0:00:21 > 0:00:23This story belongs to Reiss
0:00:23 > 0:00:24and Uncle Jamma.
0:00:29 > 0:00:30It is a tiny tale
0:00:30 > 0:00:32about Uncle Jamma's life
0:00:32 > 0:00:35and the things he used to do.
0:00:36 > 0:00:39Ready? One, two, go!
0:00:39 > 0:00:43Reiss and Uncle Jamma are playing catch in Uncle Jamma's garden.
0:00:43 > 0:00:46Got that one. OK.
0:00:46 > 0:00:49- You haven't been practising? - No, I haven't.
0:00:49 > 0:00:53- But I'm still a bit good. - Yeah, you're very good.
0:00:53 > 0:00:57Now it's time for Uncle Jamma to share his memories
0:00:57 > 0:01:00and take Reiss on a journey of discovery.
0:01:03 > 0:01:05Uncle Jamma is a musician.
0:01:05 > 0:01:07He plays the steel pans, which
0:01:07 > 0:01:11are special instruments that sound like this.
0:01:16 > 0:01:20This is Uncle Jamma's house and this is the special room where
0:01:20 > 0:01:22he records his music.
0:01:24 > 0:01:27Reiss is listening to his favourite band on headphones.
0:01:27 > 0:01:31- OK, Reiss, what are you listening to there?- One Direction.
0:01:31 > 0:01:35- One Direction? Why do you like it? - Cos it's got a sweet drum to it.
0:01:35 > 0:01:37That's interesting.
0:01:37 > 0:01:39What kind of music do you like?
0:01:39 > 0:01:43I like all different kinds of music, but I really enjoy calypso music.
0:01:44 > 0:01:49Calypso music comes from the islands of Trinidad and Tobago,
0:01:49 > 0:01:51which are in the Caribbean.
0:01:51 > 0:01:55People have been playing calypso music there for over 100 years,
0:01:55 > 0:01:57which is a very long time.
0:02:00 > 0:02:04Calypso music has a special beat which makes people want to dance.
0:02:04 > 0:02:08This beat is often played on the steel pan,
0:02:08 > 0:02:12which is the national instrument of Trinidad and Tobago.
0:02:12 > 0:02:15And we also play it and enjoy it here.
0:02:16 > 0:02:20My daddy's teaching me how to play the steel pans.
0:02:20 > 0:02:23Wow, that's wonderful! I love the sound of those instruments.
0:02:23 > 0:02:28- I started playing the steel pans when I was a little boy.- How old were you?
0:02:28 > 0:02:29I was just nine years old.
0:02:29 > 0:02:33And it was your daddy that taught me to play. Yeah.
0:02:39 > 0:02:41Reiss's dad, Norman,
0:02:41 > 0:02:43is Uncle Jamma's big brother.
0:02:43 > 0:02:47Let's look at some old pictures of them when they were little boys.
0:02:47 > 0:02:51When I was a youngster at school, we had the steel pans.
0:02:51 > 0:02:54We used to practise every day after school.
0:02:54 > 0:02:57But we loved playing the steel pans so much
0:02:57 > 0:02:59that even in our dinner break,
0:02:59 > 0:03:03we never used to have any dinner, we just would be in the room
0:03:03 > 0:03:06playing music until we said, "Oh, gosh, I'm hungry."
0:03:08 > 0:03:11All this practising paid off because Uncle Jamma has won
0:03:11 > 0:03:15lots of competitions for playing the steel pans.
0:03:15 > 0:03:18Here he is winning one of his many trophies.
0:03:23 > 0:03:25But before Uncle Jamma
0:03:25 > 0:03:27learned to play the steel pans,
0:03:27 > 0:03:30he used to play a different type of pan.
0:03:30 > 0:03:34So when me and your dad were young,
0:03:34 > 0:03:36little like you, right,
0:03:36 > 0:03:39we'd run in the kitchen, right,
0:03:39 > 0:03:42and get pots and pans, just like these,
0:03:42 > 0:03:44and we'd play music like this.
0:03:51 > 0:03:56- That sounds like a real steel pan. - Doesn't it?
0:03:56 > 0:03:59Probably because it's metal. And when we're using metal...
0:03:59 > 0:04:03And this one will give a different sound.
0:04:04 > 0:04:06And we used to be doing that for hours.
0:04:06 > 0:04:11- That one, too.- Yeah, you want to try that one?- Yes, please.
0:04:16 > 0:04:19Yeah, and you're actually playing a calypso rhythm.
0:04:19 > 0:04:24- Did you want to try that again?- Yeah. - One, two, three, four.
0:04:32 > 0:04:36- Yay! Do you want to give me a high five?- Yeah.- OK.
0:04:36 > 0:04:42Another great instrument for playing a calypso beat is the bass guitar.
0:04:42 > 0:04:43All right.
0:04:43 > 0:04:46- That's a nice beat. - It's a nice beat?
0:04:48 > 0:04:51When people come together, we call it a jam session.
0:04:51 > 0:04:57That's why people call me Jamma, cos I like to jam.
0:04:57 > 0:05:00I think we should have a jam session with you on the pots
0:05:00 > 0:05:03and pans and me on the bass.
0:05:04 > 0:05:07All right, get your sticks ready.
0:05:17 > 0:05:18- Whoa, how was that?- Fine.
0:05:24 > 0:05:27A long time ago, people in Trinidad used to play music on pots
0:05:27 > 0:05:29and pans, too.
0:05:33 > 0:05:37They made music with anything made of metal, like biscuit tins,
0:05:37 > 0:05:40dustpan lids and old oil drums.
0:05:40 > 0:05:42There were lots of oil drums in Trinidad
0:05:42 > 0:05:47because there were lots of oil rigs pumping oil from under the sea.
0:05:47 > 0:05:50People found that if they hammered dents in an oil drum,
0:05:50 > 0:05:53different notes could be played on it.
0:05:53 > 0:05:57And that's how the steel pan was invented.
0:06:05 > 0:06:10Now it's time for Uncle Jamma to give Reiss a steel pan lesson.
0:06:12 > 0:06:16- This is my favourite steel pan here. - Why is it your favourite steel pan?
0:06:16 > 0:06:20Because it makes a beautiful sound and it looks beautiful.
0:06:20 > 0:06:22You've got a very nice steel pan here.
0:06:22 > 0:06:26- Do you want to play me a tune? - Yes, please.- OK, let's hear it.
0:06:39 > 0:06:41- Wow, that's brilliant!- Thank you.
0:06:41 > 0:06:44I think I should be getting lessons from you.
0:06:44 > 0:06:46- Would you like to learn a song? - Yes, please.
0:06:46 > 0:06:50- Right, I'm going to teach you a song that's called Dancing.- OK.
0:06:50 > 0:06:53You'll play one part, I'll play something different.
0:06:53 > 0:06:58- OK.- OK, so let's try. We're going to start here. We're going to go...
0:07:02 > 0:07:06Look, there are lots of oval-shaped dents on the surface
0:07:06 > 0:07:07of the steel pan.
0:07:09 > 0:07:12- Do you want to try that?- Yes, please.
0:07:12 > 0:07:14Hitting a big oval makes a low note
0:07:14 > 0:07:17and hitting a small oval makes a high note.
0:07:17 > 0:07:20Wow, you're brilliant! You're really good.
0:07:20 > 0:07:24I'm going to put on some music that's going to be playing behind us.
0:07:24 > 0:07:28Remember the jamming and the calypso? It's going to be like that.
0:07:28 > 0:07:29- OK.- OK.
0:07:29 > 0:07:32One, two, three, four...
0:07:42 > 0:07:44Not too fast, not too fast.
0:07:48 > 0:07:52- Wow, Reiss, you are really the best, man.- Thanks.- Give me a high five.
0:07:52 > 0:07:53All right.
0:07:55 > 0:07:59Wow, what a musical family.
0:07:59 > 0:08:01Let's go and meet Reiss' dad, Norman.
0:08:01 > 0:08:03He's really musical, too.
0:08:03 > 0:08:05- This is my dad.- Hello!
0:08:05 > 0:08:08It's dad Norman's job to make steel pans.
0:08:08 > 0:08:12And he's going to show Reiss how he makes the musical notes.
0:08:12 > 0:08:14This is called tuning.
0:08:14 > 0:08:17Well, Reiss, this is an old drum which
0:08:17 > 0:08:20we start off with to make a steel drum.
0:08:20 > 0:08:21This is one I have finished.
0:08:21 > 0:08:24This is one I'm going to work on now.
0:08:24 > 0:08:26I'll show you how to tune it.
0:08:26 > 0:08:29- It looks like hard work. - It is very hard work.
0:08:29 > 0:08:33I have all these different hammers and tools to tune it with.
0:08:33 > 0:08:38I'm going to use my very small one first of all. OK?
0:08:38 > 0:08:41And first of all, I listen to the sound of the notes.
0:08:41 > 0:08:46- That looks like a kiddie's hammer. - Yes, it's a very small baby hammer.
0:08:46 > 0:08:49- OK.- Do you use all of them?
0:08:49 > 0:08:51I use all different ones at different stages.
0:08:51 > 0:08:54Like the big one for the biggest notes?
0:08:54 > 0:08:58Yes, I've got this very big one when I'm doing the bass. OK?
0:08:58 > 0:09:00And I've got this very small one,
0:09:00 > 0:09:03- which I'll use now on this pan here.- OK.- OK?
0:09:03 > 0:09:06How does that machine work?
0:09:06 > 0:09:07Well, this machine...
0:09:07 > 0:09:11First of all, I listen to the notes on this machine here. OK?
0:09:11 > 0:09:15That tells me what note it is. Then it has a microphone in it here,
0:09:15 > 0:09:20which listens to the notes. And then this display spins around.
0:09:20 > 0:09:23When it stands still, it means the note is correct.
0:09:23 > 0:09:29You mean, when those flashing red little bits flash,
0:09:29 > 0:09:34and they're standing still, does that mean it's got the right note?
0:09:34 > 0:09:36That's right. When it's standing
0:09:36 > 0:09:40- still, it's the right note, yeah. Will I show you?- Yes, please.- OK.
0:09:40 > 0:09:42Now we listen to the sound.
0:09:46 > 0:09:50Then I'm going to hammer the drum from underneath.
0:09:50 > 0:09:55Dad Norman is making a dent with the hammer.
0:09:55 > 0:09:56That's loud.
0:09:56 > 0:10:01Now I'm going to tap it from above now and get the right sound on it.
0:10:09 > 0:10:13- Does that sound right now?- Yeah. - Let's have a listen as well.
0:10:15 > 0:10:19- Let's use our ears to listen when it sounds correct.- OK.
0:10:21 > 0:10:22Sounds right, OK?
0:10:22 > 0:10:27How long does it take to make a steel pan?
0:10:27 > 0:10:31About three days it will take me to make one.
0:10:31 > 0:10:33That's a long time.
0:10:33 > 0:10:35It's a lot of hard work as well.
0:10:35 > 0:10:38Well, that was a good job, Reiss. Thank you for helping me.
0:10:38 > 0:10:41- You've been a great help.- Thank you.
0:10:43 > 0:10:46What an interesting job dad Norman has.
0:10:46 > 0:10:51Now, let's meet another member of Reiss's musical family.
0:10:53 > 0:10:56This is my cousin Jamani. He's cool.
0:10:56 > 0:10:57Hello.
0:10:59 > 0:11:03This is an old picture of Jamani in his daddy's steel pan.
0:11:03 > 0:11:07He is Uncle Jamma's son and he started playing the steel pans
0:11:07 > 0:11:10when he was even younger than Reiss is.
0:11:12 > 0:11:16He released his first CD when he was still at school
0:11:16 > 0:11:20and he has travelled the world playing the steel pans.
0:11:24 > 0:11:27Now, it's time for something really special -
0:11:27 > 0:11:33the first-ever performance of Reiss's very own steel band.
0:11:33 > 0:11:39Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, welcome to the Reiss Steel Band.
0:12:34 > 0:12:36- Yeah!- Yeah!
0:12:36 > 0:12:39KIDS: Yay!
0:12:43 > 0:12:49What a brilliant calypso concert and what a talented family they are.
0:12:52 > 0:12:57Thank you, Uncle Jamma, for letting me play in my own steel band today.
0:12:57 > 0:12:59That's a real special pleasure.
0:12:59 > 0:13:02Can you remember the special things we've done?
0:13:02 > 0:13:05Playing the pots and pans in the garden.
0:13:06 > 0:13:10You gave me a steel pan lesson, which was great fun.
0:13:12 > 0:13:15Daddy showed me how he makes a steel pan.
0:13:15 > 0:13:20Then everyone in the family played in Reiss's steel band.
0:13:20 > 0:13:23It was amazing!
0:13:23 > 0:13:26What was your favourite thing today, Uncle Jamma?
0:13:26 > 0:13:29My favourite thing was playing in the band in front
0:13:29 > 0:13:33of all the children and especially playing next to you.
0:13:33 > 0:13:36- That was my favourite thing, too. - That's brilliant.
0:13:36 > 0:13:40I think you should give me a high five. All right.
0:13:44 > 0:13:47What a fabulous heap of fun!
0:13:47 > 0:13:51That was Reiss and Uncle Jamma's tiny tale about the things
0:13:51 > 0:13:53Uncle Jamma used to do.
0:13:53 > 0:13:56Now Uncle Jamma has shared his story with Reiss,
0:13:56 > 0:13:59it's time for Reiss to start his own story.
0:13:59 > 0:14:03Do you know someone who has a story to share?