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“Sweet 50”
Dexter “Blaxx” Stewart
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Provided
with the expressed permission
of the composer(s) |
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2015
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LYRICS |
Verse 1
Years, 50 years we
up with de stars Playing music
all about People jumping up all
around Funky music without a
doubt Set de place on fire
Fire in dey wire
Sweet is de legacy
of we band Massive following we
have Fans from every part of the
world Take ah listen to what we
play Cause we sweet like sugar
Put yuh hands together Leh we
say……
Chorusy
Fonclaire,
celebrating 50 years Fo..on..claire,
jubilation in de air We comin’
harder than ever And never fail
to deliver Setting a party
feeling and start de chanting We
singing ‘bout Fonclaire
Celebrating 50 years Fo..on…claire,
jubilation in de air Coming to
start up de fire To satisfy your
desire So leh we toast Sweet
Fifty
Verse 2
Vibes never stop
flowing, is a high Can’t explain
de reason why Playing music is
what we love Special gift from de
Lord above It is so exciting
We could jump till morning
Come, leh we all rejoice and be free
Panorama T&T 1965 we were born
And today we still going strong
It is music power Leh we come
together Leh we say……
Chorus
_________________
Bridge
Verse 3
Great, part of
history, proud to create A whole
year is hard to wait For this
time of gladness and fun Street
parading, come rain or sun Like a
party fever Burning hot forever
Thanks all de members past and
present We continuing de fight
This great band, a part of we land
United, forever we stand And we
strong together Will never
surrender Leh we say……
Chorus
_________________
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Panorama 2015
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Story behind the
song, Sweet 50 (honouring Fonclaire
Steel Orchestra’s 50th Anniversary)
- by Mark
Loquan
The Ken “Professor” Philmore/Mark Loquan team is back for 2015 to mark a significant milestone for Fonclaire’s history, celebrating 50 years of wonderful music by this south band in Trinidad and Tobago. Ken and Mark were looking for something special, something different from their previous collaborations, to mark the milestone with a “funky” sound and “live” feel, while aiming to capture the sweetness of music and festive soul of the band. The band was historically known as the "funk band" because R&B, Soul, Jazz and Pop music could be found in its repertoire in addition to calypso. A very special thanks to Kenny Phillips of KMP Music Lab, who produced the song, and who worked with Ken and Mark for the first time.
(In photo: left to right - Kenny Phillips, Ken “Professor” Philmore, and Mark Loquan)
The band was formed on Dottin Street under the house of the late Mervyn Scott in 1965 with the name Fonclaire conceptualised by Mickey Cardinal, as the majority of members lived on Fonrose Street and Claire Street in San Fernando. The band evolved over the years with Ken Philmore being its arranger from the late 80’s. Who could forget “Pan By Storm” composed and arranged by Ken in 1990, a well-known Panorama classic that was a winner in the eyes of many (Fonclaire came 2nd with this magnificent composition and arrangement).
“The team had collaborated to produce works for Fonclaire such as “Dangerous”(2009), “Rewind” (2010), “Vibes” (2012), and “Addicted” (2013), and Fonclaire also performed Mark’s “Good Times” in 2006. Congratulations on this milestone to all past and present members of this famous band of Trinidad and Tobago, with too many names to mention. The band is currently led by Milton
“Wire” Austin, one of the band’s founders. The band celebrates with
Sweet 50 for Panorama 2015, united with its followers from all around the world. |
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Dexter “Blaxx” Stewart
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Dexter John Stewart,
better known as “Blaxx” was born December 21st, 1962.
Dexter started his musical
journey at the tender age age of thirteen, where his father Jerry Stewart who
fielded his own band called “Jerry and New School” molded him into what we see today.
Dexter then joined a
very popular band
called “Fucceccion”
where he became
“Blaxx” after a
ten-year span. He
then went on to join
many other bands
like “Atlantic”,
“Byron Lee and the
Dragonaires” and
“Blue Ventures”.
In
1999 when the legend
himself, Mr. Roy
Cape approached
“Blaxx” and asked
him to join his
family of musicians
(Roy Cape All
Stars). Mr. Blaxx
honourably accepted
- and the rest is
history.
Since
1999 “Blaxx” and Roy
Cape have kept “Roy
Cape All Stars” in
the forefront of the
Soca Music industry.
To say the least
“Blaxx” is one of
the most versatile
artists in the Soca
today.
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2015 represents the
16th
year,
Mark
Loquan is
composing for
Panorama. Mark is
also the Musical
Director of the
first steelband in
Western Australia,
Perth Pandemix
which started in
early 2013. 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 for 2015
with Seion Gomez—to
produce songs like
Celebration Time,
Hooked,
Dangerous,
Surrender,
Calling Meh,
and
Vibes.
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.
Mark took a break
for 2014 after 15
consecutive years of
producing music for
pan, but is back
with music for the
2015
Panorama season. |
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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.
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