Adrian Clarke

Steel Pannist for all Occasions

Aversatile pan player across the Tri-state and beyond, Adrian Clarke has played to large audiences at private venues and music events to church events and birthday parties. His website, Panoccasions, is full of rave reviews of his professionalism and dexterity.

His pan playing has allowed him to meet celebrities including the late composer Irving Burgie, who wrote Barbados National Anthem and most of the first million selling album, Harry Belafonte’s Calypso, and music legend Billy Ocean.

Adrian, who grew up in Barbados and attended Harrison College, started playing pan after immigrating to New York in the mid-1970s. Mostly a solo performer, he has a vast repertoire. Adrian’s recordings can be found on Soundcloud and he has produced two CDs, Expressions In Steel, the Many Moods of Pan and Sweeter This Time.

So ever-present is Adrian, that many are surprised that pan playing is not his full-time job. He is actually the history making Director of Prospect Park Tennis Center, Brooklyn, NY.

A tennis player at 12, he was good enough to join the pro circuit. While teaching English at a junior high school, he was invited to assist at the Prospect Park Center, and that led to a full time position 12 years ago. Last year, in February, he moved from tennis pro to become the first black to head the tennis center.

Adrian, who holds a BA and two Masters degrees, and is also a short story writer, is married to Sonia.