E35: Leon Foster Thomas |Taking Steel Pan From Trinidad to Siberia

Trinidad-born steel pan virtuoso Leon Foster Thomas joins Sewor Okudzeto on Afro Soul Stories to talk about taking the steel pan into jazz — from San Fernando, Trinidad to Lincoln Center, Moscow and Siberia. We get into the stories behind his four albums, from What You Don't Know… to Calasanitus, writing "I Am An Immigrant" on a scrap of paper after watching the news, painting the Gulf of Paria in sound, touring Russia and Kazakhstan with an instrument most audiences had never seen, and what's next: Metamorphosis at 10, the Bahrain Jazz Festival, Lincoln Center and his Chamber Music America commission. "I want the pan to sound different.

I want my rendition to sound different. Anytime you hear a pan, you should know it's me playing." 🎧 Get Calasanitus on Bandcamp: 📺 Watch the full video conversation: 📸 Follow Leon: @leonfosterthomas | Afro Soul Stories explores the roots, rhythms and creative journeys of African and diaspora artists — where music meets memory and culture meets innovation.

Follow the show so you never miss an episode, and leave a rating if this one stayed with you. 📸 @afrosoulstories | @sewor_music 🌐 Chapters: 0:00 Intro 03:40 Ken "Professor" Philmore and the road into jazz 07:50 What You Don't Know… — the debut album 09:58 Brand New Mischief — becoming a father 11:00 Calasanitus — an homage to his mother 13:25 "I Am An Immigrant" — the story behind the song 19:10 Musicians reflect the times 20:10 Metamorphosis — growth and transformation 21:55 Gulf of Paria — painting pictures in sound 25:20 Metamorphosis at 10 and the London Jazz Festival 26:10 The Miami years and the Florida jazz scene 29:10 Touring Russia, Siberia and Kazakhstan 32:05 Technique: damping, sustain and pan sticks 39:10 What's next & outro