STEEL and the Steel Drum Band from Missouri Western University in St. Joseph will be performing in Trenton at 3 p.m. on Sunday, March 26, in the Ketcham Community Center on the North Central Missouri College campus.
This website brought to you in part by the following sponsor:
STEEL and the Steel Drum Band from Missouri Western University in St. Joseph will be performing in Trenton at 3 p.m. on Sunday, March 26, in the Ketcham Community Center on the North Central Missouri College campus.
The program is part of the Grundy County Friends of the Arts season schedule.
The steel drum bands feature two Trenton natives, Clay Johnston and Philip Ray. Both are graduates of Trenton High School and alumnus of MWU.
Dr. Dennis Rogers, director of percussion at MWU, organized and established the first steel drum band in Kansas City in 1994. STEEL consists of Dr. Rogers, Jay Albright, Johnston, and Ben Leimkuhler.
The band utilizes five steel drums, or pans, played by Albright and Johnston, who is also a featured vocalist, while Leimkuhler performs on bass guitar. Rogers is featured on drum set and other percussion instruments.
The band’s ability to perform a wide variety of music has led them to a high level of success. They have performed in many different locations and settings including the Embassy Suites in Kansas City, the St. Joseph 2000 July 4 City Celebration, the former Ritz Carlton in the Kansas City Plaza, Hallbrook Country Club, St. Joseph Music Hall performing with the St. Joseph Symphony, the Hyatt Regency Hotel, Tan-Tar-A Resort, Smithville’s “Hot Summer Night” celebration and numerous restaurants, background and dance music for private home pool parties, school assemblies, proms, wedding receptions, churches, stage shows in larger gatherings and summer city celebrations. STEEL performed for a crowd of approximately 8,000 at the Amelia Earhart Festival in Atchison, KS in 2002.
The MWU Steel Drum Band originated in the spring 1994 semester. This group of musicians, made up of MWU students, has become extremely popular both in the Kansas City and St. Joseph areas. The band’s performances include such music as island, reggae, calypso, adapted American pop style, music of Trinidad, Caribbean.
This year’s MWU Steel Drum Band includes 15 musicians. The instruments heard in this group include 14-24 different kind of pans (steel drums), numerous small percussion instruments, drum set, electric bass guitar, electric guitar, and a male and female vocalist.
Students in this year’s pan band are Eric Carlson, Wes Stephens, Mendy Southerd, Jon Bailey, Keith Langabee, David Gay, Amy Walker, Jason Baskin, Ian Derrickson, Dave Haeker, Chris Muehlich, Chris Brough, Tyler Chiarelli, Brian Burlingame, and Erika Lipiec. Dr. Dennis Rogers directs the MWU St eel Drum Band.
Admission to the March 26 performance is $5 at the door and free to Grundy County Friends of the Arts season ticketholders and NCMC students with college identification.
The performance is co-sponsored by Grundy County Friends of the Arts Council and Buddy and Karla Hannaford of MasterVideo, with partial funding by a grant from the Missouri Arts Council.