Steel Drums and Steelbands A History

Although most people are familiar with the music and sound of the steel drum, few know the history behind it or the evolution of its sound. Angela Smith has researched the beginnings of the instrument in Trinidad by the descendants of African slaves to its modern-day sound and popularity. The first half of the volume focuses on the early roots of the steel drum in Trinidad, while the second half covers its expansion to the United States, its popularity in schools, and the future of this musical sound. The author provides six appendixes that add greatly to the reference appeal of this work. This include lists of the instrument's pioneers and innovators, a timeline, questions and topics for group discussions, a selected discography and Internet links, and other instruments in the steelband family. The author researched this topic for seven year and took multiple trips to Trinidad to interview with pioneers of the music-this work is clearly a labor of love for her. This will be a valuable addition to the music collections of larger university libraries. American Reference Books Annual A freelance writer and pan musician, Smith has written a conventional but useful chronological history of Trinidad's steel drums, or pan. The author devotes the first five chapters to reviewing Trinidad's history. The remaining 15 chapters--except chapter 10, which returns, oddly, to a discussion of history--are devoted to pan's development, including its migration into the US and especially into the academy. Appendixes provide short biographies of noted musicians, a list of websites, and a summary of the chronology. A section of black-and-white photos is mainly devoted to major figures. Smith sees this book as an "introduction" to pan and its history, and in that context the book succeeds...Readers new to pan or currently participating will likely find the book to be a useful and objective place to start. Summing Up: Recommended. CHOICE A great book, well written, very informative, a must read for anyone who wants to know about steelpan history. -- Barry Mannette, Northern Illinois University Absolutely a great resource! -- Brandon Haskett, Coordinator of Steel Band Directors Facebook page, Saginaw State University