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welcome to steelin jazz

The Steelin' Jazz Quartet features 4 of Chicago’s most talented musicians. Lightning, the world's finest double tenor pannist (steeldrum player) from Trinidad, is the band leader. Rob Block, a phenomenal American jazz artist performs on both the keyboard and the guitar, Bel Small, the band’s Bajan (from Barbados) Bounce is on the bass, and all is set to the sweet rhythms of American Aras Biskis on drums. The musical magic of these artists is amazing. Your feet will be dancing to their delightful Caribbean Jazz rhythms. Their vast repertoire and superb musical understanding demonstrate how deep their passion for their art lies. To see them perform is to sample the oneness of music. The music takes over the body, mind and soul of these extraordinarily talented musicians. Steelin' Jazz is the perfect blend of island heat and cool jazz. The musicians have lived the music of the Caribbean in Trinidad and Barbados and the music of North America in the jazz clubs of Chicago, New Orleans and St. Louis. The sharing of their musical journey with each other and with their audience is an experience you don't want to miss.

Steelin’ Jazz has been performing since 1994. They have been featured at the Taste of Chicago, numerous yacht clubs, Caribbean festivals in Chicago, St. Louis and Trinidad, the International Festival of Life, The Trinidad Hilton, Queen’s Hall in Trinidad and many clubs and private events both in Trinidad and the Midwest. They have received rave reviews in both countries calling them brilliant, magical and extraordinaire. They have performed with calypso greats such as the Calypso King of the World, the Mighty Sparrow, Calypso Rose, the Original Defosto Himself and more. They have recorded 4 CDs. The latest CD “A Tribute to the Masters” is dedicated to the late, great Grandmaster of Calypso, Lord Kitchener and is recorded with calypsonian, Trinidad Crazy.

July 07, 2006
Clyde "Lightning" George and his band Steelin' Jazz joined us on the CBS 2 Breakfast Cruise. CBS 2 Entertainment Reporter Bill Zwecker reports.

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Among the many springtime pan festivals held in the Northern Hemisphere was the 3rd annual Carnival of Steel in Dallas Texas, April 22, 2006. 9 school bands with members varying from 6-20 players strutted their pans at Richland College. This show is a brain child of Joe Perea, the director of instrumental music at the College. In 2004 his featured artist was Ray Holman and Pan Ramajay. In 2005 he invited Andy Narell and in 2006 he welcomed Clyde Lightning George. Each year Joe assembles the Texas Symphony of Steel, a group of Texas area professional and advanced student pannists to perform with the guest artist and feature newer original works for steel band.  For 2006 Joe Perea took Lightning’s arrangements of classic jazz tunes from his CD “Lightning Strikes the Heartland”. He scored these arrangements for his 12 piece steelband. Joe said "This was a fun project for me. I approached these tunes as if I were writing for a conventional jazz big band, but instead scoring them for steel band." 

Lightning performed to a full and enthusiastic audience at Fannin Performance Hall in Dallas on April 22, 2006.  He thrilled both musicians and audience with his improvisational skills on the pan. He amazed all with his ability to play full chords using 3 and 4 sticks. In rehearsal Lightning encouraged the band members to improvise with him. The band members enjoyed exchanging musical ideas with Lightning thru improvisation. Lightning let them play free and gave them a chance to solo and express themselves. Lightning told the students “I want you to use your imagination. That’s what jazz is all about.”  

One of the highlights of the concert was the performance of Lord Kitchener's "Tay lay Lay" also known as "Old Lady Walk and mile and a Half".  The band created an old-time effect by playing on dudops, bottles and iron while Joe Perea played the tune on a tenor pan with the harmonics untuned.  Lightning led the band in singing the chorus and after a couple of rounds they chimed in on the modern instruments. "Since Lightning was a protege of Bertie Marshall," Joe said, "I wanted the audience to understand the contribution that Bertie Marshall made to the artform.  The best way I could demonstrate this was to play something that would demonstrate how dramatically the sound of the steel band changed after the inception of harmonics.  I have always been inspired to do something like this since hearing the David Rudder/Andy Narell recording of  "The Long Time Band", and Lightning really helped bring this to life.  The end result was a musical journey through time that reminded all of us of the true roots of pan: not Panorama, but in the streets of Trinidad during Carnival." 


Trini Pan maker, Tony Slater, is very well known in the Texas pan world and exhibited at this year's festival with Austin-based pan importer "Steel Island".  Tony and Lightning played together with the Highlander’s Steel Orchestra directed by Bertie Marshall in the 1960s. Tony said that Lightning inspires the best in professional musicians. “It’s all about the music” said Tony “Lightning was always wrapped up in the music. When he performs you see how his body, mind and soul becomes the music. Lightning continues to discover and present the beauty of the instrument and it’s music".