Bakra Bata Keeps Beat Exotic And Accessible

Who are the core members of Bakra Bata:

Michael Shantz, lead pan, pan, double second, talking drum, timbales

Chrisceda Clemmons, bass pan, guitar pan

Charlie Carew, bass pan, guitar pan, shakere

Dara Quinn, lead pan, guitar pan, double seconds

Daniel Cavalho, trap drums

James "Zulu" Burres, conga drums, supportive percussion

The first notes trickle out, a series of delicate metal "pings."

A rattle shakes in the background, the swoop-swoop of a talking drum taking up the rhythm.

Then it all speeds up until ping!ping!SWOOP-shake-ping! - the steel-pan band rings with music that has you dreaming of swirling summer colors and tropical drinks.

But what's that you're hearing? The music of . . . Van Morrison?!? And Pachelbel's Canon in D?!?

"We want to transcend categories, to show the common threads that run through different types of music," says Bakra Bata's founder, Michael Schantz. "So we play Louis Armstrong, Bob Dylan, Van Morrison and other musicians. The steel pan is exotic enough of an instrument that I didn't want people who were unfamiliar with it to make it a barrier. So I chose music that people already knew, that would make our music accessible."

"Accessibility" and "commonality" come up often when Schantz speaks. The words are shorthand for the philosophy that infuses everything in this band - from its name to its members, its instruments, music and venues.

Schantz fell into playing steel pans by accident. Years ago, while living in Massachusetts, steel pan-playing neighbors from St. Thomas snagged him into their band.

"I was looking for an instrument and a type of music that would span differences between various segments of society," Schantz says.

He found the steel pan - an instrument whose history combines Caribbean and European elements.

At the turn of the century, Trinidad's British colonial rulers prohibited playing drums during Carnival. Trinidadians took to playing frying pans, biscuit tins and oil drums. Later, tourists and the U.S. Navy (which had bases on the island) helped popularize the music.

That cultural mixing comes through in the band's name and membership. "Bakra," a West Indian slang term for "white person," was the nickname given to Schantz by his former West Indian band mates. "Bata" is a drum used for ceremonial music in the Caribbean. The band (with six core members, and occasionally four more musicians and dancers) is of mixed race and gender.

In addition to playing at Seattle's Folklife and Bumbershoot festivals, Bakra Bata has traveled from Montreal to San Antonio, performing covers and original music as well as theatrical masquerade dances.

Where to check out Bakra Bata: Tractor Tavern, 8 p.m. Sunday, . Cassettes ($13 includes postage and handling) and CDs ($18) including the newest recordings "Blessings in Disguise" and "Music for Bad Guys" can be ordered by calling 322-3600, or by writing to: Bakra Bata, 1202 E. Pike, Suite 1024, Seattle, WA 98122.