelbands. These are the more widely recognised of the steel drum bands in TT, than the Traditional steelbands (later called The Single Pan Bands [SPB's]) that mimic those of the past; and are very active, as with all others, at carnival time. In TT, we like to call them all, just steelbands. We will visit the formally called Traditional (SPB's) steelbands in more detail later, after sorting out a few odd TT things that we should first understand about the differences between these bands.

Least unwarily offending the local customs of the steelbands; we do not call them steel drum bands, but rather, steelbands. The steel drum instruments are called steelpans; the steel drummers themselves are called pan players or pannists. The instruments are played with pansticks; the term 'mallets' consigned only to foreign music nerds; the 'iron' played with steel 'strikers'. Once these subtleties are understood, following the way of the steelbands of Trinidad and Tobago, is as enjoyable as the song of the bull-finch.

There is always however, some exception to any rule. One example of this is the stance taken by the wonderful Trinidadian jazz musician Othello Molineaux. Molineaux, a steelband arranger and a soprano steeldrum player of some repute in international jazz circles, views the local term 'steelpan' with some reasoned disdain. Molineaux's stance, in his view of promoting the TT Pan cultural, is laudably intensely passionate if somewhat singular.

"I don't know why you people here call it a 'pan'.." he said. "It is a steel drum, it is documented in all the literature as a steel drum. We, the players who have gone outside of Trinidad and Tobago, and have worked so hard to spread the 'word' and gain acceptance for this instrument; have marketed it as a steel drum. I am a steel drummer. Everyone out there knows it as a steel drum. When you call it a 'pan', no one understands you. Why do you insist on calling it a 'pan'?; it undermines all our efforts!"
[ Othello the Steel Drummer ]

Let us first say that the term 'Conventional' is a later description of the steelbands that first started out, a long time ago, as 'Traditional' steelbands. So when we visit the 'Conventional' steelbands we are visiting the steelbands from the other end of their history from where they started, we are getting the story backwards. One is tempted to say that that we are getting the story from the 'end' first; but 'end' is not a nice term to use here, as it implies a 'stopping' point, which is not the case here; and anyway, we would wish the steelbands to go on forever! So instead we say; when we visit the 'Conventional' steelbands, we are seeing the steelbands in as developed and matured a condition, that this art-form allows today.

The problem is that TT has both Conventional and (formally the) Traditional (now SPB's) steelbands all over the place, but if you see any of them, you probably won't be able to tell the difference, because they all look, and nearly sound, the same. If you're not from Trinidad and Tobago (TT), then you'd be fooled. The reason is; that although they are different, the Traditional (SPB's) steelbands are cheating!

Enjoy - tobagojo - July 2016

Replies

Glenroy R Joseph July 16, 2016 at 5:46pm

All I know is , back in the days when things were simple and we weren't so "sophisticated" , I could tell someone that I was "beating" pan in s steelband , and everyone know what I meant.

Consciously or not , we always wanted foreign recognition and approval of our culture , so traditional terminology wasn't "polished" enough , especially in our aspirations to be a classical type orchestra , so suddenly we had to find terminology more appealing to foreign ears.

So now it would be quite reasonable for someone to say "I play steel drums in a steeldrum band"

I cant wait for them to start calling the "tenor pan" a "soprano steeldrum instrument" !
Jeremy de Barry July 16, 2016 at 1:32pm

Oh, and forgot this one:

[End: CONVENTIONAL Steelbands Section]

There still remains a light cultural musing argument which asks, by what name should these steel drummers and their steel drum bands be correctly called? Are they Steel Orchestras or are they Steelbands? One side states that only the toffee-nosed, those of higher learning and the establishment, want to call them Steel Orchestras; it's an upper-class and imported term. On the other side it is argued that from the stance of their musical abilities, that the steelpan instruments have matured to an amazingly high quality, that the range (of voices) of the instruments is now so wide that the bands can manage to play adequately, any sort or class of musical arrangement, that they should be called Steel Orchestras. The truth for both sides, may be that actually there is no argument here at all. The bands in TT call themselves Steel Orchestras, rightfully in the pride of the musical achievements they have grown to be able to make; and on the other side of the road, at whatever function, festival or event at which the bands are due to appear, there is always that simple local question that absolutely levels the playing field; “Dat steelband reach yet?”
- Claude Gonzales > Jeremy de Barry July 16, 2016 at 2:38pm
  
  Jeremy: What I said for "CALIFORNIA" is true for "AMERICA" which is probably the market where the most money is spent on the music and instruments and the greatest number of STEELDRUM BANDS exist.
Jeremy de Barry July 16, 2016 at 11:42am

Trust Claude to his stirrings.

The ‘Steelband’ is a collection of people and instruments indigenous to Trinidad and Tobago; and not an instrument.

‘Pan’ is a cultural art-form indigenous to Trinidad and Tobago; and not an instrument.

The steelpan, steeldrum(s) or steel drum(s) are the general names given to the ‘pan’ instruments used by those practicing proponents indigenous to Trinidad and Tobago who may pursue this art-form.

California is California. We are TT. We have an indigenous ‘pan’ culture that we market ‘as is’. What you do with your ‘pan’ out there, is your business.

Additive to these discussion, are as follows:

From: The Steelbands of Trinidad & Tobago - TT Home Page

The STEELBANDS of Trinidad & Tobago

The STEELBANDS of Trinidad & Tobago

MELODIC

We are now walking up the stairs of the years at the beginning of the 21st Century, some near 70 years after the birth of an unusual cultural heritage termed the Steelbands of Trinidad and Tobago (TT). But what are the Steelbands of TT? We need first to traverse a little legacy cultural 'word play' within the context of the semantics of the words 'Tradition' and 'Traditional', as applied by TT to their indigenous steelbands, to find a meaningful answer.

We can start with a basic root of tradition, in that the steelbands of TT are mostly all voluntary groups of participants, drawn from usually local sites or communities, to pursue an indigenous musical art-form that they all fondly recognise and simply call 'Pan'. We expand this with one further simplistic note to stress only that; the participants usually volunteer their time and energies with no expectation of financial gain, but rather mainly for the joy of a shared social experience.

The evolutionary arrival of 'Sponsors', 'Panorama' and 'Prizes', would tarnish this voluntary tradition somewhat with 'contract players' and the carrot of '10 minutes of glory'; but that particular story, unfolds here later, in a different section.

THE TRADITIONAL STEELBANDS OF TT

Starting from groups of mainly the under-privileged in TT society, but with some extraordinarily focussed and talented individuals in the mix; the 'panmen' or 'steelbandsmen' (kindly excuse the sexism for the moment) were so busy in developing and playing their 'Pan', that they had little regard to such academic notions as 'the march of time' nor 'history'. It took them about two and a half decades, or near 25 years later, to realise that their steelbands had evolved to diverge along two different paths. Although 'historically' both may be classed as The Traditional Steelbands of TT, local mores muddied the definition with the following local naming.

The steelbands that still performed with a single 'pan' per player, carried with 'round the neck' straps, were labelled the 'Traditional steelbands' or the 'Traditional Pan 'round the neck' steelbands. The steelbands that performed with the newly evolved double or multiple-pans per player, arrayed on 'racks', were labelled the 'Conventional Steelbands'. The 'Traditional Pan 'round the neck' would later be relabelled as the 'Single Pan Bands' (SPB's) [1999]. This would put the slightly ambiguous 'Traditional' and the unwieldy 'Pan 'round the neck' terms, into one tidy box; but all these naming 'details', and the differences within these steelbands, are again visited here, in different sections.

We should however note that at present; these Conventional and Single Pan Bands make up the bulk of the performing 'Panorama Steelbands' of TT. Because this group of steelbands are all derived from the same historical beginnings, or the cultural 'roots,' of the steelband art-form of TT, we class them all together as the Traditional Steelbands of TT.

e.g. Central Symphony (TB, Small), Dem Boys (TB, Small), Flamingoes (ET, Small), New World Symphony (El Dorado) (ET, Small), Merrytones Steel Orchestra (NT, Small), Morvant Ebonites (NT, Small), Morne Diablo Philadelphians Funkadelic (SC, Small), Starland (SC, Small), Dixieland (TB, Medium),West Side Symphony (TB, Medium), Arima Angel Harps (ET, Medium), Sforzata Steel Orchestra (ET, Medium), Panatics Steel Orchestra (NT, Medium),Valley Harps (Deigo Martin) (NT, Medium), San City Steel Symphony (SC, Medium), Trinidad Valley Harps (Penal) (SC, Medium), Redemption Sound Setters (TB, Large), birdsong Steel Orchestra (ET, Large), Starlift (NT, Large) and La Brea Nightingales (SC, Large), all Conventional steelbands; Get Down On It (TB), Hope Pan Groovers (TB), Pan Stereonettes (ET), San Juan All Stars (ET), Belmont City Kids International (NT), D' Original Woodbrook Modernaires (NT); Scrunters Pan Groove (NT), Jah Roots (SC), Rio Claro Koskeros (SC), all Single Pan Bands (SPB's).

Further classes of steelband would also evolve over time.

--------------

Also additional to these arguments is a clip from the section:

CONVENTIONAL Steelbands

CONVENTIONAL Steelbands

We begin this brief run-through of the description of the Steelbands of Trinidad and Tobago with the 'Conventional' Steelbands. These are the more widely recognised of the steel drum bands in TT, than the Traditional steelbands (later called The Single Pan Bands [SPB's]) that mimic those of the past; and are very active, as with all others, at carnival time. In TT, we like to call them all, just steelbands. We will visit the formally called Traditional (SPB's) steelbands in more detail later, after sorting out a few odd TT things that we should first understand about the differences between these bands.

Least unwarily offending the local customs of the steelbands; we do not call them steel drum bands, but rather, steelbands. The steel drum instruments are called steelpans; the steel drummers themselves are called pan players or pannists. The instruments are played with pansticks; the term 'mallets' consigned only to foreign music nerds; the 'iron' played with steel 'strikers'. Once these subtleties are understood, following the way of the steelbands of Trinidad and Tobago, is as enjoyable as the song of the bull-finch.

There is always however, some exception to any rule. One example of this is the stance taken by the wonderful Trinidadian jazz musician Othello Molineaux. Molineaux, a steelband arranger and a soprano steeldrum player of some repute in international jazz circles, views the local term 'steelpan' with some reasoned disdain. Molineaux's stance, in his view of promoting the TT Pan cultural, is laudably intensely passionate if somewhat singular.

"I don't know why you people here call it a 'pan'.." he said. "It is a steel drum, it is documented in all the literature as a steel drum. We, the players who have gone outside of Trinidad and Tobago, and have worked so hard to spread the 'word' and gain acceptance for this instrument; have marketed it as a steel drum. I am a steel drummer. Everyone out there knows it as a steel drum. When you call it a 'pan', no one understands you. Why do you insist on calling it a 'pan'?; it undermines all our efforts!"
[ Othello the Steel Drummer ]

Let us first say that the term 'Conventional' is a later description of the steelbands that first started out, a long time ago, as 'Traditional' steelbands. So when we visit the 'Conventional' steelbands we are visiting the steelbands from the other end of their history from where they started, we are getting the story backwards. One is tempted to say that that we are getting the story from the 'end' first; but 'end' is not a nice term to use here, as it implies a 'stopping' point, which is not the case here; and anyway, we would wish the steelbands to go on forever! So instead we say; when we visit the 'Conventional' steelbands, we are seeing the steelbands in as developed and matured a condition, that this art-form allows today.

The problem is that TT has both Conventional and (formally the) Traditional (now SPB's) steelbands all over the place, but if you see any of them, you probably won't be able to tell the difference, because they all look, and nearly sound, the same. If you're not from Trinidad and Tobago (TT), then you'd be fooled. The reason is; that although they are different, the Traditional (SPB's) steelbands are cheating!

Enjoy - tobagojo - July 2016
Ajamu Nyomba July 14, 2016 at 5:43pm

Sorry Claude, it's not really what you like, unless you are the Omnipotent!!

Steelpan terminology has been "standardized" since 1992 and revised in 2015.

Steelpan Terminology, TTS 412:2015, published by the Trinidad and Tobago Bureau of Standards costs TT$153 (VAT inclusive).

The Specification Committee for the Steelpan did an excellent job establishing standards to which all (including WST gurus) should adhere and promote. By the way, what is Fitzroy Henry doing in the Tuners Guild and on the Specification Committee when he is not a panmaker, or is he? He must be Diaz's pardner! Why did they not include Harrigin, Kellman, etc? Nuff said!
- Claude Gonzales > Ajamu Nyomba July 14, 2016 at 6:30pm
  
  True!!! But in California we are still selling and performing for people who are paying for STEELDRUM MUSIC which has been marketed under that name since the sixties and seventies up and down California.
masai hall July 13, 2016 at 7:10pm

Claude Gonzales, you just described Andy Narell. You already have him. The best ambassador for the instrument and the music. Appreciate him, he ent even looking for recognition.
Mercer Ramdoo July 13, 2016 at 5:24pm

Steelpan- Trinidad
Steeldrum-USA
Claude Gonzales July 13, 2016 at 2:06pm

Good try Cecil. The Steelband Music is very sweet!!!

Now yuh gone and make me put ah Andy Narell video on this forum and yuh well know how everybody on this forum and in California and in Trinidad hate Andy. Where is bugs, boy?

https://video.search.yahoo.com/search/video?fr=mcafee&p=youtube...
- Cecil hinkson > Claude Gonzales July 13, 2016 at 4:57pm
  
  Andy is the MASTER, he has done it all, except the Panorama ting. This is what's needed for a Global brake through, he has all the ingredience, now the big tune.

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