Eric
Rollnick began playing drums at the age of eight
with a Drum and Bugle Corp in New Jersey. Since then, percussion
has always been a part of his life. He played in rock bands
in his teen years and later branched out into blues and jazz.
It was another 20 years before he was bitten by the "Pan
Jumbie". In 1980, the mesmerizing sound of steel band at
a music festival near his new home in New Hampshire captured
Eric's musical interest, and started him on his journey into
pan culture.
Eric's
desire to learn the craft of building and playing Pan led him
(in 1989) on the first of what has become a yearly pilgrimage
to the birthplace of Pan the republic of Trinidad and
Tobago. Here Eric learned firsthand the pan's development and
history. He feels much gratitude towards the pan crafters and
players who taught him their art, and shared their techniques
and skills with him.
In 1994, Eric formed the five-member band
Mango Groove, which
plays throughout New Hampshire and New England. In addition,
Eric presents comprehensive workshops and
pressntations on pan, and the culture of Trinidad and Tobago
from which the pan came into being.
Eric has a B.S. in elementary education. He is on the faculty
at The Mountain Top Music Center in Conway, NH. where he teaches
percussion. He directs the community steel band "Steel
Dreams" in Conway NH. and builds and tunes pans for steel
bands throughout New England.
His other endeavors include playing African drums , and Calling
Contradances. In between gigs, you can find him building pans
at his music store, Ajaja Music
in Conway NH.