Frank Rollock Sr aka 'Mr Carnival' - 1937 - 2020. Gone from our sight, but never from our hearts.
His interest in music was part of a family tradition! Let the Music Play On!
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.
At the same time, he was learning the art of pan-making and tuning under Carl ‘Freckle nose’ Greenside and stammering Stanley Warner. In 1959, whilst preparing for a steelband music festival with Merry Stars Metronomes whose leader Kenrick Thomas later became his brother-in-law, Frank made a conscious decision to migrate and join his brother, Roy in the UK. He brought some pans with him and in February 1960, Frank, Roy and some friends took to the streets of Brixton to celebrate Carnival. Their actions were noted as the first time pan was played in Brixton and also as the initiation of the Brixton Carnival. Frank remembers his fellow West Indians joining in with their bottles and spoons and the amazed look on the faces of Britons.
He started gigging with Russ Henderson and Sterling Betancourt, playing at some of the UK most prestigious society functions. He was taught to play the alto and tenor saxophones by Alan ‘Pops’ Briggs, as well as sight-reading, theory of music, harmony and conducting. Frank was self-taught on the six string and bass guitars. In the late sixties, he played the sax with the Tony Morgan Roadshow and the bass guitar with Rudy Jones and the Ambassadors, they toured Germany and played at most of the clubs in the West End around the same time the Beatles were making their mark in the music industry.
Family life took its toll and the touring was put on hold. Pan music was dominant for some time when Courtney Laws approached Frank after seeing him perform at the Coach and Horses pub in Brixton. On Courtney’s advice Frank approached Kingsdale Secondary School where he started teaching pan music. Kingsdale is now one of the many South London schools who have benefited from his musical talents. In conjunction with Audrey Dennett, the head of music for ILEA at the time, Frank was able to form the first ILEA School Orchestra. In the mean time, his seven talented children were developing their musical skills on a variety of brass and reed instruments and the family band; The Royaltys was enjoying great success under Frank’s direction. Such intense interest developed for the pan instrument that in 1974 a band evolved to foster and maintain this; London All Stars was an obvious tribute to Frank’s background. He has directed the band through many successes, culminating in their winning the UK’s first National Steelband Festival Championship.
In addition to his commitment to London All Stars. Frank has made untold contributions to the advancement of the Steelband Movement in the UK. He co-founded the Steelband Association of Great Britain and the London Brotherhood of Steel and has held office in both organisations with unselfish distinction. Frank is a member and held the post of treasurer for the British Association of Steelbands, the successor to the London Brotherhood of Steel. In 1981, he founded the Brixton Arts Culture and Carnival Committee to afford a wider community the opportunity to learn musical instruments and share in the Carnival heritage. It was also befitting that Frank conducted the first combinations of steel & voice, steel & contemporary dance with Alma Henry Contralto playing Rossini’s Ona Voce Poco Fa and Softly Awakes My Heart and Steel and ivory with pianist Maxine Franklyn playing Schubert’s The Trout to be staged in Britain.
Frank and London All Stars had a set back in 1993 with the death of his daughter, Elizabeth. Her death stunned the family and dampened the spirit of the orchestra. In 2000, Frank was the musical director of Ebony Steel orchestra who were declared European Champions at the European preliminaries of the World Steelband Music Festival held in Paris. Ebony placed fourth at the finals held in Trinidad in October 2000. Frank was also responsible with Gerald Forsyth for the formation of the Queen's Jubilee Orchestra and its musical arrangements. Frank has collected an award from the Soca Music Awards for his contribution to steelpan in the UK and in the photo above he collects the BAS Jouvert Champions Award for 2005. London All Stars were also victorious in the 2004-2006 J’ouvert competitions. Frank is also a member of the UK Pan Tuners Guild and was awarded his Master Tuner certificate in January 2014 at a UKPTG event held at the Trinidad and Tobago High omission in London. The hard work and dedication that Frank has shown deserves rewarding by the relevant authorities. Being a pioneer of Trinidad & Tobago’s steelpan artform, Frank continually projects a positive image the instrument that is needed to further establish this wonderful creation of the twentieth century far into the next Millennium. It is a pleasure and honour knowing this remarkably talented musician.
It is with great sadness that the Global Steelband family say goodbye to Frank ‘Mr. Carnival’ Rollock who left us to join the rest of his steelpan colleagues in heaven where they will serenade everyone with the sweet strains of steel.
