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Health & Fitness

Lemonade Day 21: Seeking the Sweet Sounds of Pan

When life gives you lemons, make Community Lemonade in Long Beach with me. Day 21 - I'm on the trail of the Sweet Sounds of Pan (steel drum)

We're making Community Lemonade in Long Beach.  Come and make lemonade with us!

!  I'm on a 100-day odyssey for community and creativity in Long Beach.  We've got such an amazing city, and I'm a huge fan.  I'm seeking out the creatives and the facilitators of creativity, the art and the locations that inspire art.

I call it .

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Today was Day 21 of Making Lemonade. 

If you've been to the Caribbean you might know that 'pan' is a term for the steel drum, which originated in Trinidad.

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I received a notice of an upcoming concert at Heartwell Park, when Steel Drum Band, PanJive, performs on July 25th from 6 – 8 pm.  The concert is hosted by the office of Gerrie Schipske, Fifth District Councilwoman.

That was Thursday, and 'pan' was not on my mind today as I drove east on Carson on my way to the 405 freeway.  Not until I saw the little sign on the Carson St. median at Los Coyotes Diagonal.  It read: "Music.  Ukelele.  Steel Drums.  Behind Shell Gas."  Some things are meant to be.

Now, I will tell you that that sign took me outside of the range of the scavenger hunt, as it crossed the city boundary... just an oomph... into Lakewood.  Still, I was curious to follow this trail which led to a small center obscured from Carson Street by the gas station.  I found a small shop that advertised steel drums and ukeleles.  Hm. Seems like a niche market to me.

If you know Long Beach, though, you might know that there is actually a need for steel drum tuning services, sales and lessons here, as there is an exceptional Steel Drum Orchestra at Cal-State Long Beach, directed by Dr. Michael Carney.  Also, my conversation with the fellows at the store indicated that they ship all over the U.S., and that Dave Beery, the store owner, is sometimes asked to travel to other locations - as far away as Alaska - to tune 'pans' there.  Dave has kindly posted a DIY video for steel drum making.

They were kind enough to find me a trail that led back into Long Beach, which I will try to follow this week.

I came home and thought about steel drums.  Then, I thought... Hm... I have one of those... I haven't brought it out for a while.  I know... everyone's got one, and they're probably using theirs all the time.  Some of us, we let it sit for a while, fully intending to eventually learn.  For some reason or other, not getting to it.  I did a little walk around of my soprano pan on video.

Want more lemonade? 

Some tidbits about steel drums and Trinidad, the birthplace of the steel drum

  • Like voices, there are pans with different ranges.  I have a soprano pan, I'm related to a family with a tenor pan.
  • In Trinidad, the birthplace of the steel drum, Carnival celebrations begin with Dimanche Gras (Fat Sunday) then go on to Monday morning J'Ouvert (pronounced juvay).  Street processions of large bands of steel drum players are followed by the fans of each band.  Some in flashy and skimpy costumes, some in low-key dress, some in rags, symbolic of past Carnivals.  Everyone dancing.  It begins two days of festivities that end on Tuesday night. 
  • For some reason, I recall that it was called Carnival Monday and Carnival Tuesday, as opposed to Lundi Gras (Fat Monday) and Mardi Gras (Fat Tuesday).  I did, however, find one reference that linked these terms to Trinidad.
  • Beware the jab jab, a devilish mas' player.  Painted face, cutoff pants, rags.  Using an old paint can as a drum and rhythmically repeating "Pay de devil, jab jab."  Scared little children gladly comply.  This is considered 'part of the scene' and totally acceptable behavior for a devil.  I've linked to a video with the calypso "Pay de Devil" (1994) by the Mighty Shadow.

Tomorrow

Hm... Let's see what tomorrow brings!  I'm trying to follow the path to pan, but it may not... ahem... pan out.

Need to contact me?  info@handmadepenguin.com

Trish Tsoiasue writes as herself about creative and maker topics for the Belmont Shore Patch and as Handmade Penguin for the Handmade Penguin Blog.

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