Album Notes

Alfred St. John’s Trinidad & Tobago Steel Band is pleased to offer their first recording of Christmas music. “Caribbean Christmas Carnival” has both instrumental and vocal renditions of favorite Christmas Carols - a new kind of Christmas tune Mon!

“Caribbean Christmas Carnival” is a collection of traditional Christmas songs performed on Trindad Steel Pans with unique twists seldom heard. The musical arrangements, though stemmed in the melodic rhythms of the Caribbean, offer the listener a variety of genres from calypso, soca, samba, reggae, jazz, to African rock and the appropriate angelic voices as heard on the selection of “O Holy Night”. A rendition of “My Favorite Things” is a tribute to the late jazz great John Coltrane and features Jimmie Highsmith, Jr. on saxophone. Also featured on several tracks is the late pannist Richard Smith. The 12 selections traverse various moods - it is hoped that one will appreciate this recording on any occasion, or as the Calypsonian “Sparrow” once wrote “Every Day is Christmas”.