His Journey......
Robert began his career in music in 1976 as a bass guitarist / vocalist with "The New Happening Bda." a 6 piece cabaret band performing on the Bermuda Hotel Circuit.
In 1978 he moved to New York City.
He joined the Actors Conservatory Theatre Orchestra in Ardsley New York as a bass guitarist performing the musicals Godspell and Guy’s and Dolls in theatre’s in Westchester County.
He joined the group Crazy Rhythm, a New York based 6 pieceTop 40 cover band having a regular engagement at The Golden Chariot in Queens. A regular visitor was Herald Melvin
Crazy Rhythm also toured the Southern United States and the U.S. Virgin Islands where they were the resident lounge band at The Frenchmen’s Reef Hotel in St. Thomas.
While in St. Thomas Robert met a group named "Zanzibar" that was based in Baltimore. He was invited to join them as a bass guitarist / vocalist and for 3 years they performed as a top 40 cover road band touring the West Virginia, North and South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee and Florida hotel circuit
In 1983 Robert decided to return to Bermuda.
He was invited to join the Joe Wylie trio at the Hamilton Princess Hotel to perform as a bass guitarist in Greg Thompson's productions of: Dream Girls, Broadway Memories and The Cotton Club.
In addition he played in numerous rock n’ roll bands at such venues as The White Heron, The Rams Head Inn and The Wharf Tavern. He also played in various jazz combos in the Bamboo Lounge at the Oasis Club in Hamilton.
When he had the opportunity to have his own spot at The Oasis Club, he formed the trio Robert and friends inviting local musicians and performers for jam sessions. Also included was a limbo show.
He had a following of cruise ship musicians that came regularly to jam and this led to him being invited to join the Dorino International Orchestra from Italy on board Celebrity Cruises "Horizon" for a 6 month tour in the Caribbean.
When that contract ended, he went to England for a short time networking and returned to Bermuda for a summer season freelancing and doing voiceovers for various advertising agencies.
In 1990 he returned to the Virgin Islands
He joined up with a Jazz harpist and played on the Hotel and Restaurant Circuit in St. Thomas and Puerto Rico.
Some of the highlights of playing in St. Thomas included:
Resident bass player at Blackbeards Castle Hotel performing with jazz duos from the US mainland.
Appearing as a regular at the famous Barnacle Bills rock and roll club.
Resident bass player at the Secret Harbor Hotel that hosted the "jazz cruise brunch" for many famous jazz musicians and entertainers that were performing on board the cruise ship The Norway.
Having the opportunity to perform with legendary jazz pianists Dorothy Donagan and Dave Bruebeck.
Performing in duo acts with numerous steel pan players on the St. Thomas and St. John hotel and restaurant circuit.
One day, he saw the potential in developing his own solo steel pan act playing arrangements of popular favorites and classic standards so drawing on his resources and experience he made his decision to become a Steel Pan Soloist.
He borrowed a steel pan from a friend and went to work…literally... and after 6 months of teaching himself to play the steel pan and to sequence his back up music tracks he set out reinvented as a steel pan soloist with sequenced background accompaniment naming his act Tropicana Steel Pan.
An unexpected gig with Carnival Cruise Lines in a Rock n' Roll lounge band playing bass gave him the opportunity to fine tune his pan playing skills during his free time on board.
His first gig as a steel panist was at Café Sito in St. Thomas where he established himself as Tropicana Steel Pan while still playing bass gigs on both islands.
In 1997 he decided that it was time to return to Bermuda and one week to the day of his return he was invited to perform at the Bermuda Department of Tourism marketing shows in many Cities in the US. and Canada.
Robert Symons is a kindred soul that has traveled the world spreading music to the masses in many different forms.
From his youth as a guitarist to the start of his music career as a bass guitarist to his current role as an international steel pan soloist and recording artist, he is one of those amazing individuals that deserves to be celebrated for his life path and his artistry. He is a self-taught musician, which makes his growth and transitions throughout his life that much more implausible.
Robert entertains as a steel pan soloist in Bermuda and internationally for Bermuda Tourism, Corporate Businesses, Private Audiences, Prestigious Cruise Lines and at The Bermuda International Airport in Departures.
He has toured The United States, Canada, South America, The Caribbean, Mexico, The South Pacific, Hawaii, Scotland and Germany.
Robert has represented Bermuda three times on the world stage.
First as a guest Steel Pan Soloist in the 2003 Edinburgh Military Tattoo in Edinburgh, Scotland to capacity audiences of 1/4 million. BBC TV broadcast the event to a viewing audience of 100 million across the world.
Second, he performed at the Bremen National Music Festival 2005 in Bremen, Germany.
Third as an opening act at the Bermuda Music Festival 2006 hosted by Steve Harvey and a line up of famous international performers that included Gladys Knight, Tina Marie and The Manhattan's to name a few.....
Robert has produced 3 CD's titled Tropicana Steel Pan ~ Bermuda Vol. 1,2,3.
His music is a one-way ticket to your own personal paradise, featuring lovely relaxing steel pan rhythms, syncopations of sequenced accompaniment and the backbeat that helps to make the steel pan as warm as a tropical island breeze.
He has the right approach with this series of releases, take some of the best-known tunes, and make them his own with the help of the steel pan. He gives you a chance to relive all the feelings and emotions that go along with each time tested tune. Breathing some of that tropical way of living into the tunes with some of the most simple and relaxing music there is what the result is of this fine effort accomplishes.
Tropicana Steel Pan Volumes one, two and three are distributed world wide at www.cdbaby.com/symons and available in Bermuda at The Music Box in Hamilton
Robert's story and music are truly an inspiration to anyone that has dreams and goals that they are persuing.
When asked what advice he would give to aspiring young musicians, he says:
What the mind can conceive and believe, it will achieve.
Don't give up!