felix ruiz

Born in Trinidad and Tobago, Felix grew up in a musical family playing with the finest musicians nationwide and abroad,

As The Mighty Sparrow, Tobago and D Lime, David Rudder, Rita Marley, Gregory Issac, Kevin Little, Damon Albarn, Brindlsey Forde, Viola Wills, Boney M.

You can spot him on films Paddington 1 and 2 playing piano as the calypso Band Tobago and D Lime.

He can also be found playing alongside his brother bassist Michael Curtis Ruiz in Richard Bailey’s Sans Souci Trio.

Exclusive Interview  

Q: You hail originally from Trinidad, when did you arrive in London and why?

I originally visited London in 1990/91 on a six-week tour with a Calypso band called the Rough Riders featuring artists Roaring Lion and The Lord Pretender.  I liked the vibe here as wherever we went people responded well to us and I ate more Jamaican food than ever, it was nice. At that time I met Richard Bailey having known of The Breakfast Band he was in which was kicking ass at the time. My wife Michelle and I then returned in 1999 looking for work and new experiences, after weighing up the pros and cons of moving here or the States. 

Q: You come from a musical family; can you tell us some background of how that came about?  When did you start playing and was the keyboard/piano your first choice of instrument?

I am from a musical family, both on my Dad and Mum’s side.

My dad Fortunia was and still is an active musician as a trumpeter, arranger, and composer and for a few years was the bandleader for the Mighty Sparrow, who as far as I’m concerned is the greatest Calypsonian ever, a master of the art form.

I started to play piano at about 12 years old on the insistence of my Dad but I remember that I really wanted a trombone so I had to do Dad’s bidding! Lol.  It was his way because he was arranging music and it was useful for him to have me play chords so that he could work out his stuff out. So it was me on keys, my brothers Curtis on bass and Ricky on drums and Marcus played on the pan for a short while. Then later on my youngest sisters came along to play percussion and sing so it was called The Workshop band because it was a workshop! 

Q: How do you find the London music scene compares to back home? And how did you meet the family of musicians you currently know and play with?

I am not sure if I can compare London to Trinidad. I do miss the scene at home especially around festive carnival season and Christmas where in my time there, I played a lot of gigs. Having said that I like it here and really enjoy playing with musicians from all over the world.

Michael Bailey was the one that contacted me offering a gig, after initially meeting my brother, Curtis in Trinidad. I then met Winston Delandro at that gig and they introduced me to most of the Rumband family.

Q: We have seen you in both major Paddington feature films. That must have been a highlight in your career, tell us more?

It was fantastic. The band Tobago and D Lime was originally formed to record and appear in these Paddington movies. One of the directors Paul King is a calypso enthusiast so the acknowledgment of our calypso music in the movies was close to my heart.  For the featured song recordings we worked closely with producers Mike Smith and Damon Albarn, where as a band we collectively interpreted the songs polishing their authenticity.

Q: You’re playing is extremely percussive and coloUrful, who would you consider your biggest influences and why?

My playing is mainly down to understanding the calypso strums on the keyboard or organ. Like Ed Watson and Arthur Decouteau orchestras among many other artists, so I understand and use some of these styles.

My very early musical exposure was actually from my Mum’s side, way before even learning to play. I remember enjoying hearing people whistle the latest melodies down the street and every year a Parang band, which is a Spanish style of music, would turn up at my grandma’s house and play. Then from about 10 years of age my Dad took over the education, so he’s one of my biggest influences.

Following on from that, artists such as Earl Rodney and also Wilfred Woodley should be mentioned, the latter who’s price for a lesson used to be $100 (£10) and 20 cigarettes! Another big help for me was Frankie Francis who was a real big name in the industry. Everyone looked up to Frankie! After my Dad set me up with the basics of arranging and scoring, he sent me onto him to further hone my skills and I tell you, I still use Frankie’s arranging methods today!

Some artists long gone now who are also worthy to note are Johnny Gomez, Bertram Inness, as well as some great bands like the John Buddy Williams Orchestra, a wicked band and The Cyril Diaz Orchestra. In fact recently I MD’d for the ABC Calypso Tent in London and I used a few Diaz arrangements of which I edited for my band to perform. So the influences are still there.

Overall I spent a lot of time in recording studios hanging out whilst my Dad did his thing so I was lucky to hear the hits and see the musicians at work.

Q: What style of music rocks your boat and are there any particular artists that move you?

Calypso is my first love but Caribbean music really moves me.  All styles.

Rather than noting a particular artist, I spent a lot of time listening and absorbing music in general from all over, including Central and South America where they have their own type of calypso music.

However my taste is quite eclectic including music from India and the Middle East. The singers and the musicians from there do some magical things that really work and the rhythms are something else.  

Q: What other artists have you played with?

I played a lot of live gigs with Caribbean musicians like the Mighty Sparrow, Lord Kitchener, Roy Cape, Fitzroy Coleman, Eddie Lovette, Gregory Isaac, Rita Marley and plenty more at home in the Islands as well as here in London.

Q: Have you any recorded original material?

I tend to do more live gigs than recordings, however I did make an original album called the Ruiz Bros Project with my brothers and a steel pan player Jason Baptiste. I should mention here that I also played steel pan (double seconds) at Trinidad Panorama in 1984 with Nu Tones Steel Band Orchestra.

Q: Piano or keyboard? Which do you prefer to play? Do you have a favoUrite brand to play?

I like them both. Secretly I prefer the piano because I started with that and a Wurlitzer but the synthesizer has become more interesting to me lately.  I like Yamaha keyboards and own a whole heap of almost vintage ones!

Q: What do you like to see in a keyboard player style and performance and in playing with a band?

I like to hear grooving and interaction with the other players.  The fortunate or not so fortunate thing as a musician is when you see a gig you’re always analySing to see if the band makes sense. 

Q: What’s the best advice you have received that has stuck with you? And what advice would you share?

I’ve received and still receive advice from musicians and non-musicians alike, which has helped me to develop. I must admit though that sometimes I ignored much advice because I was young and cocky but now realiSe that unconsciously I did actually take heed of this advice which has now become part of myself.

My advice to others is to keep playing, learning from your mistakes, enjoy discovering new things and don’t let the system get a hold of you, strive to be yourself musically.

Q: What does the Rumband mean to you?

Drink more rum, only joking. The Rumband is a great band with wonderful musicians and I feel privileged to be a part of it.  The Rumband is an entity for exploration and it always feels fresh and alive when it is on the go.

Q: Have you a funny memory that you’d like to share with us?

One time I was playing a big show with Gregory Isaac in Trinidad and about half an hour into the show Gregory left the stage and never came back! After a while when he hadn’t returned, as the MD I got the band to start playing one of his hits Tribal Wars to pacify the crowd but then noticed the crowd started to get, let’s say irritable. throwing things in the air which landed near the stage, They had smelt a rat and caught on to what was happening so we had to run off the stage fast!

Soon after I was invited to do another tour in America but decided not to go to save my life! Just kidding!