In 1971 at the age of six,
Dexter Keane was the youngest member of the T&TEC Power Stars Steelband. Dexter recalls having to be placed on a wooden crate to enable him to play the tenor pan.
In 1974
Dexter migrated to the United States
with his parents.
Soon he became a member of the Maryland Pacesetters Steel Orchestra, playing
several in the
steelpan family of
instruments and also
drumming.
In the early 1980’s,
Dexter was part of
Glass Productions,
a short-lived
Maryland-based
group. In
1984-1986 Dexter,
together with Innis
Goden, Emrold Gray,
Earl Joseph, Samuel
Thomas and some
former members of
the T&T Baltimore
and Maryland
Pacesetters Steel
Orchestras, formed
Phase Three Pan
Ensemble which
eventually folded in 1987.
Later that year
Dexter
became a member of
the Uprising Reggae
Band as
their drummer and
lead vocalist when
the band’s drummer
departed.
In
the four years
Dexter spent with
Uprising, he
traveled the U.S.,
opening for Reggae
superstars such as
Burning Spear, Jimmy
Cliff, EeK-a-mouse,
the Wailers, The
Itals, Third World
and Yellowman.
In 1991, playing
bass, keyboards,
drums and doing
vocals
Dexter started his
own band “Dexter
Keane’s Solar
System.” This
was a switch back to
his roots, SOCA (SOuI-CALypso).
His composition, the
single “Jam Waist
Tonight,” was the
group’s first
release
and was basically
the spring board for
his solo career.
Three years later Dexter
Keane reconnected
with the Pan scene
and together with
long-time associate Emrold Gray, he
formed
Tropical Ensemble.
In 1995 he won
Baltimore’s first
Calypso Monarch
competition with
“Jumping Up” and
“The Message.” In Miami later that
year he placed 9th
in a field of
fifteen.
He repeated his
Baltimore feat in
1996, and was also 1st runner
up in Miami.
Since
then this Panist/Soca Artiste
has been the opening
act for Ronnie McIntosh, Iwer George,
and others. His 2001
T&T carnival
contribution
“De
Master” was a tribute
to the the Grand
Master, the Lord
Kitchener.
Dexter Keane’s
“Zhess” is featured
on Alvin Daniell’s
2011 Calypso
Compilation - “It’s
Showtime.”
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