22/04/2022
the greatest pioneer of pan from behind the bridge
This Monday marked 46 years since the passing of steelpan pioneer Winston “Spree” Simon. He is credited with inventing the “ping pong” steelpan, which made way for today’s tenor pan.
“Spree” Simon grew up in East Dry River and played with a number of bands, such as the John John-based steelband Destination Tokyo. He made his breakthrough with the “ping pong” pan by converting a kettle-drum into a melodic instrument with convex, dome-like sections on its surface, which allowed it to have different pitches or notes.
This change gave musicians the ability to play entire melodies on the steelpan, a skill which Simon debuted at Carnival 1946, the first Carnival in Trinidad and Tobago since the ban during World War II. He played the “Ave Maria”, calypsoes by Lord Kitchener, and the British national anthem to an audience that included then Governor of Trinidad and Tobago and his wife, as well as social worker Audrey Jeffers.
Simon was then invited to be part of TASPO, the Trinidad All Steel Percussion Orchestra. He toured Great Britain and Paris in 1951, while performing with them.
Over the course of his life, Simon spread his love for steelpan at home and abroad. He travelled widely to countries like Nigeria and Ghana, where he introduced people to the steelpan and showed them how to play it.
In 1974, the Government of Trinidad and Tobago honoured Simon with a Public Service Medal of Merit (Gold) for his contribution to the development of the steelpan. Simon’s legacy as one of the great steelpan innovators has been immortalised in a few calypsoes, such as Lord Kitchener's "Winston 'Spree' Simon" and Merchant's "Pan in Danger".
This photo showing Winston “Spree” Simon is part of the National Archives of Trinidad and Tobago Photograph Collection.
References: Jones, Anthony Mark. Steelband: Winston "Spree" Simon’s Story. Educo Press, 1978.
Blake, Felix I. R. The Trinidad and Tobago Steel Pan: History and Evolution. Grafiques 85, 1995.
Bastien, Elliot, and Sandra Bernard-Bastien. World Class Trinidad & Tobago: An Area of Abundance: Profiles of Performance. Sekani Publications, 2006.
