TT – Steel tells the story, in song and dialogue, of the birth of the steelpan in Trinidad. Set in the depressed Port of Spain district of Laventille after World War II, it is both a love story and a social examination of the urban community that, despite its economic conditions and violent social backdrop,

Written by Mike Schwebke With so much crossover and experimentation in music these days, it should be no surprise that there are plenty of composers looking to try their hand in bringing steelpan into their compositions and arrangements. The only catch is that many of those composers are unfamiliar with the nuances of the instrument.

US – Franklinton Preparatory Academy’s Steel Band started five years ago with just three instruments. Now, they have grown and performed all over Ohio. They will be heading to their second annual international competition in May. “I had literally never seen anything like this before,” explained student, Briannah Edwards. Steel Drums are hard to come

TT – While some members and supporters welcome a new location for the iconic band Desperadoes, others insist its current Tragarete Road location is better than lower George and Duncan Streets, Port of Spain. In February, the Prime Minister announced the Urban Development Corporation (Udecott) will build a new steelband theatre for Despers in east