“I give thanks to the Creator for giving me the knowledge of rhythm, melody and harmony - to understand the science of orchestration."
- CARLTON "ZANDA" ALEXANDER -
As a teenager, he was the pianist at the his Church and musical coordinator for the Siparia Best Village group, all before migrating to Canada to pursue his studies in architecture and environmental design.
Known in music circles as "Zanda", has established a strong name for himself in his native country of Trinidad and Tobago where he enjoys being a pan jazz piano player and steel pan arranger. His musical genius was acknowledged at an early age.
He was privileged to study under the world renowned bebop legend and four (4) time Grammy Award winner, Barry Harris. He formed the Coalpot Band in 1990, while still living in Toronto serving as the catalyst for other Canadian-based Caribbean jazz outfits such as Kalabash. Since 1995, he continued the band in Trinidad using talented local musicians. He is a much sought after jazz clinician lecturing on various topics ranging from steelpan awareness to the fundamentals of improvisation.Over the last thirty (30) years, he has performed at jazz festivals here in the Caribbean and in Canada.
No stranger to winner’s row. In 2007, he led his home-grown steelband, Siparia Deltone to victory in the small conventional band category of the Panorama competition with a Fireball piece titled, “What I Want.” Three years later, he repeated the feat for Tobago’s Steel Xplosion Steel Orchestra with “Radhica” in the medium band category. Once again in 2015 alexander completed the 3 peat and helped leaded the Desperadoes Steel Orchestra’s glorious return to the reins of Panorama royalty, after a 15-year dry spell with "Different Me"
Panorama 2016 Winning Performance
Band: Desperadoes
Tune Of Choice: "Different Me"
Arranger: Carlton "Zanda" Alexander
Panorama 2014 Performance
Band: Siparia Deltones
Tune of Choice: "Play More Local" Composed by Junior "Mr. Famous" Noel Arranged by Carlton "Zanda" Alexander.
Panorama 2010 Performance
Band: Steel Xplosion
Tune Of Choice: "Radica"
Arranger: Carlton "Zanda" Alexander
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