When Steel Talks (WST) extends Happy Birthday greetings to veteran standout panist extraordinaire Caspar Durant

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 Caspar Durant

Happy Birthday to Caspar Durant

March 14th

When Steel Talks extends Birthday Greetings to panist Caspar Durant

“I grew up in Tripoli pan yard at the corner of Dengue and Finland Street in St James from the age of six months old in 1952, and lived there playing pan with them from 1959 till we went to Montreal Canada (Man and his world) in 1967.

“I started playing Tenor pan on the road for carnival in 1959, though I was only seven years old and in those days it was pan round the neck, I was able to do so because my Dad Caspar Durant Senior would hold the pan for me and chip backwards all day while I played the pan with just the strap around my neck.

“As mentioned above, I left Trinidad in 1967 with Esso Tripoli under Captain Hugh Borde, we traveled up the islands on one of the Federal Ships ending in Jamaica, from there we flew to Canada, there we represented our country at our pavilion in EXPO 67, after which we toured America and Canada with Liberace, spending the final years with Warner Brothers, and Van Dyke Parks as our record producer, we returned to Trinidad in 1972.
1972 Grammy-nominated album
“The greatest group I’ve ever had the privilege to produce.” The world-renowned Van Dyke Parks calls Tripoli Steel Band his favorite band.

“Apart from our many firsts and our many achievements we still have the distinction of being the longest Steel Band to stay on tour and return as a functioning Band. Since then I have played with a few other bands like Blue Diamonds, Exodus, Invaders, Bird Song, Harrold and Kenrick Headley as the arrangers and Despers with Robert Greenidge as the arranger.

“Presently I am assisting the Headleys to get a small band going, Name Tunapuna Tipica, home El Dorado Road, Tunapuna. During my years as a pan player I have played every conventional pan known, but since the advent of the Quadraphonic I have specialized in this pan, and look forward to owning my own set, which was promised to me by Michael Kernahan one he calls the LONG RANGE MISSILE, when I get this I will get into the rhythm of things again and truly be a good ambassador for pan as long as I live.”


Casper Durant with Tripoli Steel Orchestra & Dr. Eric Williams

 

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