Ebony is Europe’s leading steelband and is sometimes referred to as 'Europe's Finest'. Thye have won the UK National Panorama Competition at Notting Hill Carnival fourteen times - nines times in succession - and has given numerous prestigious performances: notably before The Queen and HRH Prince Charles on the occasion of the Prince’s Trust receiving a royal charter. Ebony has gained a reputation for outstanding artistic excellence in its field. Ebony is not just another steelband. It is a unique charity and community organisation that runs classes for children with disabilities, works with young offenders and is a key agency for some of the local community’s most disadvantaged people.

Ebony has continued to expand its charity work - already recognised as innovative and exemplary - to embrace employment training for young people. Ebony is a household name within the UK’s black community commanding huge respect for its artistic achievements, but also for the values that it represents i.e. hardwork, intelligence, creativity, discipline and personal integrity.

Ebony's digital studio funded by the Prince's Trust is being used to run an employment training scheme at Ebony and to record new steelpan music to be made available on the web. During the past year Ebony was the lead partner in the hugely successful UK Jazz & Steel project (www.jazzandsteel.org.uk). Funded by London Arts, the project included workshops, production of a new web site and live performances - all involving the leading exponent of jazz played on the steelpan, Mr Len ‘Boogsie' Sharpe. Boogsie - the world's leading steelpan soloist - is a hero to many young pannists in England, and his lead in combining steelpan with other artforms is a route many now wish to follow.

For more info on Ebony please visit their website at www.ebony.org.uk