Steel Pan and Individualism

Over the past few weeks, we got the chance to contact a number of steel pan players around the country. We were making the initial steps to just let people know about the Steel Pan Collective. We felt pretty good especially with all the feedback we received.

One interesting thing that struck us was the high number of individual solo players out there. It was a good reminder for us.

We kind of knew this going in due to our earlier market research. It was really interesting and a little ironic though. Steel pan was created and used in the early days in a group setting. At least for now in the U.S., there are a large number of musicians out there playing on their own.  Most can find other steel pan players if a client is willing to pay for a "band" or "orchestra". But most trek to their gigs on their own.

Maybe it is just an American thing. This country has always recognized and held up individualism as the ideal. Has that trickled into to steel pan playing at least in the U.S. Admittedly though, that calls for a different type of outreach from us at the Steel Pan Collective. How do you convince someone running a solo business to join an association with the word "collective" in the title. It can and will be tricky. Still we do see some merit in it all.

We still steel pan players banning together as a way to raise the exposure of the instrument. That's how the big stuff gets done. It is a bunch of individuals pulling together to make it happen. The cases of individuals doing it alone and building something that lasts are rare. You need help from others to make it all happen. We certainly can attest to that here at the SPC.

Anyway, we are enjoying getting the feedback from everyone. It has been fun and exciting. It definitely keeps us going.

Have a productive and musical weekend and upcoming week.

Sincerely,

Skip Waugh
Steel Pan Collective.