He is a percussionist, producer and songwriter born in
Harlem, New York, to a father who was the Calypso musician "Macbeth the
Great".After helping his
friend carry his steel drums, and attending Harry Belafonte's Steel Band rehearsals
regularly with him, he managed to get a job there and performed with Harry
Belafonte for the next 10 years.During this time he met up with Bill Salter and they began to
collaborate as songwriters, which would result in Harry Belafonte's 1966 album
Calypso Carnival.In
1971/2 he opened his own publishing house, Antisia Music, with Bill Salter
and William Eaton and the following year his song "Where is the Love" was
recorded by Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway and success was achieved when
it won Grammy Awards and sold an estimated 10 million copies.Further Grammys would come along,
this time for him as a producer and performer on the song "Calypso
Breakdown" which was part of the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack and
also as a performer on "Mockingbird" by Carly Simon & James Taylor, "Just
the Way You Are" by Billy Joel, "Killing Me Softly" by Roberta Flack, "Mirror,
Mirror" by Diana Ross, "Do You Want To Dance" by Bette Midler, "Breezin'"
by George Benson, "Tradewinds" by The Winans and the theme for the TV
sitcom Taxi. His other
songwriting achievements include the hit "Mr. Magic" and the album Winelight
recorded by Grover Washington Jr. which saw him gain ever further success
with the smash hit "Just the Two Of Us".At the same time he released his own solo albums, which
would also get him internationally recognised and gain critical acclaim.1979-1988 saw his being recognised
annually as the NARAS presented him with the award for "Most Valuable
Player of the Year" for percussion every year consecutively for a decade.He became a member of Jimmy Buffett's
Coral Reefer Band around 1986 and continues to tour and record with them besides
still recording and writing for Antisia Publishing and through his many
years of performing he has worked with numerous artists that include the Average
White Band, The Bar-Kays, George Benson, David Bowie, The Brecker Brothers,
Ron Carter, Jackie DeShannon, Maynard Ferguson, David Grusin, Joe
Henderson, Bob James, Billy Joel, Quincy Jones, Earl Klugh, Gladys Knight
& The Pips, Chuck Mangione, Don McLean, Bette Midler, The Neville
Brothers, Teddy Pendergrass, John Prine, Bonnie Raitt, Lou Rawls, Martha
Reeves, Diana Ross, David Sanborn, Tom Scott, Paul Simon, Frank Sinatra,
Phoebe Snow and James Taylor. The countless albums he has appeared on, which are far
too many to mention, include his own The Path, Trippin', Just the Two of
Us and Mixty Emotions among others and also Anthology Vol. 2
by Duane Allman, Other Peoples Rooms by Marc Almond, Solid by
Ashford & Simpson, Every Home Should Have One by Patti Austin, Futures
by Burt Bacharach, Caliente! By Gato Barbieri, Living Eyes by
the Bee Gees, Queen of the Night by Maggie Bell, Breezin' by
George Benson, Changes by David Bowie, Right on Time by
Brothers Johnson, Hell by James Brown, Floridays by Jimmy
Buffett, Lovelines by The Carpenters, Judith by Judy Collins,
Everything Must Change by Randy Crawford, Free as the Wind by
The Crusaders, In the Right Place by Dr. John, I Don't Know How
to Love Him by Yvonne Elliman, Feel Like Makin' Love by Roberta
Flack, Let Me In Your Life by Aretha Franklin, Soul Searchin'
by Glenn Frey, Watermark by Art Garfunkel, Abandoned Luncheonette
by Hall & Oates, Nature's Baby by Lena Horne, Glow by Al
Jarreau, An Innocent Man by Billy Joel, Sounds...and Stuff Like
That by Quincy Jones, Thoroughbred by Carole King, Valotte
by Julian Lennon, Celebrate Me Home by Kenny Loggins, Taj by
Taj Mahal, Coming Out by Manhattan Transfer, Brazil: Once Again
by Herbie Mann, Playin' Favourites by Don McLean, Divine
Collection by Bette Midler, Power of Soul by Idris Muhammed, What
a Difference a Day Makes by Esther Philips, Island of Real by
The Rascals, Straight to the Heart by David Sanborn, Towering
Toccata by Lalo Schifrin, Hotcakes by Carly Simon, Still
Crazy After All These Years by Paul Simon, L.A. is My Lady by
Frank Sinatra, Gaucho by Steely Dan, Walking Man by James
Taylor, For Ever, For Always, For Love by Luther Vandross, Menagerie
by Bill Withers and literally hundreds of others.
