Earl Rodney has been involved with the steel pans almost since the inception of the instrument, playing since he was 4 years old. An important voice in Trinidadian music, he arranged and played in award-winning performances at Trinidad's Panorama festival in 1968, 1971 and 1972, and served as musical director for Lord Kitchener and Mighty Sparrow. However, seeking artistic growth and freedom, he emigrated to the United States; on Friends And Countrymen you can hear and enjoy the results. Joining Rodney on this release are a number of powerhouse veterans from Trinidad including Fortunia Louis Ruiz on trumpet, trombonist Oxley Caballero, and master bassist Johnny Cayenne. Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.