UK Steelpan Pioneer, Frank Rollock, Celebrated

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UK Pan Pioneer, Frank Rollock

Celebrates his 70^TH Birthday

Frank and Aubrey Bryan

United Kingdom - In 1956, at the age of seventeen, Frank and his brother Roy founded their own orchestra called Modernaires for whom Frank compiled a book of arrangements through the inspiration of the famous Trinidad All Stars whom he greatly admired.

In 1959, whilst preparing for a steel band music festival with Merry Stars Metronomes whose leader Kenrick Thomas later became his brother-in-law, Frank made a conscious decision to migrate to the UK. He brought some pans with him and in February 1960, Frank, Roy and some friends took to the streets of Brixton to celebrate Carnival. Their actions were noted as the first time pan was played in Brixton Road and the initiation of the Brixton Carnival. Frank remembers his fellow West Indians joining in with their bottles and spoons and the amazed look on the faces of Britons. In the late sixties he played the sax with the Tony Morgan Road Show and the bass guitar with Rudy Jones and the Ambassadors, they toured Germany and played at most of the clubs in the West End around the same time the Beatles were making their mark in the music industry.

Earl Rodney, Dudley Dickson, Toussaint Clarke and Tony Charles

Frank approached Kingsdale Secondary school where he started teaching pan music. Kingsdale is now one of the many South London schools who have benefited from his musical talents. In conjunction with Audrey Dennett, the head of music for ILEA at the time, Frank was able to form the first ILEA School Steel Orchestra. In the mean time, his seven talented children were developing their musical skills on a variety of brass and reed instruments and the family band; The Royaltys were enjoying great success under Frank’s direction. Such intense interest developed for the pan instrument that in 1974 a band evolved to foster and maintain this, London All Stars was an obvious tribute to Frank’s background. He has directed the band through many successes, culminating in London All Stars winning the UK’s first National Steel band Festival Championship.

Princess Rollock

In addition to his commitment to London All Stars, Frank has made untold contributions to the advancement of the Steel band Movement in the UK. He co-founded the Steel band Association of Great Britain and the London Brotherhood of Steel and held office in both organisations with unselfish distinction. Along with Randolph Baptiste (deceased) they formed the Pan Players Association. Today, Frank is an executive member of the British Association of Steelbands, the successor to the London Brotherhood of Steel. In 1981, he founded the Brixton Arts Culture and Carnival Committee to afford the wider community the opportunity to learn musical instruments and share in the Carnival heritage. It was also befitting that Frank conducted the first combinations of steel and voice and steel and contemporary dance staged in Britain. Frank acted, as the adjudicator for the Croydon Music Festival – Steelbands category and with Gerald Forsyth was responsible for the formation of the UK National Steel Orchestra that performed in Buckingham Palace for the Queen’s Golden Jubilee in 2002. He also received an award at the British Association of Steelbands annual awards for his contribution to the UK National Steel Orchestra and the art form. Frank has led London All Stars to victory in the BAS Jouvert ‘Bomb’ competition at Notting Hill Carnival for 2004 and 2005. He also judged the UK National Panorama competition in 2005. Frank’s diligent work and dedication to the promotion and development of the steel pan art form warrants some recognition by the Trinidad & Tobago’s Ministry of Culture through the good offices of their High Commissioner in London. It is a pleasure and honour knowing this remarkably talented musician and having the opportunity to celebrate this milestone with him.

By Robbie Joseph

E-mail: panpodium@aol.com or robbie@panpodium.com

www.panpodium.com

More on steelbands of the United Kingdom
www.UK.PanOnTheNet.com

All pictures by Robbie Joseph

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