Canada’s Ambassador for Steel Pan Culture

Wendy Jones, Pan Fantasy

Wendy Jones is wildly recognized as one of Canada’s leading ambassadors of the steel pan. Her pan journey started in 1977, and she has since carried the title “Queen of the Bass.” She has received numerous awards for her exceptional skills as a pannist, and her work with the pan has been recognized internationally.

As co-founder, and only female band leader of the award-winning steelband, Pan Fantasy, Jones uses the steelpan as a cultural tool to draw families into the pan fraternity: to inspire youth, to ignite leadership skills, and to influence social change.

Celebrating its 39th anniversary this year, Pan Fantasy has won the annual Pan Alive competition an unprecedented eleven years in a row while Jones’ herself has received numerous awards and accolades over the past three decades including, most recently, the 2025 Jean Augustine Excellence Award at the 20th annual CaribbeanTales International Film Festival.

As a founding member of the North York Inter-Community Youth Group, Jones has organised concerts, fashion shows, and numerous recreational activities in the Jane–Finch area and other communities. These efforts proved to be an early training ground for some of Canada’s great musical artists and positioned Jones as a mentor and master pannist to over 1,000 children and more across the Greater Toronto Area.

Today, Jones continues to lead by example and remains open to new endeavours that will strengthen her leadership qualities, especially in building up the steelpan community.