Local Musician Errol Chapman Speaks Out On Soca Music
By Claudia Liburd
Trinidad Reporter-SKNVibes.com
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Mr. Errol Chapman originally of St. James, Trinidad
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(Port-of-Spain, Trinidad) “I became interested in music in 1954 at the age of 6 when I heard this guy play on the saxophone ‘Oh My Papa’ at a wedding that took place in my neighbor’s backyard and it was that incident that sparked my interest in music”
These were the words of 59 year-old musician Mr. Errol Chapman originally from St. James, Trinidad who has composed and arranged tracks for the likes of popular artists such as Iwer George, Blue Boy and a variety of steel band orchestras.
The comments came during an interview with SKNvibes.com where Chapman outlined his experience in the music industry.
“I compose and arrange indigenous music such as calypso and soca. I arrange which means that you get a piece of music such as a melody and you add a progression to it and give it your own style because all musicians should have a style. I have arranged music for artists such as Iwer George and Blue Boy and several steel bands.
“I also compose and this means that you create a new piece from scratch based on an idea. I have composed tracks such as ‘Island Woman’, ‘I’m So Delighted with You’, ‘Dancing Soca’ and many others”, said Chapman in his description of his trade. ~~Adz:Right~~
One notable fruit of Chapman’s labor, the track ‘Island Woman’ details the Caribbean woman and what Chapman notes as her evolution in modern society.
“It is a song to get away from the concept that the Caribbean woman is a ‘whiner’ woman. She is a leader, a woman of class and dignity and not just a play thing and this was the idea I hoped to bring across.
“Ideas compel me. You must always have an idea. You cannot compose music all ‘willy nilly’ however you must sit and develop your idea just in the same way that a tailor/seamstress must start with a piece of fabric or else they will have nothing” said Chapman.
Mr. Chapman composes and arranges music out of his home which is located in La Horquetta, Arima of Trinidad and in closing the interview Chapman encouraged young musicians to learn about indigenous music such as soca.
“We have a gold mine here and we are leaving it off to copy something of less value. We must learn what our soca is all about. It is a fusion of American Soul music and Calypso. So- is from Soul and Ca- is from Calypso. We should concentrate on developing this art form and understand that is already a fusion so we should not mix it with anything else”, said Chapman in closing.
