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Trinidad
& Tobago Panorama 2017 - HOME
‘Rhythm Run Tings’
sung by Kernal Roberts
music by Mark Loquan and Seion Gomez
lyrics by Gregory “GB” Ballantyne
produced by Junior “IBO” Joseph
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“Rhythm Run Tings”
Kernal Roberts
Provided with the expressed permission of the composer(s)
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“Rhythm Run Tings”
Kernal Roberts
Provided with the expressed permission of the composer(s)
click here for lead sheet
LYRICSVerse 1
De rhythm
bed
Panman has always said
Is both the heart and head
Is de genesis of de happiness
From dey, joy does spread
Drummers, cutter, cowbell and
ironman
Synchronise in a groove
Is when Panorama start to move
Is de synthesis
Is de catalyst
Dat really triggers pan happiness
Pre-Chorus
Deep in the
rhythm section
Beads of sweat falling overtime
Hearts pumping in unison
Man doh lime
Eyes roll in expectation
Muscles done primed
Dey hold and control every
Phrase !
Phrase !
Phrase !
Chorus
When rhythm
is tight
Everything does be in a zone
De band does feel right
King of steelband upon his throne
A music delight
Fills de air like a sweet cologne
Rhythm, rhythm, rhythm, rhythm
In dey face
Verse 2
Ah say
plenty band
Hire some rhythm man
Like dey have two left-hand
And dey all at sea with no chemistry
Dey have no game plan
When dey take up de count from de
arranger
Fire down in dey wrist
In five minutes dey drop to Joey
Lewis
Is cow-heel and broth, rhythm made
of
Not fuenke-fuenke saga boy stuff
Pre-Chorus
_________________
Chorus
_________________
Bridge
[De drummer,
de conga
De cowbell, de scratcher
De rack full of sweet iron
Dey build de foundation
For panman to stand on
And raise de roof with dey band
Dey slamming, dey jamming
Is really alarming
De vibration dey create
Rhythm men
Recognise them and appreciate]
Repeat
Verse 3
Ah say
Buccooneers
Skiffle Bunch, Pan Elders
Tornadoes one year
Man dey leggo rhythm and jam
With de All Stars and Fonclaire
Every high-hat dat suit a scratcher
Congas mock de tom-tom
Playing with de iron and de kick
drum
So win, lose or draw
De rhythm floor
Does build your Panorama score
Pre-Chorus
_________________
Chorus & fade
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(l-r) Seion Gomez, Kernal Roberts,
Mark Loquan
Story behind “Rhythm Run Tings”
This song is dedicated to all those in the engine room who produce the heartbeat of all the steelbands globally, pumping the rhythm section, filling the sound with a vibration and steady pulse for excitement in the music. After doing ‘Bass On Fire’ which paid homage to the bass players in steelbands locally, regionally and internationally, Seion Gomez and Mark Loquan decided to pay tribute to those in the rhythm section this time around.
There would be too many names to call but must include here top-of-the-line drummers today, such as Sonilal “Killer” Samaroo, Leason Jacobs, Leon “Foster” Thomas, Andrew “Soca” Brumant - just to name a few - or percussionists such as Vance Romain, and Kenneth Clarke. To all the players across the globe of the drum kit, iron, scratcher, cowbell, congas, timbales, toc-toc (claves), and other percussive instruments, the team would like to honour you in Rhythm Run Tings for Panorama 2017, which is Mark/Seion’s 3rd consecutive collaboration after Outta De Box (2015) and Bass On Fire (2016).
Mark, then based in Australia, completed the main outline of the track which was sent to Seion by middle of 2016 for further refinement.
As fate would have it, in August 2016, Pan Trinbago also honoured several steelband percussionists:
Lyrics for Rhythm Run Tings—written by Gregory “GB” Ballantyne—capture the theme of the song with:
“When rhythm is tight
Everything does be in a zone
De band does feel right
King of steelband upon his throne”
Vocals were performed by Kernal Roberts, who also did the honours for ‘Bass On Fire.’
Seion Gomez was born in the beautiful twin-island republic of Trinidad and Tobago. He started playing the steel pan at age nine and continued through the ranks.
While at secondary school, he participated successfully at the junior steel pan competitions and by age eighteen he was arranging for steel bands throughout Trinidad.
After leaving secondary school, Seion attended The University of the West Indies and Northern Illinois University where he achieved his Master’s degree. Seion is a Music Literacy Trust scholar, and has travelled to many countries as a performer, teacher and lecturer. He has also judged numerous steel pan competitions both here in Trinidad and Tobago and abroad.
Presently, Seion works with the NLCB Buccooneers Steel Orchestra of Tobago and is dedicated to helping raise the level of musicianship within the steel band fraternity of Trinidad and Tobago and promote the steel pan as an instrument throughout the world.
Rhythm Run Tings represents the third consecutive Panorama collaboration among Mark Loquan and Seion Gomez as composers, and Gregory “GB” Ballantyne as lyricist. ‘Outta De Box’ and ‘Bass On Fire’ were their two other successfully productions.
2017 represents the 18th year Mark Loquan is composing for Panorama, and he has already penned music for Pan Kingdom. Mark was also the Musical Director of the first steelband in Western Australia, Perth Pandemix which started in early 2013, and placed 3rd in the 2nd Australian Steelpan Festival held in Brisbane (September 2015). He has produced/co-produced works such as Passion for Pan album (2000), and the pioneering products of Pan In Education (2004), and Pan in Education 2 (2011).
Mark has produced several popular songs for Panorama, which have been performed in Trinidad, and across the globe in main pan events as well as in schools and universities. Starting with songs like Glory, Passion for Pan, Fire and Steel, Identity, Frenzy, Colours Again, he has also collaborated musically with Amrit Samaroo, Edwin Pouchet, Ken “Professor” Philmore, Andy Shaefe and Seion Gomez, to produce songs like Outta De Box, Celebration Time, Hooked, Dangerous, Surrender, Calling Meh, Breakthrough and Vibes.
At the first International Panorama held in Trinidad in August 2015, Supernovas placed 2nd with his composition, Dr. Samaroo. He has also worked with a multitude of singers, writers, and performers and has enjoyed long-term collaborations with Denyse Plummer and Destra Garcia over his musical journey.
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