The steelpan fraternity is in mourning today after learning of the death of iconic arranger and player Ken “Professor” Philmore earlier today.
Philmore, 59, has died at the San Fernando General Hospital, where he had been receiving treatment since being involved in an accident last Monday (September 24).
Philmore suffered cracked ribs and a punctured lung in the accident and had undergone emergency surgery to remove fluid from his lungs during his stay at hospital.
The Maracas, St Joseph resident was returning home around 6.45 am after a performance when his silver Toyota Hilux picked up a skid, overturned and ran off the northbound lane of the Solomon Hochoy Highway near the Claxton Bay Overpass.
Philmore was the third of five children and got his early introduction into the steelpan through his cousins Ferdi and Barry Brathwaite. He first played with Hatters before moving to Kalomo Kings and the Gay Hoytonians before he finally settled with Fonclaire Steel Orchestra in 1981.
He did his first official album in 1985 with Pan Assembly and assisted Fonclaire in several South Zone Panorama titles and reached the National Panorama finals.
Philmore also had several overseas collaborations. In 1988, he appeared with Tina Turner and Lionel Hampton in New York. He also appeared as a special guest with Mercer Ellington, son of “Duke” Ellington and was featured on the title cut of Ellington’s album Queenie Pie Reggae and in concert with the internationally acclaimed Latin American musician Tito Puente.
Guardian Media will bring more on this story later.