Sweet Pan Made in Croydon

Abstract

Trinidad and Tobago, where the steelband was born, may soon find itself in the ironical position of importing the instrumental pans. The two factors accounting for this is the supply of less expensive plastic containers available to the oil industry and the export trade of steelband instruments being launched in the bustling London suburb of Croydon. Musical pans will be produced by Croydon engineering firm A. G. Major by a new technique with Trinidad's Sterling Betancourt, the pioneering pan-man and tuner, tuning the drums.