No ShippingHow It Works!!
Purchase Orders Available! How It Works!!
Need help? Email us

Product Detail

  Enlarge  

"Kaiso for Olli" by Mat Britain

List Price: $37.00
Price: $32.00

Difficulty: Easy (great for beginning junior high, high school, and college steel bands)

Kaiso is widely thought to be the word that Calypso derived from. In Trinidad the word Kaiso is still used by some of the older generation.  Olli in this case is not a person's name, but is the acronym for Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, a wonderful adult education program in Nashville, TN. I am lucky enough to teach three Olli Steel Bands. This song was written for the beginning level band in 2014.

Pedagogical Points/Performance Notes-

The Intro- gives your beginning students a chance to work on unison rolls. Though I usually prefer not to have many rolls in the bass pans, having them roll in the intro gets the entire band working on the same technique. Evenness of sound and roll speed can be introduced to your band. Generally, the higher the note, the faster the roll. Low notes require less hand speed.

Product ID SDMB-010-Kaiso_For_Olli
ISBN SDMB-010
Date Added
11/13/2022

Sample Mp3

Kaiso is widely thought to be the word that Calypso derived from. In Trinidad the word Kaiso is still used by some of the older generation.  Olli in this case is not a person's name, but is the acronym for Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, a wonderful adult education program in Nashville, TN. I am lucky enough to teach three Olli Steel Bands. This song was written for the beginning level band in 2014.

Pedagogical Points/Performance Notes-

The Intro- gives your beginning students a chance to work on unison rolls. Though I usually prefer not to have many rolls in the bass pans, having them roll in the intro gets the entire band working on the same technique. Evenness of sound and roll speed can be introduced to your band. Generally, the higher the note, the faster the roll. Low notes require less hand speed.

A little music theory can be taught by pointing out that the basses are not doing their usual job of playing the root notes of the chords. In the first 6 measures the bass pans are playing the 7th degree of the chord for a "jazzier" sound. After learning the Intro, ask students if they can point out what sounds "different".

In measures 5 & 6 the Guitar/Cello pans get a short descending line that needs to be heard, followed by a bass "walk down" in measure 8 that sets up the A section.

The A section- is the perfect vehicle to teach your Lead pans about alternating sticking. Their first instinct will be to play the 4 eighth notes on "C" with one hand which will be unsustainable at faster tempi. Alternating sticking starting with the left hand is recommended for Leads.

Dbl 2nds and Guitar/Cello have an easier strum pattern than usually found in steel band arrangements. I have found introducing these slightly easier rhythms helps with player confidence and gets them used to the different layers of rhythmic activity.

The bass pans get a nice little arpeggio every 4th measure. And everyone lands on a unison rhythm at the end of each A section.

The Open section can introduce your band to how an "Open" repeat works for a soloist. If you have any budding improvisers, let them have a go soloing during this section! Not comfortable soloing on pan yet? Have them play it on their primary instrument. See if the Jazz Ensemble has a player(s) wanting to solo. Or spotlight one of your instructors on their primary instrument. Having an instrument other than pan utilized in the middle of a concert can really be a refreshing sonic change for your audience.

If you do incorporate a soloist, your students will learn how to play a supportive role behind the soloist, and will learn about visual cues from the soloist letting the band know the Open section is over and the band is going on to letter B.

If you don't have a soloist just play the Open section twice (once with repeat) and go on to B.

Letter B is just a recap of the Intro. Take the DS al coda. You can take both the first and second endings, or just the second ending, to get to the fine.

Drum Chart- This part is really just for navigational purposes. Help your drummer research stylistically appropriate Calypso patterns and fills. Mark Walker, long time drummer for Andy Narell as well as the Caribbean Jazz Project, has some great on-line tutorials on Calypso drumming.

I hope your band enjoys learning this song! -Mat

Difficulty: Easy (great for beginning junior high, high school, and college steel bands)

Instrumentation: tenor/double tenor(can be played on 2nds)/double seconds/guitar-cello/bass/drum set/engine room

ITEM ID : SDMB-010

Product Reviews
No Reviews For This Product.