Jozef grew up in Lawrence, Kansas, in the United States. He had his first steel drum lessons with Ellie Mannette, at a tuning workshop at Wichita State University in 1988. Ellie Mannette is the co-inventor of the musical steel drum and co-founder of the Invaders Steel Orchestra of Trinidad. Jozef then moved to Los Angeles, Ca. in 1992, to attend the Audio/Video Institute of Los Angeles and joined Steel Fusion Steel Band led by Kenny Williams. It was at the Sunday afternoon jam sessions at the Caribbean Tree House, run by Rudolph Charles' wife, that Jozef was introduced to world class steel pan players such as Einstein, Robert Greenidge and players from bands at Universal Studios.

After graduating from the Institute, Jozef worked in the Industry in many Recording studios across Los Angeles as an assistant and first engineer in studios such as EMI, Studio 55, and the Bakery.

Jozef's band, Socalypso, was featured on an episode of "Family Matters" in "Eau de Love" in 1995 and attended other tuning workshops by Ellie Mannette at Chabott College. Jozef then moved to northern California where he worked with various reggae bands before moving to the Maya Riviera. Currently, Jozef lives in the Maya Riviera, works as a recording engineer, and performs solo and with Dr. Reggae and Bosquimano. Other band's Jozef has performed with are: BCR (Black Crack Revue), SDI (Strategic Dance Initiative), Maka, Cancun Big Band, Retumba, Splash, B4 band, The Watermelon Boy's Jozef plays double tenor and lead pan and is currently working on a Steel Pan instruction book for Mel Bay, Inc.

You can contact Jozef at:
magicpans@yahoo.com
cellular: 011 52 984 106 2447

by Brian 'Sayman' Parris