Spotlight on Clifford Alexis

Spotlight on Clifford Alexis & his desire to “do even more” for the world of Pan

Another When Steel Talks Spotlight Exclusive

By NICOLE VANDERBROOK - Basement Press

Originally published June 2003

Illinois, USA - “Where do I go from here,” is not exactly the question you would expect to hear from a man who has traveled, within his life already, from Taiwan to Europe and to Africa. But this is just the question Clifford Alexis, steel drum legend from Port of Spain, Trinidad, found himself wondering one day.

Clifford had his first taste of Pan life traveling on the road along with the 1952 Carnival. In the late 1950’s he was given his first opportunity to arrange music for the Stereophonics Steelband. Clifford was given the opportunity to travel along with the National Steelband of Trinidad and Tobago in 1964. However the very next year Clifford moved to the USA and played with the BWIA Sunjets for two years, until he formed his own band, Cliff Alexis and the Trinidad Troubadours. His musical influences are rooted mostly in Pan. Some significant bands and individuals which shaped Clifford’s style include The Invaders, Rainhall Men, Emmanuel “Jack” Riley, and Earl Rodney.

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