Texas, USA -   If you're a Disney fan, and you were nearby the courthouse in Downtown Austin Thursday, you probably couldn't miss it.

The Austin Community Steelband School shared their joy of steel pans by performing a few musical favorites.

A group of East Austin kids are making some beautiful music with these unusual instruments

Trinidad, W.I. - “DOUGLA,” that’s the name of one of the tracks on his upcoming eight-track compact disc which would be in honour of his son, Jaden who was born on January 22nd, 2008 - surely he looks like a “true Trini.” So said the musical virtuoso who was in Trinidad recently “to kill two birds with one stone” – that of showcasing his first born to his mother and sisters, as well as to do a concert entitled “Strings, Song and Steel.”

This was a triad presentation featuring British virtuoso violinist Oliver Lewis, a Trini operatic singer, Natalia Dopwell, as well as the steelpan.

Liam Teague was responding to questions from Hollis Clifton, “Pan Diaspora Visionary” and WACK Radio presenter Heshimu in a recent interview at the studio in San Fernando, Trinidad.

Hawaii - Drumbeats offer more than the sound of wood or hands hitting a membrane.

Drumbeats strike at the core of life and reverberate with visceral vibes that can bring people to tears, said a young drummer in expressing his love of percussion.

"It's a really expressive array of instruments," said Preston Jones, 16, of Makawao, who recently returned from a prestigious summer percussion and steel band program in Wisconsin.

Percussion instruments may not be able to run up and down the musical scale as smoothly as a clarinet, flute or trumpet, or offer the harmonic chords of the guitar. Still, there is a lot of depth in the beat.

At a concert at the Birch Creek Percussion and Steel Band program that Preston attended, professional marimbist Orlando Cotto, an instructor at the University of Delaware, broke down crying as he played a piece he composed for his son.

United Kingdom - Reggae Reggae Sauce man Levi Roots paid the Comets Steel Band a surprise visit last night to show his support for the project.

The Comets have been locked in an ongoing battle with residents for a number of years after the council said it received numerous complaints about the noise level.

The chef and musician treated his delighted audience to an impromptu guitar performance and praised the band which he said helped get children off the streets.

Gina Sheridan, the group’s co-ordinator, said: “It was such a boost for us to be recognised by someone like Levi, especially at the moment when we seem to be besieged from all sides by the council.”

New York -  Unless you are fortunate enough to possess tickets for the 2008 Olympics being held in Beijing, China, one of the best deals for the exchange of cultural and artistic performances over the next few weekends, is taking place in New York City.  The popular annual New York steel orchestras’ pan yard launches have begun in earnest.

This past Sunday Pantonic Steel Orchestra held their 2008 launch at their Brooklyn summer practice facilities.   Pantonic’s panyard was filled with steelpan music fans as they traveled from throughout  the New York tri-state area to get their heavy dose of Sunday evening pan music.  It was labeled the 11th Anniversary Family Day Celebration and featured performances by Crossfire, CASYM, D’Radoes, Harmony and Pantonic Steel Orchestras,   In addition to the many steelpan music enthusiasts, (and more importantly) - members of every steel orchestra in New York had some type of representation.  The spirit of support and camaraderie among the young steelpan is very encouraging.

Suffolk, United Kingdom - For a good ten years Mick Hutton built up a tremendous reputation as a superb double bass player and he in regular demand to play for the world's top musicians.

He was at the height of his career some six years ago when he slip on a staircase and damaged his hand ligaments to such an extent that it brought a premature end to his career in music.

Or so it seemed.

But Mick had other ideas and he has re-invented himself as an accomplished performer on the steel pans, so often seen in a Caribbean setting.

And so his guest appearance at the fortnightly Jazznights gig at The Bell at Clare turned out to be a rare treat for those fortunate enough to be there.

Antigua & Barbuda - The participating steel bands competing in the 2008 Antigua Commercial Bank Panorama now know their positions to perform.

A representative from each band was present at a drawing last Friday afternoon at the ACB headquarters on High Street.

The order in which the bands will perform on the big night is as follows: Caribseas Harmonites, Cool & Smooth Ebonites, Cable and Wireless (C&W) Hell’s Gate Steel Orchestra, Stanford Development Company Limited (SDCL) Mahico Stars Steel Orchestra, West Indies Oil Company (WIOC) Gemonites and the Hadeed Group of Companies – Antigua Masonry Products (AMP) Halcyon.

Callaway, Virginia, USA. - Trinidad and the calypso musical beat are a long way from the rural, pastoral setting of Callaway in Franklin County, where bluegrass and country music are popular.

But some Callaway Elementary School students learned to play tropical music at a fine arts summer camp this past week.

They learned to play musical notes and songs on steel drums, percussion drums, panjumbies and other Caribbean musical instruments.

Making music on steel drums and steel pans was a new experience for the students at Callaway Elementary.

Ionia, Michigan, USA - In 2005, Ionia High School band director Scott Beyer saw a wealth of talent within his drum line, so much so that he wasn't sure what to do with it all.

In what some might say was a stroke of creative genius, Beyer approached several of his most gifted band members with a simple idea: Let's create a steel drum band and see what happens, he told them.

His students tell it a different way.

“I think he just wanted to keep us out of trouble,” said lead pan Garry Patrick. “It was something that'd kind of keep us busy.”

Did it ever. The idea came to fruition after the Ionia Band Boosters raised $20,000 through charitable donations, including a $15,000 donation from Meijer Corporation. Once the money for equipment, maintenance and start-up was gathered, the band's personnel - made up entirely of current and recently-graduated high school band students - had their chance to shine.

Antigua & Barbuda - The 2008 Antigua Commercial Bank Panorama Competition should be a night to remember as the bands will take their fans and the audience in general on a musical trip down memory lane.

Each band will be performing one song and most of the songs for this year’s competition will be from the past.

Performing King Short Shirt’s Jouvert Rhythm, My Pledge and Jamming are Cool & Smooth Ebonites, Caribseas Harmonites and the champions, Cable & Wireless Hellsgates respectively.

The Hadeed Group of Companies AMP Halcyon will perform Hit Man by Latumba; WIOC Gemonites, Sweet Song by the Burning Flames and Stanford Group of Companies Limited Mahico Stars, Rev up Jouvert by the Mighty Swallow.

Antigua & Barbuda - An accomplished steel pan player, she has played in the national panorama competition for the last seven years, but unfortunately because of commitments with the queen show, she will not be able to participate this year. One can feel her disappointment as she articulates the pain of not being able to compete. She consoles herself with the thought that she is in fact marrying her two loves by playing the steel pan as her performing talent, but I can’t tell you the tune that she will be playing – that’s a secret. Although I can tell you that it’s one by the Mighty Monarch, King Short Shirt.

Did I mention that Latifa is immensely talented? Man you need to see and hear her playing the single tenor! Ever hear of “pan talking?” Well, she doesn’t make it talk; the melodies she plays raise a symphonic conversation. There is finesse in every stroke of the sticks as they gently caress the undulating surfaces of the notes. The cadence of the crescendos and diminuendos are among the best that I have heard.

Lancaster, Ohio - Winchester Steel Co. brought the Caribbean rhythms of their steel drums to the Lancaster Festival Bandstand on Wednesday.

Lancaster is a few thousand miles from the Caribbean, but the overhead sun made temperatures seem about as hot.

And though you could get a cheeseburger that tasted like paradise, the audience wasn't wasting away in Margaritaville - soda and water were the beverages of choice.

Standing to the side of the stage with his arms crossed against his chest, Carroll resident Tom Hempleman said he had seen the 25-piece Canal Winchester High school-based drum band a half dozen times. Today the band was scaled back slightly, with only 17 members playing the drums that resemble oil barrels.

United Kingdom - A steel orchestra accused of being too noisy is steeling itself for a legal battle with unhappy neighbours.

The Comets have been based behind Auckland Road, in South Norwood, for the past six years.

But in recent months they have been in dispute with fed up local residents who want to see them kicked out.

Now it is understood neighbours are taking legal advice about what rights the police-backed community orchestra's musicians have at the old sports pavilion where they practice.

Members of the Comets say they have got around 1,200 signatures on a petition calling for the council to show more backing for the project.

They are unhappy that the council cut its practice sessions from 20 hours a week to just five hours last September.

But locals say five hours of music a week is still too much to bear.

Lagos, Nigeria - In a celebration that lasted four hours at the palace of the Alagbara of Agbara, Agbara town in Ogun State, south west Nigeria, two chieftaincy titles were conferred upon panman Bowie Sonnie Bowei, and one upon his wife, Ndudi Bowei. The couple was honored in traditional fashion and in recognition for their integral and ongoing roles in the development of the steelband artform in Nigeria overall, especially within the community where Panland, the parent organization is set up.

Sonnie Bowei’s first title is The Amuludun of Agbara Land meaning “the one who makes that land sweet” (signifying his making the land ‘sweet’ with steelpan music).

United Kingdom- A New Addington based steel band has won a £5,500 grant from a charity.

The Croydon Steel Orchestra, which meets at Fairchildes Primary School, Fairchildes Avenue, once a week was presented with the cheque by representatives from the Jack Petchy Foundation.

The cheque was presented at a special ceremony at the school at 4pm on Wednesday.

Now the group, made up of 60 members aged between 10 and 40, will use the money to put towards a new £13,000 minibus.

Every year the band play hundreds of concerts across Croydon and London.

Venues include Fairfield Halls and busking in Trafalgar Square.

Currently they are rehearsing for the National Champion of Steel Panorama Competition.

It will see the band battle it out against around eight others from across the country in Hyde Park on August 23.

It comes ahead of their appearance at the Notting Hill Carnival on August 24 and 25.

New York - J’Ouvert City International, Inc. under the leadership of Mr. Danville Williamson, President and Founder is proud to announce its 1st J’Ouvert’s Launching of our Carnival celebration 2008 and its 15 years of Presentation of Awards and Trophies for the winning bands at the Brooklyn Borough Hall.

Trinidad and Tobago - Twenty-seven steelbands (conventional and single pan) will entertain patrons attending this year’s staging of the ninth annual Laventille Steelband Festival (LSF) Parade.

The event which takes place on Sunday, August 3, features reigning national Panorama champion Petrotrin Phase II Pan Groove, World Steelband Music Festival victor Sagicor Exodus and Courts Sound Specialists of Laventille, winner of the medium category at this year’s Panorama competition. Harlem Syncopators, Angostura Woodbrook Playboyz and Laventille Serenaders are among the leading single pan bands listed to add their music magic to the eventful programme.

United Kingdom - Monday the 14th July 2007 saw the Engine Room Collective open the Carnival Village’s summer events at the refurbished Tabernacle with their ‘Ladies Night’ featuring some of the UK’s young, gifted and aspiring female pannists backed by the Engine Room Collective.

St. Lucia, W.I. -  As the euphoric panists of Diamond Steel danced on the stage actuated by the proclamation of their victory, an obviously happy but measured Gregory "Shining" Emmanuel declared it "lucky seven" after his band regained the coveted crown two years after their last triumph in 2006.  Arranged by Aimran Simmonds with whom Emmanuel co-wrote their tune of choice Celebration, the name of the selection was a good portent of how the night would end for one of the Caribbean's most talented steel orchestras.   They are no stranger to winner's row, having copped the title six times previously in 1998, 2005 and 2006, with a hat trick from 2000—2002.

Barbados, W.I. - There was a cultural explosion in the heart of Bridgetown yesterday afternoon, as the sweet sounds of pan echoed through the busy streets, signalling the start of the National Cultural Foundation's Pan in de City.

Traffic was literally brought to a standstill and shoppers could be seen marvelling at the colourful spectacle and dancing to the infectious rhythms reverberating from the large buildings in the shopping centre.

The event officially started in Jubilee Gardens with a performance by the Israel Lovell Steel Orchestra.

Tobago, W.I. - Tobago pan pioneers as well as enthusiasts flocked the Scarborough Esplanade on Tuesday night to pay homage to the Katzenjammers Steel Orchestra.

The orchestra, which has been in existence since 1951, boasts among its list of credits to have played for Queen Elizabeth II on her visit to Tobago, as well as winning the TSTT sponsored Pan In The 21st Century Steel Bands competition in 2004 and 2008.

Several conventional and single pan bands provided entertainment for pan lovers as they each rendered a calypso piece and a folk song piece in keeping with the spirit of the Tobago Heritage Festival.

St. Lucian, W.I. - The Beausejour Cricket Grounds will come alive tonight Friday 18th 2008 from 8 pm when Panorama 2008 kicks off. Six steel bands are scheduled to compete, performing one warm up piece and one test piece each. Busta Emerald Steel, Cable and Wireless Diamond Steel, Courts Babonneau, Digicel Pan Time and Harmonites will all try to wrest the title from the 2007 winner, Leverage North Stars.

IIn addition to the competition performances, patrons are guaranteed an evening full of excitement and top quality side acts including stilt walking, masquerade and folk music.

Jamaica, W.I. - Panfest 2008 closed with