REPORT on Meeting with Mr. Junior Howell about ‘Kalypso Powder Koating’ of Steel Pans at Colour Specialist Factory William Street and Old St Joseph Rd Laventille.

As a child Mr. Junior Howell grew up in Lavantille surrounded by pioneers and inventors of the double tenor steel pan such as Vincent  Pompee and Bertie  Marshall as they were employed by his father. Today, the advancement of steel pan has remained an important focus of Mr. Howell.

Mr. Howell who as former Director, Pan in the Classroom, Ministry of Education campaigned for a steel orchestra in every school in Trinidad and Tobago visited the High Commission to discuss his latest project. The Hummingbird Medal recipient has devised an innovative and creative way to fuse media and performing arts.

Colour. It is what Mr. Howell decided was missing from the steel pan bands across Trinidad and Tobago. With a BS in Mathematics and Physics, and B.A. and M.A. in Music Education, Mr. Howell is able to use his scientific know-how to colour the metal used to make the steel pan using electrolysis.

On viewing the steel pan, many people immediately question the effect of colouring on the tone and sound. However, according to Mr. Howell because the colour is added via a chemical process, the properties of the steel used remain the same.

What is produced is a sweet sounding instrument with added flare, whether it is purple, blue, bronze or the national colour, red. Steel bands can now indentify themselves by the colour of their pans and bring life to the former monotony of chrome pans.

Mr. Howell uses the vibrancy of colour to fight against crime. Using his teaching ability, as former Principal and music lecturer at Valsayn Teachers’ College, he formed a steel band CASATAL Junior Steel Orchestra comprising young members from high-crime areas of Trinidad. As members of affected communities were separated into categories of tenor pan, double second, bass and so forth, the aggressiveness identity among members was dissolved. Many of the young people continue to play pan professionally today.

This practice of colouring steel pans will add to the milieu of colours seen around the streets of Trinidad and Tobago during Carnival season. Our country, known for its animated culture and people will certainly welcome more colours to it’s beautifully powder coated canvas.

Not only will steel pans in Trinidad and Tobago be outfitted in bright colours, but Mr. Howell carries his idea and business across the Atlantic. In between his performances and as a judge in Panorama at Nottinghill Carnival, Mr. Howell promotes the colouring of the steel pan to pan players and bands in London.

The environmentally friendly process of colouring (Powder Coating) steel pans has already caught on in Trinidad. Mr. Howell’s factory, Colour Specialist Factory, is located in William Street ad Old St. Joseph Road, Laventille and the gears are turning as he powder coats the town red, blue, purple, and bronze etc.