April 2009

David Aarons, the complete pannist

Few musicians are such masters of their art that they not only play, compose and teach music, but also make their musical instrument. David Aarons is one of the few.

'Art' music from a steel band

Think steel band music and you think calypso and soca. That's true of most people, most of the time.

But those two types of music are not the only ones that can be played by the instruments created, originally, from oil drums. In the right hands, the steel band may be a purveyor of "art music" - which is sometimes, and less accurately, called "classical" music or, more judgementally, as "serious" music.