Ray Holman
Composer, Arranger, Panist, Educator
New York - When Steel Talks continues its exclusive series of interviews with the legendary Ray Holman who visited WST studios on a cool 2004 Autumn afternoon. There was much to hear from this well-respected luminary in the pan world. From his beginnings in his Ana Street, Woodbrook, Trinidad home, where he would hear the bands passing by, he talks about how he joined his first band, Invaders at age thirteen (13). Interestingly while his father and uncle were not exactly pleased with his steelband membership, Holman says his mother was not too concerned. Within Invaders he worked with Ellie Mannette and Birdie Mannette, and Emmanuel "Jack" Riley who Holman describes as not only his icon, but that of many other players. As he put it, "everybody wanted to play like Jack."
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