Mar 3, 2015
My Interview with Redymix DMT
I did an interview recently with Leann Fernandes for the Redymix DMT website. Read the full article here.
seen from T1
seen from Brunei
seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from Sweden
seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from Russia
seen from Sweden
seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from Guatemala
seen from United States
seen from Philippines
seen from Sweden
seen from Sweden
My Interview with Redymix DMT
I did an interview recently with Leann Fernandes for the Redymix DMT website. Read the full article here.
My first ever recorded single. Done at Highway Records; engineered by Chromatics.
My beloved Spirit got tuned and polished yesterday.
No matter the long days or rough nights, one always finds the time to smile.
Follow your passion, no matter who tries to dissuade you. If you fully love it, work with it; the rewards will come.
GhostMan868: Bio, Journeys, Shows, Works and Collaborations
DERRON “GHOSTMAN868″ ELLIES
Date of birth: February 9th, 1983
Place of birth: Sangre Grande
Hometown: Manzanilla
Email: [email protected]
Mobile: +18687446939
I started playing the steelpan in 1993, at ten years of age at Manzanilla Police Youth Club's steel orchestra. My high school years at Queen's Royal College were spent honing my skills and knowledge QRC Scout Band and Magnum Bands.
Currently I am the holder of Certificate in Music which I obtained from the then Centre for Creative & Festival Arts in UWI St Augustine in 2003. In June 2015 I gained my certificate from the Ministry of Arts & Multiculturalism which recognizes me with Steelpan Performance as a registered member of the National Registry of Artists and Cultural Workers.
Throughout my twenty-two years of active music involvement, local collaborations have been with individuals such as The Mighty Sparrow, Roger Boothman, Nigel Rojas, David Rudder, Destra Garcia and Kees Dieffenthaller. Band performances - with Los Tocadores, Blue Culture, De No Name Band (led by Ken Corbie), Rhapsody Next Generation and Orange Sky. Musical stage performances include the inaugural "Live At The Hyatt- Rhythm Nation" series alongside Nigel Rojas in 2014; and Jesus Christ Superstar Stage Show put on by the Bagasse Company in 2006.
Internationally collaborations are as follows: India in 2011 to perform with the band Orange Sky; China in 2012 to perform at the International Spring Music Festival with the Noel La Pierre and the band Faces. In 2014 and 2015 in New Orleans to perform with Zydeco player, Bruce Sunpie Barnes and his band the Louisiana Sunspots; with the Americana band Common ‘Taters and the Turn-Ups, the Dixieland band Roamin’ Jasmine and with the legendary New Orleans Tremé Brass Band.
There’s so much more in store for GhostMan868! Come, walk with me!
Bands He Played With:
Blue Culture
Orange Sky (Acoustic Project Band)
Los Tocadores Parang Group
Pamberi Steel Orchestra
All Aces Steel Orchestra
Pan Stereonetts Steel Orchestra
St James Tripolians Steel Orchestra
Sangre Grande Cordettes Steel Orchestra
PHI Band
QRC Scout Band
QRC Magnum
Sangre Grande Police Youth Club Steel Orchestra
Manzanilla Police Youth Club Steel Orchestra
Rhapsody Next Generation (currently Musical Director)
Kaskadoux
Morning Call Ensemble
Sunpie and the Louisiana Sunspots
The Roamin’ Jasmine
Projects Worked On:
Nigel Rojas & the Ladybug Orchestra Acoustic Project
Rembunction's Album (Return of the Calypso Man)
Roger Boothman's Art Exhibition & Thanksgiving Functions
Los Tocadores Albums (Del Corazon, Christmas Parang feat. Jennifer McPherson)
Jesus Christ Superstar 2006 (produced by The Bagasse Co.)
Synergy Soca Star 2010 with Nesta "Sekon Sta" Boxill
Bmobile Power Soca Monarch 2010 with JW and Blaze, who won the title
Featured on the track "Back And Forth" off the mixtape "Stop The Stickage Vol.1 by DJ Andy-Himself, 2010
Make It Hapn's Album (Bless This Mess), 2011
Nicki Minaj's video for Pound The Alarm, 2012
AndyVenture's single (Sounds A Trinidad), 2012
Suns Of Dub's Mp3 Set (Journey To Port Of Spain), 2012
Major Lazer & Walshy Fire present Suns of Dub (Official Mixtape), 2013
The Common ‘Taters & The Turn-ups (Wildlife Refugee), 2015
Journeys he Made:
Washington, DC & Canada with T&T Police Youth Club Org., 1996
Maryland & Virginia with QRC Scouts, 2001
New York & Washington, DC with Los Tocadores, 2002-2007
Martinique with UWI Festival Steel Ensemble, 2005
Tobago with Orange Sky Acoustic Project Band, 2006-2007
Jamaica with UWI Connection Rhythm Section, 2007
St Lucia with Amrit Samaroo @ Digicel Pantime Steel Orch., 2007
India (Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore) with Orange Sky alongside a tourism delegation from Trinidad & Tobago, 2011
Opened for Trey Songz at Tobago Jazz Experience (World Beat) at Pigeon Point with Orange Sky, 2011
China with Noel La Pierre's band Faces for the Shanghai International Music Festival, 2012
Opened for Tarrus Riley at Tobago Jazz Experience (Speyside Jazz, the opening night) with Rhapsody NG, 2014
Performed with Morning Call Ensemble at the Morning Call Cafe, City Park, New Orleans, 2014
Performed with Bruce “Sunpie” Barnes and Matt “Dogmeat” Hempsey at the New Orleans Jazz National Park, The Old Mint Museum, opp. Frenchmen Street, New Orleans 2014
Performed with Bruce “Sunpie” Barnes and the Louisiana Sunspots at Dos Jefes Cigar Bar, Tchoupitoulas Avenue, New Orleans 2014
Performed with Treme Brass Band at Candlelight Lounge, Tuba Fats Square, New Orleans 2015
Performed with Roamin’ Jasmine at the New Orleans Jazz Market, MLK Boulevard, New Orleans 2015
Performed with Roamin’ Jasmine at Fritzel’s Jazz Joint, Bourbon Street, New Orleans 2015
Performed with Khari Lee and the New Creative Collective at the New Orleans Jazz Market, MLK Boulevard, New Orleans 2015
Favourite Experiences:
Opening alongside Orange Sky for Damian & Stephen Marley, 2007
Performing alongside Pundit Bhajan Sopori in an impromptu performance at the High Commissioner's residence in Delhi, India, 2011
Doing the introduction to Nicki Minaj's Pound The Alarm video, 2012
Performing alongside Nigel Rojas at the "Live At The Hyatt" Las Vegas-themed Carnival Concert series, 2014
Working with The Common ‘Taters & The Turn-Ups in New Orleans, 2014
Performing in New Orleans in 2014 with Bruce “Sunpie” Barnes and the Louisiana Sunspots, and in 2015 with The Roamin’ Jasmine and The New Creative Collective
For other works done by GhostMan868, feel free to visit his ReverbNation page, his YouTube playlist or his profile at SoundCloud.com...enjoy!
Articles about him:
What’s the BuddZ, tell me what’s happening: The JazZ BuddZ ?
By M. Minchie Israel (April 8th, 2012)
"Pound The Alarm" Video is Finally Here!! We Love it, but What do you Think?
By Entertainment Macco- August 1st, 2012
Derron Ellies, The Steel-Pan Whisperer
By Nicole Seepersad- December 13th, 2013
Derron Ellies: Pan Man With A Passion
By @LeannMarie27 for RedymixDMT.com- February, 2015
The Pan Player From Manzanilla: Music Is Ellies’ First Love
By Peter Ray Blood for Trinidad Guardian- August 13th, 2015
______________________________________________________________
To contact Derron "GhostMan868" Ellies:
Mobile-> +18687446939
Management-> +18687404854
Email-> [email protected]
The Prodigal Ghost Returns...
I haven't been in touch with anyone on many social media platforms, except for Facebook...and even so, very barely. So much has been going on in my life for the past two years. I have been to India in 2011; opened for Trey Songz alongside Orange Sky in Tobago's Jazz Experience that year; recorded with quite a few local artists; hit Shanghai with Noel LaPierre and Faces in 2012; played in Nicki Minaj's 'Pound The Alarm' video (even had my hands in a shot); recorded with quite a few more artists...quite a lot.
Then things got uglier.
I lost my job with Panadigm Innovations, thanks to an ill-advised, ill-timed lawsuit. This caused me to move back home to Manzanilla after nine years; I was forced to readjust to life with the family. I love my family to pieces. However, my music career suffered severely. The shows were far and few between; my regular gigs began to fail and fade (like Chaud Creole, God rest its soul); I became disenchanted with the groups I was loyally dedicated to (some of the worst fallouts ever); and, my family was beginning to question whether or not I was serious about life.
Only recently, I began building myself again. I linked with an influential, highly motivational entrepeneur who has landed me some sweet opportunities thus far. I've written music tracks for local and global artists. I recorded and released my first song. I began healing the rifts that I had with the bands I worked with; these men are my brothers, and family doesn't stay angry for long...Love doesn't allow it. I did my first full length concert a week ago; the attendance needed help, but the attendees had a grand time. I began compiling a book of poetry, and am now also preparing material for my FIRST, TRUE, REAL album. Nothing and no one can stop me this time.
So allow me to apologise for my absence. Life is a tough taskmaster; even so, we must still find time to revel in the sweet spots, and to share the happiness and success. Walk with me as I share my life with you, and as you permit me to share in yours.
Blessed love.
