Dr. Roy Francis Cape
Just What the Musical Doctor Ordered.
The University of the West Indies has announced plans for an Honnary Doctor of Lords degree (LLD) to be conferred to Legendary Musician and bandleader Mr. Roy Cape. This great honour is being bestowed on Mr. Cape for his sterling contribution toward the development of local music and by extension the local music industry. We at Calypso Global Salute you Dr. Cape
Mr. Cape is known to some as The Duke Ellington of Calypso Music, and to others as Calypso’s Cape Crusader. He is not only the oldest bandleader in Trinidad and Tobago, but he also has the best ever Calypso Band on the planet. They are none other than the Roy Cape All Stars previously known as the Kaiso All Stars.
Since its inception two decades ago, Roy Cape All Stars continues to climb the ladder of success. Titles are not easy to come by, but Cape’s struggle for excellence and professionalism has always been the unwritten creed of the band. His devotion to music is seen as a gift, a blessing he passes on to the group’s younger band members.
Roy Cape’s achievement is more remarkable when one recalls the history behind the man himself. He began his music career almost fifty two years ago, developing the art he learnt in the orphanage, where he spent part of his early childhood.
Though he often refers to this period as one of the heaviest in his life, it is also the time when he first recognized his deep love for music. From then on there was no turning back, as his four decades in music became a relentless quest for excellence.
From playing the steelpan Roy went on to the clarinet, and finally to the saxophone, but his forte is the alto saxophone, as it compliments his size and gentle, warm loving character.
His experience as a professional musician with local brass bands began in the 1960’s; when Cape joined ‘Sir’ Frankie Francis, often regarded as the grand master of calypso music. He then joined Clarence Curvan’s Orchestra, moved on to Ron Berridge Orchestra and finally to Sparrow’s Troubadors.
These orchestras mainly played dance music of the day; local Calypsos, Boleros, Sambas, Fox Trot, Rock and Roll, Twist and whatever was contemporary and popular.
Soon Roy felt it was time to move on and in the early seventies he lived in New York, playing American and popular Caribbean music. During his seven-year sojourn in the Big Apple, Roy Cape teamed up with Neville Oxley – Trombone – Micheal Tobas – Drums – Ron Berridge. He reformed the Ron Berridge Orchestra in the U.S.A. and also played with Hugh Hendricks and the Blues Busters of Jamaica. But the clarion call of calypso was so strong that he decided to return home in 1977. Even then, Kaiso and Soca music were evolving and so too Roy Cape was experimenting. Under his watchful eye the Roy Cape All Stars were born and shaped into a force to be reckoned with worldwide.
Pappy, as he is affectionately called by those around him has been in the music business, for close to 52 years and he's still going strong. To this day Roy is still the lead Saxophonist on stage with his band and performs just as well as his younger musical employees.
Roy has always lobbied for greater wages and improved conditions for musicians and relishes in the fact that he is able to do just that for the musicians under his stewardship.
His musical mentores are people such as the late but great Frankie Francis, Beverly Griffith and Ron Berridge. His musical protégé is Musical Director Carlyle "Juiceman" Roberts. Other key and longstanding band members includes, Arnold “Sly” Punnette – Guitarist, Steven Jardin – Drummer, Anthony “Bassie” Boynes – Bassist, Dexter “Blaxx” Stewart – Lead Vocalist and last but by no means least his son and Band Manager, Roy “Royie” Cape Jr.
Roy has nurtured the careers of many of the leading Calypso and Soca artiste today. The Royalty list includes Calypso and Soca King the unassuming Crown Prince of Calypso Kurt “The Last Badjohn of Calypso” Allen, Soca Diva and Empress, Destra Garcia and the sensational brothers, Nigel and Marvin Lewis.
Even though Roy professes his love for all artiste and displays no favouristm everyone will have to unanimously agree that Roy's personal and best friend is considered to be another great Calpso Icon and Hall of Famer, the Black Stalin. They both boast similar lifestyles and Roy was once quoted as saying, “the things he would say is the things I would say”. So then it came as no surprise that Roy turned to his long time friend “Leroy” for advice when certain circumstances made him decide to put down the saxaphone for 6 minutes and try his hand at singing in 1997. Not only did he have a hit song but he created history by making it all the way to the finals of the Intenational Soca Monach Competition and placing in the first 8.
Mr. Cape is now the tender age of 69 and has been sporting his long Dread Locks hairstyle for the past 34 years. It was while living in New York that he decided to grow his dreads after being close to a musician and Rastafarian friend named Edgar. Roy and his band have toured the world over doing what they do best which is, bringing joy and hope to so many of us through the medium of music, song and dance.
One of his main goals in life is to assist on seeing Calypso and Soca music penetrate the Global market place. And he swears to continue flying the flag and doing his part to promote his music and country Trinidad and Tobago till “death do us part”.
You can catch Dr. Cape and the All Stars at Trinidad and Tobago carnival celebrations and at other major carnivals throught North America and the Caribbean. It is just what the musical Doctor ordered.
