Remembering my friend Errol Phillips , a talented musician and steel-pan player

I received some sad news today. My friend Errol Phillips , one of the most gifted and talented people I’ve ever had the pleasure of knowing has passed. His son Blayne notified me that he passed on Monday 1st July at 10:00pm, after a long struggle with prostate cancer.

I met Errol a number of years ago and we formed an immediate friendship , since we had much in common and he was practically a neighbor living in nearby Manchester, New Hampshire , a State with relatively few Trinidadian residents.

We both were involved with technology in our careers , loved music , and had played the steelpan; however he far exceeded me in all those areas , being a highly accomplished computer engineer , a gifted and versatile musician and a talented steel pan player. I would joke with him that the reason he wasn’t recognized as a gifted panist was because he was so talented in other areas i.e. in computer technology , and I do believe that.

I visited with my friend Errol in Manchester on a few occasions , and even played a little pan with him for the first time in decades, since he owned a range of pans, .
An extremely talented musician from Woodbrook , and an ex Starlift Steel Orchestra player, this versatile multi instrument musician mastered the bass, guitar, keyboards , and particularly the tenor pan.

This beautiful Caribbean flavored version of Vince Guaraldi “Christmas Time is Here” from A Charlie Brown Christmas demonstrates the superb skills and versatility of this talented musician who I think deserved recognition by steelpan fans.

This beautiful tune “Kiss me for Christmas” is a popular Trinidad Christmas tune that was composed decades ago be Trinidadian Pat Castagne, and Errol does a fine interpretation of it.

Errol Phillips was an extremely talented and gifted friend who will be missed by all who crossed his path, and especially by his relatives and loved ones.

I knew Errol was ailing , but hadn’t contacted him in the last several months , to my eternal regret.

My sincere condolences to all his friends relatives and loved ones. May he forever Rest in Peace.