A Trinidad Journalist once referred to Dougie as the “Reluctant Musician of the Music World.”  In essence, these words sum up his character and laid back relaxed style, belying his popularity and proficiency as a Pannist, Bassist, Composer and Arranger. 

His musical career spans more than two decades, beginning as a member of the Phase II Pan Groove Steel Orchestra in the mid seventies as a double second player and extending through the full range of pan instruments, his forte being the double seconds. He simultaneously started playing the electric bass guitar and since 1978 is the resident bassist with the popular Trinidad group Andre Tanker and One World Contraband. Douglas has toured Cuba, Columbia, Canada, North America, France, Canada, England, Japan and the English and French speaking Caribbean. He has compiled original  pan/jazz compositions which he sometimes performs locally. ‘Dougie’ as he is popularly referred to,  has played pan on several recordings for Phase 11 and backed up many local artistes, performed at several concerts both locally and internationally, plays on the soundtrack for a locally filmed movie “Turn of the Tide”, and composed a number of jingles for TV and Radio commercials – on of which was so popular that it has been used more than once and as a theme song for a political party during the elections in the Republic of Guyana in South America.

Dougie is proficient in teaching the art of playing the pan - this wonderful twentieth century instrument and is the present musical arranger for Curepe Scherzando (conventional) and Woodbrook Modernaires (traditional) steel orchestras. He has also acted in the role of musical director of Phase 11 Pan Groove Steel Orchestra, drilling the ensemble in  Len “Boogsie’ Sharpe’s absence. Dougie is also a member of “3 in 1”, a jazz trio, playing both pan and bass in this aggregation.

Pan Podium would like to say a special thank you to Douglas for his contribution to world music.