The 3 Trinis
Gregory Christmas
Gregory Christmas spearheads Digital Film Works and is the company’s senior writer/producer/director.
A film and television graduate of York University, Gregory is a highly sought after media professional, with several years of production experience to his credit.
Over the past 30 years his work has span the gamut of theatre, film, television and video productions. He has instructed with local school boards in Toronto, Canada and for the Ministry of Information video department in Trinidad and Tobago.
He is first and foremost a documentarian and has traveled extensively for productions across North America and the Caribbean for various agencies, governments and for his own company. His range of productions has covered corporate promotions and profiles, TV commercials, documentaries on gripping social issues and performance presentations in dance, music, and other art forms.
In his extensive portfolio, Gregory has done work that has been featured on CBC, OMNI TV, National Geographic Channel, and The Documentary Channel and has been commissioned by a myriad of corporate and commercial clients.
He is presently in production shooting the feature-length documentary: “ELLIE MANNETTE – A Destiny In Steel”, the highly anticipated film, on the life and work of legendary steel pan aficionado and innovator Dr. Ellie Mannette.
Anthony Pierre
Tony is an accomplished musician, pianist and percussionist. Born into an artistic family in his native Trinidad and Tobago, he studied classical piano from the age of 8 with his aunt, Elsa Pierre. He was always drawn however, to the rich folk and popular music traditions of his twin island home, and by his late teens was playing with one of Trinidad’s top steelbands, Silver Stars.
After relocating to Canada for a university education, Tony’s passion for the Arts led him to perform with steelbands like Toronto’s AfroPan, and arrange and play with the York University based Yorktones; he acted and played percussion in the Caribbean Theatre Workshop and with Theatre Fountainhead; and also performed on piano and keyboards in Caribbean dance bands like Spectrum all part of the vibrant Caribbean cultural scene in Toronto.
In 1975, Tony was invited to perform with Jazz and Blues singer Salome Bey at Toronto’s Colonial Tavern, which catalyzed his specialization as a percussionist. Tony points to percussionists Ralph MacDonald and Paulinho DaCosta as major influences in this period, and he has since developed a reputation as a superb ëcolourí percussionist. Returning to T&T in the early 80s, Tony performed with the likes of Mike Boothman, Robert Bailey, Clive Zanda, Len “Boogsie” Sharpe, and Raf Robertson in the Kaiso Jazz idiom; and also spent a short stint as the resident arranger for the legendary Invaders Steel Orchestra.
Tony’s life as an artist has paralleled the development of the steel pan and the steel band movement in Trinidad and Tobago, especially with the influence of his late father, Lennox Pierre, given his pivotal role in that history. It is this longtime intimate association with pan that has led Tony to “The Ellie Mannette Story”, a documentary on the life and work of the legendary steel pan innovator Dr. Elliot Mannette.
Ivor Nguzi Picou
Ivor Picou is a theatre, music and dance performer with over three decades of experience. Since graduating from York University with a BFA in 1980, he has performed, written, co-written numerous productions. At York he founded Yorktones Steelband and the multi-disciplinary West Indian Performing Group.
Born in Trinidad and Tobago, Ivor Picou’s interest in steel pan began during his youth when he experienced the sounds of steelbands playing different forms of the instrument in the capital city, Port of Spain. Ivor’s interest grew and he played with the All Stars Steel Orchestra. His love of the instrument and the music came with him when he came to Toronto, Canada.
He also played with numerous music ensembles as a guitarist, steelpan and percussion player. He has worked extensively in the Toronto steelband community to help organize and develop steelbands. He collaborates with steelbands to showcase their growing musical achievements, and is dedicated to contributing to the growth of the steelband community.
Recently Ivor’s deep love of the stage and music performance has morphed into a passionate embrace of video as a fascinating medium for telling stories. In particular, he considers this an exciting stage in his ongoing evolution as a storyteller.