Album Notes

Just a little info about me -

I was born in the Caribbean. I could remember growing up on the island of Trinidad enjoying the beautiful tropical weather, together with the intense precarnival preparation especially in the steeldrum department. I was usually concerned with the most influential calypso of the current year and the steel band panorama which were both very competitive. Believe me after living within very close proximity of three major steeldrum bands on the southern side of the island I was destined to become an intense steelband musical arranger and calypsonian.

Needless to say I was profoundly influenced in my early childhood by major calypsonians such as:



The Mighty Sparrow . . . The Lord Kitchener . . . The Shadow . . . Lord Nelson . . . The Lord Shorty . . . Shortshirt . . . Beckett . . . Arrow . . . Harry Belefonte . . . and many more.


After moving to America these influences remained with me, and was always reinforced with the annual labor day festivites in New York together with the abundance of new musical material that was always available in the Caribbean community. The "Mighty Sparrow " and " Bob Marley " were always foremost in my mind.

At this period I performed with a steeldrum band known as " The Brooklynaires Steel Orchestra "; at various country clubs, on boat rides and in panaroma competitions one of which we won. We have also performed with "Billy Preston", Mick Jagger & The Rolling Stones" on one of their world tour concerts at Madison Square Garden.