‘Addicted’

Destra Garcia was born in November of 1977 in Trinidad and Tobago, and hails from a musical family. “When I am up there performing I feel the music as I move and I know it’s great to be a woman. I revel in my sensuality. I want women to look at me and say ‘Way to go,  Destra,’ because I am representing them and I look good doing so.”  Destra has been singing since she was in St. James Secondary School. “I sang every year for five years at school and won the Calypso Monarch on every occasion. I also wrote all my calypsoes.”

For an exclusive When Steel Talks interview with Destra Garcia,  click here

Songwriter Mark Loquan celebrates many years of writing music compositions for the steelband music panorama competition.

About Addicted:

The Destra Garcia/Loquan/Philmore team is back again in 2013, this time doing an exclusive piece for Fonclaire arranged by Ken “Professor” Philmore.  The crew has been together producing songs for the Panorama since 2008 with “Hooked”, “D Trini Way”, “Surrender”, “Rewind” (2010) and “Calling Meh” (2011), “De Player” and “Vibes” (2012).  Prior to that Loquan and Destra had already teamed up in 2006 and 2007 to produce “Colours Again” and “We Luv Carnival” respectively.   2013 represents the 15^th consecutive year of composing music for Panorama for Loquan, now based in Perth, Australia.

For their 6^th consecutive year as a song-writing team, their presentation for 2013 is Addicted, composed by Mark Loquan and Ken “Professor” Philmore (Pro), with lyrics and vocals by Destra Garcia.  Loquan did the basic melody structure with producer Junior “Ibo” Joseph after returning to Trinidad in June 2012, and composing it on the Digital Business Pan application on his iPad during the journey to Trinidad. 

Ken enhanced the piece with his signature vibes, with Destra writing the lyrics with Fonclaire Steel Orchestra and Ken in mind.  

The threesome is happy to once more make a musical statement for the Panorama in 2013.   “Ken had originally taken a break from composing this year.  Both Destra and I are happy he decided to rejoin the team, perhaps he is really ‘addicted’ to the music and the instrument, maybe we all are.  

“As Destra writes about Ken ‘On a mission, trust me I here to stay....Ah not giving up…..I will never stop,’ I believe we are a good example where the sum of the parts is bigger than the individual parts when it comes to producing music for Panorama. We live on opposite ends of the globe, but still the music keeps us united.  Thanks to “Ibo” for his usual production magic, and we wish Ken and Fonclaire a good season in 2013. Sorry I will not be there to enjoy it,” says Loquan.

click for full Mark Loquan profile & Discography

Exclusive interview with Mark Loquan - click here

Ken “Professor” Philmore has been arranging music for Panorama since 1982. He has had many successes to date, viz 6 first places with Sonatas of New York, 2 with Sound Specialists of Laventille and numerous second places. His closest to victory in the large band category of Trinidad & Tobago Panorama was back in 1990 with Fonclaire and “Pan By Storm” when the band placed second to Renegades’ “Iron Man.”   In addition to arranging, to date he has done several panorama compositions, the latter 5 years being in collaboration with Mark Loquan and Destra.

Ken continues to spread the steelband culture worldwide.  As an ambassador for Trinidad and Tobago’s national instrument he has performed at several international jazz festivals and events worldwide, inclusive of a recent visit to Japan, where he conducted a series of lectures and concerts.

He also visited and performed in South Africa and Nigeria for their respective Carnivals in 2011, and returned to Nigeria in November 2012 along with Sound Specialists of Laventille at the invitation  of the government for the Carnival celebrations in Abuja. 

Ken’s aim is to have the youths embrace the artform. He dares to include hip hop, rap, reggae, funk and anything he believes would attract the youths, without losing the sweetness that would appeal to the pan connoisseurs. Hence his arrangements may be considered “non-traditional” or “outside of the box,” while exuding his rich musical soulful style and “down to earth” personality.