Authentic down island Steel Band playing traditional calypso rhythms and unique arrangements of American, Latin and International standards.

12 MP3 Songs
WORLD: Island, WORLD: World Beat



Details:
For over 30 years Jack's Steel Band has delighted visitors to Puerto Rico with a blend of traditional Calypso and Island music and Latin and American standards. This is an authentic "down island" Steel Band completely organic and unplugged. Five musicians perform on 9 steel pans, drums and percussion and create the perfect tropical ambience
which makes it very popular for beach parties and poolside barbecues.

On the steel drum, tones which are close together in pitch cannot be placed adjacent to each other as on a keyboard or marimba because one tone would "bleed" into another. Different players tune their drums in different ways. One has to forget all formal training and start from scratch to coax a tune out of a steel pan.

Jack Warren has the unique ability to play his steel drum in any key and can improvise solos like a jazz musician. Besides being a virtuoso performer, Jack is a professional instructor, builder and tuner of steel drums. Born in Antigua, he has resided in Puerto Rico for many years. He is slight of stature but has the stamina of the Energizer Bunny--he just keeps wailing away for sets that frequently last over an hour. Frequently Jack's Steel Band is booked with a limbo show and an audience participation limbo contest. Singer Cliff Calvin sometimes sings and does a show with the band.

Don Baaska