Meet Frank Rollock Sr – Mr. Steelpan! - Founder of Brixton Carnival and much more Frank Rollock

[Pan Times]

by Robbie Joseph

London, UK - Trinidadian born Frank Rollock grew up in East Trinidad, Tunapuna to be exact. From a tender age he was sent to piano lessons to enhance his musical skills. His interest in music was part of a family tradition. It was only when his mother approached his music teacher to pay his tuition fees it was revealed that he was not attending piano lessons but frequenting the panyard. After acknowledging his love for the steelpan instrument, his mother allowed him to continue. At the age of 10-11 years, Frank was being taught by Clive Foster and playing in Sullivan’s Steel Orchestra. In 1956 at the age of seventeen, Frank and his brother Roy (coincidentally, Frank’s uncle who was also called Roy had his own orchestra in the USA) founded their own orchestra called Modernaires. Frank compiled a book of arrangements for Modernaires through the inspiration of the famous Trinidad All Stars whom Roy played with.   read more