‘Ralph’

“Oscar” Mark Roberts is from the twin island Republic of Trinidad & Tobago (Trinidad to be specific) W.I.  He has a love of music from childhood, with a preference for a mouth organ as a choice of Christmas gift every year even as other 12-year-olds wanted toy cars, trucks, etc.  Mark had the ability to play any Christmas Carol he heard on the radio on his mouth-organ.

In 1970 the legendary Desperadoes Steel Orchestra was the band Mark Roberts joined, located as it was within his community. Five years later, he and other Laventille youths formed the band Music Maker.  His affiliation with with Desperadoes afforded him the opportunity to tour internationally extensively.

Under the leadership of the late great Rudolph Charles and master arranger - the late “Sir” Clive Bradley, Mark Roberts says he was afforded informal but extremely valuable music education.  His musical journey continues - as, he says, music is a living thing. “Every day is one of learning.”

He started composing in 1991 with his first publication being in 2006 with Clive Gone in honor of Clive Bradley’s memory, and vocalized by Brache. Celebrating Crawl sung by Chucky and honoring the memory Desperadoes’ legendary bass player Frank “Crawl” Findley followed in 2008.  For 2010 he not only composed but also vocalized Pow Pow Doi Doi (Bad Boy); two years later in 2012 he followed up with Who Is Copeland. And for the Panorama 2013 season, Mark Roberts is at work again as both composer and vocalist on the track featured here, Ralph.