A music and economics double major, Morgan blends Caribbean roots with global rhythms, academic inquiry with instinctual performance. His principal instrument—the steelpan—is not merely a nod to heritage, but a bridge between genres and geographies. “It’s percussive, it’s melodic—it lets me speak without words,” he says.
Born into a Jamaican-American family and raised in the Bronx, Morgan’s musical education began with drums and evolved into melody through steelpan. As a performer, composer, and producer, he now commands stages and classrooms with equal ease.
His most ambitious work to date is Reflections Abroad, a capstone album born out of his semester abroad. From the alleys of Lisbon to the beaches of Senegal, each track channels lived experience. “It’s a sonic journal,” Morgan explains. “A way of processing movement—through place, culture, and sound.”
In November 2024, he debuted the album in a multimedia performance that fused original compositions with poetry, visuals, and a full-band ensemble dubbed The Freeformers. The event, held at the Williams Center for the Arts, drew a packed house—and an emotional standing ovation.
But for Morgan, performance is never just performance. He sees music as community-making. On campus, he founded Jam Session, a student collective built around collaboration and improvisation. “We just needed a space to play—no pressure, no judgment. That kind of freedom creates real creativity.”
Between classes and rehearsals, he also runs Exquisite Productions, booking gigs and crafting experiences that range from intimate receptions to major cultural events.
Next up? Graduate study in London, with hopes of curating music festivals and deepening his ties to global musical networks. But his core philosophy remains grounded: “Whether I’m in Harlem or Dakar or Easton, I’ll always be playing. Music is how I stay in motion.”
In the hum of campus life, where deadlines often outpace dreams, Damoi Morgan offers a different rhythm—one that honors roots, celebrates discovery, and insists that melody can carry meaning across any border.
Don't miss the opportunity to hear Damoi and the Freeformers this weekend, Sunday, July 6 in St Nicholas Park on the James Baldwin Lawn!
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