Winston "Spree" Simon is credited with crafting the first convex, tuned steel pan instrument (Berre). Steel pans are now custom-designed from lead and other materials.

Steel drum music flourished in Trinidad and Tobago during and after World War Two. Since their original development in the early 20th century, steel drum sounds have come to characterize Caribbean music in general. Since the 1960s, steel drum bands flourished not only on Trinidad and Tobago but throughout the Caribbean islands.

The influence of steelpan extends far beyond the Caribbean as well, as steelpan music integrates well with other types of world music and jazz, lending an its distinctive sound to any band arrangement. Hundreds of steel drum bands perform regularly worldwide, but Trinidad and Tobago remain the epicenter of steel drum music.

References

Berre, M. Steel Pans: A Brief History. Latin American Folk Institute. Retrieved June 26, 2007 at http://www.lafi.org/magazine/articles/steel.html

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