Anthony Pierre

Anthony Pierre

Born into a musical family in his native Trinidad and Tobago, Tony studied classical piano from the age of 8, but was always drawn to the rich folk and popular music of his twin island home, and by his late teens began playing with one of Trinidad’s top steelbands, Silver Stars. Moving to Canada for a university education, Tony’s passion for music led him to play with steelbands, act and play percussion in theatre, and perform on keyboards in dance bands, all part of Caribbean culture in Toronto. Jazz singer Salome Bey invited Tony to perform with her at Toronto’s Colonial Tavern in 1975 and catalyzed his specialization as a percussionist. Tony points to Ralph MacDonald and Paulinho DaCosta as major influences in this period. Tony has since developed a reputation as a superb colour percussionist, playing with the likes of Mike Boothman, Robert Bailey, Clive Zander, Len “Boogsie” Sharpe, and Raf Robertson in the Caribbean “Calypso Jazz” idiom, and Toronto jazz fusion groups like the Paul Cristopher Band. He now leads the contemporary jazz ensemble Kalabash.