CLYMAX sends greetings, apologies for not being home for 40th anniversary

Editor: Carnival is here again. Welcome to Vincyland,..visitors, Vincentians throughout the diaspora. Let’s celebrate our 40th anniversary…VINCY STYLE.

Such a festive milestone prompts me to reflect on our history, to remind us all of many contributions we carved into the artform of Vincy-Music.

CLYMAX created a platform to launch, shape or enhance the careers of top artistes, the likes of Winston Soso, Man Age, Lifebuoy, Gringo, Vibrating Scakes and many more, too many to mention.

Through the 1970’s we were dubbed the band with “Extra-terrestial, exclusive sounds” by radio personalities Randy D and Cap Stevens.

We demonstrated our versatility and the ability to play different styles of music in live sessions. During Carnival seasons, we devoted extra time before and after rehearsals, working with most calypsonians to improve on weak compositions and vocal skills, which produced high-level performances, much to the delight of raving fans at well attended tents.

In 1976, we were offered a contract by CDC to back all calypsonians in the Carnival finals. That year, the main events and venues had shifted from Victoria Park to the Geest Shed. Our unique style and standards of backstopping music was in demand; this led CDC to approve and extend our services every Carnival semi-finals and finals, until we migrated in 1979 to the USA.

We toured, performed in Canada for Caribbana; the USA, Brooklyn, for Labour Day festivities, plus many other states; Aruba and throughout the Caribbean islands.

This musical experience opened doors and gave us the opportunities to back the world’s greatest calypsonian, “The Mighty Sparrow” and others, including Kitchener, Shadow, Ras Shorti, the creator of SOCA beat, our own Becket, Calypso Rose, Nelson, Arrow, Baron; again the list goes on.

On behalf of CLYMAX, I extend our love, patriotism to our blessed country the land Hairoun. Congratulations on this 40th…Vincy Style.

To our loyal fans, sorry we could not be home to perform; the circumstances were beyond us. Thank you for the positive vibes and appreciation to our style of music over the years; we love you. There will be other occasions, events to get together, fete and have “Fun in the Vincy sun or rain.”

Until then, I leave you with lyrics to our classic “VINCY STYLE IN JULY,” recorded in 1977 to usher in the change of date to our Carnival season.

Enjoy to the max:

Jumping in ah band for the Carnival,

See me and a girl wailing with all we might

Moving to the beat in ah constant groove,

We gonna play we mas oh yeah, we jamming all day all night.

And if we jump in ah band and they stop the beat,

Man we catching one on another street,

Festival, make bacchanal, jump in ah band.

For Carnival, we on the streets, we playing mas, digging the beat

and if the action stop when we in the spell, man is confusion, cause we kicking hell

clear the way, want to play, till the next day.

So gimme more, sweet calypso, we Vincy style, in this July.

(check UTUBE for complete song)….respect to all.

Bernard ‘Bonni’ Browne

Composer/bandleader of group CLYMAX