Trinidad &Tobago Folk Arts Institute
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Les Slater, Neville Jules and Borough President Eric Adams - photo by Colin Williams
Brooklyn, New York - On Sunday evening, April 26 2015, they gathered in impressive numbers and from as far away as Canada to salute Neville Jules, a truly iconic figure from the annals of steel band lore in Trinidad and Tobago. Occasion was a celebratory dinner honoring Jules presented by the Trinidad & Tobago Folk Arts Institute, venue of which was Brooklyn’s Tropical Paradise Ballroom.
Neville Jules & Wife - photo by Colin Williams
Topping the accolades conferred on Jules were citations from three New York City elected officials: Congresswoman Yvette Clarke, Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams and City Council Member Jumane Williams. Adams was on hand to present his proclamation; Williams, a late-hour absentee due to a Council Budget Committee meeting, was represented by Ernest Skinner, his community liaison; and Clarke, unable to attend because of a prior engagement, was represented by Lystra Collis of the Congressional Office.
Jules, now nearing his 88th birthday, was in high spirits for the entire evening, responding in animated fashion when musical tribute was paid him via selections he arranged for legendary Trinidad All Stars that he led for more than two decades, from the 1940s to the start of the 70s. He was a key contributing presence in the core group whose inspired ingenuity gave rise to the steel band culture in the 1940s and was responsible for a number of innovations in the early period of the steel band’s development.
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