Artists

Steel Vibrations Steel Band is one of those bands that make it clear why the Caribbean steel drum has become so internationalized to the point of becoming very popular in the United States in recent years, which is why we are pleased to have had the opportunity to speak with one of its members. We are referring to American manager and musician of Trinidadian and Tobagonian descent, Patrice Perry, who, along with her brothers Jason Perry and Rony Perry, has brought high honor to her family’s homeland.

How Patrice Became Involved in Music

In addition to mentioning her brothers as bandmates, she also noted that the group was founded by her mother, who in turn came from the Tobago All Stars (a group originating from Dutchforth, Scarborough, Tobago), led by her brother and Patrice’s uncle, Carl Brown. They all moved to Houston, which is where her mother and uncle taught her and her brothers how to play. They have been together for over 35 years.

Patrice received musical training in elementary, middle, and high school, where she learned to play the flute. However, today, both Patrice and her brothers play the traditional steel drum from their family’s homeland, which is the signature element for which the group is best known.

Steel Vibrations Steel Band’s Professional Journey Over the Years

The professional activities carried out by Steel Vibrations Steel Band have centered around places such as Florida, Maryland, and New Jersey, among other states in the country. At the moment, they have not had the opportunity to tour abroad, but they do not rule out the possibility of doing so in the future.

It is precisely in these locations where Patrice and the rest of the group have delighted their audience with the metallic drum native to their roots, receiving an extraordinary reception from those attending their shows. Many people love the Caribbean and perceive this music as cheerful or relaxing depending on the mood of the moment, so they always achieve an excellent connection with those who come to see them.

While they usually play certain Trinidadian genres such as soca and calypso, they do not limit themselves to those alone and also play other Latin genres such as salsa and bossa nova.

The Hardest Moment for Patrice and the Group

One of the toughest moments Patrice and her brothers had to face was during the COVID-19 pandemic. Since everything was closed due to the quarantine, as we all know, there were no venues to perform at.

It was a very difficult time for all artists, and Steel Vibrations Steel Band was certainly no exception, but that does not mean they didn’t do everything possible to stay afloat despite the circumstances. At first, they couldn’t do much, but as time went on, they began performing at much smaller parties and events than usual, adhering to the social distancing requirements of that time.

Additionally, just as many other artists did, they relied on social media platforms such as Instagram and Facebook to stay afloat and maintain contact with their fans and followers.

International Steel Pan Festival

When we wanted to know what they had planned for the remainder of this year and 2027, it turns out that Steel Vibrations Steel Band performed in September at the International Steel Pan Festival. Most of the artists performing there hail from the Caribbean, which is why their presence is always requested at these types of events. Patrice and her brothers are happy to attend whenever they are invited and have the opportunity.

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Ed East is a Panamanian bandleader, composer, and jazz percussionist whom we had the opportunity to interview exclusively for the October 2026 edition of International Salsa Magazine. The artist, who currently lives in Iowa, United States, gave us a summary of his entire professional activity from the beginning up to the present day.

After thanking him for accepting our invitation and asking him about his beginnings in music and what led him to dedicate himself to this world, he responded with the following:

“Musical curiosity is a very interesting matter. Since I was very young, I had musical influences; my main influence was my father. My dad was not a musician, but he was the main influence I had because what he did was to consume music of all kinds. He was an omnivore when it came to music; he played both classical music at home and traditional Panamanian music.”

It was as a result of his father’s love for music that Ed began to become increasingly familiar with music from all over the planet. Returning to the fact that Ed is from Panama, this country is well known for the interoceanic canal through which many people pass from all over the world, several of whom choose to stay there for a while or even for the rest of their lives. In that process, they bring their cultures with them and contribute to the cultural tapestry of Panama.

This is how many Panamanians grew up listening to all those influences, which included music from countries like Haiti and Brazil. They do not speak Patois, but they love the rhythm of the music. These genres also sparked his interest in drums from a very young age, leading him to join his school’s drum band, which could be considered the young man’s first experience with percussion.

Around that time, his sister’s boyfriend came home with a guitar and started playing and singing, which fascinated Ed and made him fall in love with the instrument. His curiosity about the guitar was so strong that he entered the National Conservatory in Panama to study it for a couple of years. Unfortunately, he was too young to appreciate what he was learning, so he did not put in the necessary effort at the time. However, that curiosity remains so active today that the guitar continues to be one of his main instruments.

Instruments Ed has learned to play

Regarding the other instruments he plays, Ed spoke to us about a friend he met during his time in the drum band. This friend was related to people in the government, and their band director was a very astute person who knew how to make connections. The director proposed to his friend that he join the band, a proposal he accepted, and in turn, invited Ed to join as well.

Although the director was not very interested in Ed—focusing instead on his friend—they gave him the opportunity to join playing any instrument. He then remembered that he had a trumpet at home that belonged to his uncle, and he began to study it.

He even earned a scholarship to study in the United States at the University of Northern Iowa, which hosted the oldest jazz festival in the country. Fortunately for him, the training he brought from his home country helped him greatly in adapting to this new and much more demanding environment.

Decision to stay permanently in the United States

When those responsible for deciding whether or not to award Ed the scholarship asked him: “Listen, if you are doing very well over there at the university and doing well with music, will you return to Panama or stay there?” His hesitation was very brief, as he was very clear about what he wanted to do. So, he chose to be honest and replied: “No, if things are going well, I’m staying.”

Ultimately, Ed received his scholarship, graduated with honors, and joined honor societies whose members were selected by the professors, which was extremely favorable when it came to finding employment. That was how he quickly managed to land a job as a music teacher and band director.

Along the way, his greatest influences were professor and band director Ricaurte Hayes and professor Fernando “Tito” Rodríguez, both of whom were fundamental in his development as an artist.

First professional experiences

His professional network naturally began at the university, where, thanks to his talent and dedication, he managed to rise from the last band to the top band in a short time, leading him to go on tour with his very own professors. This collaboration gave birth to the Alto Maiz Jazz and Salsa Orchestra. The name Alto Maíz is a derivation of what exists in Iowa known as Tallcorn; thus, the direct translation was Alto Maíz, which became the band’s name.

Ed initially started as one of the three percussionists until he was encouraged by his bandmates to write his first vocal arrangement for the song “Cuando Te Veo” by Bobby Valentín. For this track, he took on the lead vocals alongside the backing chorus.

Many years later, Bob Washut decided to step away from the orchestra to focus on other projects, leading Ed to take on the role of director, producer, and principal arranger of the orchestra.

Ed East Latin Jazz Quorum

Alongside the Alto Maíz Orchestra, Ed also formed other groups, eventually shaping what is known today as the Ed East Latin Jazz Quorum. This is an independent project with a smaller format in which the artist explores other repertoires. The band has adapted to the point where it can perform as a duo, quartet, or quintet, depending on what the client requests.

Today, he plays alongside musicians of the caliber of bassist Danny Olin, percussionist Maurice Arteaga, and saxophonist Tejo Shorter.

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