What's New
Exile One launches New Album July 31, 2011 Exile One at the 14th edition of the WCMF (13/11/2010) Finally, Exile One made it to the festival and performed on night three. It was not the usual performance but a repertoire put in place to remind the older folk of the many hits of yesteryear and to enlighten the young about the creators of Cadence-Lypso. In many ways, this was a defining moment for Creole music and for the festival which for many believe that including a reggae act every night is an absolute necessity as if to say that Creole music was insufficient to sustain the festival at the highest level. Of course, reggae acts are welcome, so are soca, salsa and othe “world music” genres, but the core definition of Creole music resides in the Cadence rooted. That night, Exile One demonstrated why against all odds this group has been able to remain at the top of its game since 1973. Fitzroy Williams, Vivian Wallace and Gordon Henderson three survivors of the early years have reshaped the band for over twenty years and the mega hit “fraiche” among others is a product of this trio. Jean-Marie Morel, the blues guitar on “fraiche” and Romie “Ibis” Lawrence on the other guitar have been off and on major contributors from that time. The background vocals, the excellent Tribord sisters from French Guyana have been singing with the group for almost a decade. Note that Exile One from day one has always been basically Dominican but with numerous other nationalities…Hippomene from Guadeloupe or Frankie Winfield of Trinidad for example. Musicians from as far as the Cape Verde islands have been a part of the experience. Kremlin Fingal, Exile One’s very first trumpet player was invited to perform a solo for old times sake. He also went home with the award which was given to the band that night by the DFC and Digicel one of the major sponsors of the festival. Pascal on the second keys hails from the distant island of La Réunion in the Indian Ocean is proof of the far reaching impact of Exile One’s music. In the early seventies Exile One was the first Creole/Caribbean band to be number one in the Indian Ocean and many African countries. Strangely, many heard of reggae then written “reggay” for the first time from Exile One. Today, the group is still of legendary proportions in that part of the world. Eddie F a prominent singer/drummer in his own right performs all over the world with his own very universal brand of Creole music. Originally from Martinique, his style blends perfectly with Exile One. The horn section features Michael originally from Sweden on trombone while Jussi and Janne from Finland on sax and trumpet respectively. The distinct style of Exile One is clearly understood by these young men who were born after some of the early recordings that they were asked to bring alive on stage. Exile One’s music is truly universal and has no boundaries. Exile One wishes to thank and congratulate the organizers and sponsors of the 14th edition of the WCMF for their commitment and professionalism
Green/Vert
Exile One Continues its quest which began in Guadeloupe in 1973. Gordon Henderson the group's lyricist speaks on the release of the latest album recorded in the Indian Ocean (La Réunion) in July 2011, "Today the misson remains sadly the same in many respects. We need to promote the idea of a Creole cultural and economic community. We must give ample recgonition to artists for the quality of their art. We need to bid farewell to parochial attitudes that blindly lead us to believe that exploring the world is abandoning our native land."
More news to come soon on the album Green/Vert.
EXILE ONE PERFORMS AT THE WCMF (WORLD CREOLE MUSIC FESTIVAL) IN OCTOBER 2010.
When the organizers of the World Creole Music Festival invited Exile One to the 14th edition of the festival they requested the “original” Exile One. Soon after a New York group of nostalgic “fans” created a FaceBook petition asking for the “original” Exile One to perform at the festival.
Both parties had their own and different ideas of who the “original” members were and what roles they played.
After a period of planning, the group Exile One was founded in Guadeloupe in November 1973. That planning period also took place in Guadeloupe when Fitzroy Williams then a member of a famous Dominican group the “Gaylords” met with a former school mate and member of a teenage pop group “The Rebbs” Gordon Henderson who was resident in Guadeloupe and was one of the lead singers of the Guadeloupean group “Les Vikings” with people such as Pierre-Edouard Decimus who later went on to found the group “Kassav”.
Some say pictures tell a better story than words. You are therefore urged to refer to the official photo gallery for some evidence of how Exile One came into being. Pictures. In the chronology of events the 1973 first and self-titled album of Exile One features on the front cover the first team dressed in African Yoruba robes comprising on the extreme right the Guadeloupean singer Hippomene Leauva, and on the back cover producer Henri Debs and his assistant Robert Bruno. Significantly, it must be noted that only three members had any recording experience or any claim to fame at the time. Why then did Henri Debs accept to produce a group of mainly unknown, inexperienced 18 year olds from Dominica at the very inception? Noticeably as well is the fact that all the songs were written and composed by Gordon Henderson who was enjoying at the time a number one hit entiled “love” recorded with Les Vikings… Pictures. By 1974 two albums also self titled recorded in Paris, France featured one in Creole including “Jamais voir ça” and the other in English featuring “ Which one is me home?”. The pictures reveal the absence of Hippomene. At that particular moment in history Exile One had created such an impact with its creation “Cadence-Lypso” that a moment was born also creating a demand of bands from Dominica most of which had no choice but to follow the style…Exile One was the first, the pioneer and opened the door to every other Dominican band to the market. At the same time, the group dethroned the Haitian supremacy and encouraged musicians from the Creole world to look at music as an industry for the very first time. Interestingly, Henri Debs never wanted Gordon Henderson to sing in the Creole language for two reasons. One the English songs were acceptable hits growing into new markets and he thought that Gordon’s Creole accent was too “english”. Cadence-lypso was therefore both on stage and in the recording studio first created and named in Paris, France. (Read the full story in ZOUKLAND.)
Pictures. 1975 the release of the album “Face au public”. On the front cover you will notice Gordon Henderson on keyboards and vocals and a new face Pierre Labor on saxaphone. On the back cover a huge picture of Fitzroy Williams who was in fact absent from that recording for reasons of illness and had returned home for treatment. This album for many reasons represents a turning point for Exile One and Creole music. Billboard magazine at the time spoke of “African music” and mentioned Exile One selling over 70,000 albums without radio or TV promotion. Cadence-Lypso had secured a place in the sun and for the first time a Creole group was signed to a major recording company, even to this day this remains a rarity. Following the legendary “Face au public” album, the group added officially a horn section because before this the section was used only in the studio with hired skills. Frank Winfield of Trinidad and Tobago joined the group as a trombone player. The group moved to Paris and after a tour of Haiti added Pat Patrice on guitar and Alex ‘Sty’ Larocque as a deputy drummer. The originality of Exile One has always been in motion.
Pictures. From 1987, Exile One has been a core trio comprising Vivian Wallace, Fitzroy Williams and Gordon Henderson. The hit “fraiche” is the favotite song of yet another generation. On October 31 2010, Exile One is billed to perform. The core and many other former players aided by musicians as far back as Romie ‘Ibis’ Lawrence who has toured and recorded with the group have promised to be there for the performance.
40 YEARS OF CREOLE MUSIC
In the year 1969, Gordon Henderson decided that the French Overseas Department of Guadeloupe had everything he needed to begin a career in Creole music. He met the singer Hippomene Leauva from the then famous “Les Vikings” who introduced him to the band which included Pierre Edouard Decimus who later founded the group Kassav.
Gordon recorded a few songs with Les Vikings which became instant hits in countries beyond the usual market such as Surinam and Holland. At some point he felt that he should start his own group and asked an former school friend Fitzroy Williams to recruit a few Dominicans to complete those he had already selected. The group was named Exile One.
Exile One in little time became the most innovative and exportable Creole band of the Caribbean. The first to sign a production contract with a major label Barclay. The first to export the music to the four corners of the globe: Japan, the Indian Ocean, Africa, North America, Europe, The Cape Verde Islands.
Exile One was copied by bands from all over and most of all from the island of Dominica. In forty years, Gordon Henderson has worked with scores of different musicians who have adopted the “Cadence-Lypso” a style that he named himself. Today forty years later the legend continues…
40 ANS DE MUSIQUE CREOLE!
En l'année 1969, Gordon Henderson a décidé que le département d'outre-mer français de la Guadeloupe a eu tout qu'il fallait pour commencer une carrière dans la musique Créole. Il a rencontré le chanteur Hippomene Leauva du célèbre « Les Vikings » qui l'a présenté aux autres qui a inclus Pierre Edouard Decimus qui plus tard a fondé le groupe Kassav.
Gordon a enregistré quelques chansons avec Les Vikings qui est devenu des tubes instantanés dans les pays au delà du marché habituel tel que le Surinam et la Hollande. À un certain point il a estimé qu'il devrait commencer son propre groupe et a demandé à un ancien ami d'école Fitzroy Williams de recruter quelques Dominicains pour compléter ceux qu'il avait déjà choisis. Le groupe a été appelé Exile One.
Exile One de peu est devenu le groupe Créole le plus innovateurs et le plus exportable des Caraïbes. Le premier pour signer un contrat de production avec un label important Barclay. Le premier pour exporter la musique vers les quatre coins du globe : Le Japon, l'Océan Indien, Afrique, Amérique du Nord, l'Europe, les îles de Cap Vert.
Exile One a été copié par des orchestres de partout et surtout de l'île de la Dominique. En quarante ans, Gordon Henderson a fonctionné avec une masse de différents musiciens qui ont adopté la « Cadence-Lypso » un genre musical qu’il a nommé lui même. Aujourd'hui quarante ans après la légende continue…
CREOLE MUSIC LEGEND GORDON HENDERSON RELEASES NEW SOLO CD
When the group K’Swingé of Guadeloupe released their debut CD for the summer of 2006, they featured Gordon Henderson as a guest performer. Henderson’s rendition of the song “A la sueur…” immediately rose to the top of the charts particularly in places such as Martinique and Guadeloupe and delighted Exile One fans clamoured for more of Gordon Henderson.
“I spent the entire summer on the road” Henderson said excitedly, “doing all kinds of gigs from clubs to festivals, indeed the magic is back!”
In fact the performances continued after the summer with a tour to the Indian Ocean where Henderson delighted crowds in La Réunion and Mauritius with his new Exile One concept. “I was forced to make major changes to my return to the studio and stage and consequently the old Exile One format had to go” Henderson explained, “I recorded what I think is the very last Exile One CD entitled ‘Back to Ouidah’ and closed my chapter of the Cadence-Lypso of the seventies. I am fully aware that though I named that musical genre and created it with Exile One many persons both artistes and fans have embraced it as a vital part of their culture. I am happy to have made such a contribution but I consider this the beginning and not the end…”
After the K’Swingé and Exile One CDs, fans requested the old hits and a 17 song “Best of Exile One” CD is currently on the market. “People are increasingly interested in knowing the truth about the development of modern Creole music” announced Henderson, “too many people even in the media amalgamate all the groups of the Cadence-Lypso era as if the format fell off the sky with a number of groups all at once. They fail to point out that all of this began with Exile One in Guadeloupe and every other group was forced by producers and promoters to copy and so a movement was created. This is the truth and the Creole artistes must be mature enough to speak out the truth.”
A DVD entitled “The Gordon Henderson, Exile One story” to be released in the spring of 2007 is being produced and will feature images of current tours as well as new versions of old songs.
Gordon Henderson’s new solo CD “Cent pour sang Créole” is a true representation of what Henderson considers to be his definition of Creole music today. “Not necessarily music with Creole lyrics” he warns, “my Creoleness reflects all my influences. It is that synthesis which defines my musical identity. I am reggae, kompa, soca, soul and a mixture of all of the above.”
“Cent pour sang Créole” is a reminder of the compositions and vocal style that has been a reference for at three generations of Creole artistes and fans.
