The Sunjet Serenaders Steelband – Steelband Spectacular - The Sound Of The Caribbean

While mostly dismissed by the steelpan purists, its evocative liquid sound, stellar production and broad repertoire sets this 1966 album apart when it comes to steelband albums. It is also notable for being one of the first steelband albums on an American major label.  It was produced by John Simon who at the time was a young upstart at Columbia Records and was making a name for himself by producing Top 40 pop hits and albums by the Cyrkle. The New York-based Trinidadian and Tobagonian American pannists involved are still somewhat of a mystery in the mostly murky world of mid-sixties steelpan music. According to iffy internet listings, the group derived by way of the Mellotones and West Indian Steelband. It can be confirmed that they were managed by Horace Morancie, a Trinidadian and Tobagonian American, who was a leading political figure and cultural ambassador in New York’s Caribbean-American diaspora communities.

Well-chosen song selection, sequencing, arrangements and production coincide to make for repeat listening, which is an exception in the world of steel pan recordings. The album features contemporary standards of the time such as “Summertime,” and “A Taste of Honey” which continue to stand out because of their endurance factor and major melodies. Even the West Side Story songs (“Tonight,” “Maria”) maintain their sway despite the recent release of a disappointing remake of the musical. While standards, movie themes and showtunes might have been their particular strong suite, they also ventured out to incorporate vibrant Latin sounds such as “Piel Canela” by Puerto Rican composer Bobby Capo and the Latin Jazz evergreen “Poinciana.” For the most part they are successful with renditions of classical pieces like Chopin’s “Polonaise” that takes a brief detour through a Cubop passage, however “Artist’s Life” by Strauss does come across slightly shallow and touristy.

Typically, steelpan recordings fail to capture the distinctive sonic ambience nature of each specific steelpan instrument resulting in either an overall mush or metallic pinging shrillness. Their mostly uptempo sound is marked by a propulsive percussion which could have been the influence of the ensemble frequently playing at numerous festivals and marching at the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. This polyrhythmic percussion also helps seal bottom-end sound leakage, while providing forward momentum. Belated credit should be given for John Simon putting the many pieces together. I would love for him to provide glass-bottom boat insight into this recording as he does not mention the record in his memoir Truth, Lies & Hearsay, nor is it listed in his website’s discography. He should be proud to be involved with this recording. Besides, he co-wrote one of the album’s original gems “Sun Dance” that radiates with melody and rhythmic energy along with flares of the slightly abstract variety. Not only should this recording be acknowledged for its distinction of being one of the first American major label steelpan recordings, but also recognized for being a brightly layered and extremely listenable album that is still floating around out there.