Bands and Artists...............

Square One

Just mention the name Square One to anyone in the Caribbean and millions of others in the United States, Canada and Europe and immediately hips start to sway and people begin to hum and sing their numerous hits.

Regarded as one as the top two bands in the Caribbean, Square One was formed 12 years ago and the band has traveled the long, hard road to success.

The members of the band - lead singers Alison Hinds, Andy 'Blood' Armstrong and Cecil 'O'Shaka' Riley; bass guitarist Paul Slater, drummer Winston Beckles, keyboard player George Jones and steel pannist, keyboardist and percussionist Terry Arthur - refined their talents working with such international artistes as Eddy Grant before their break-out CD 4 Sides in 1996.

This CD produced the chart-buster Ragga Muffin along with such other hits as Ring Kiting and the critically acclaimed Black History.

To show their versatility, the CD was also spiced with memorable remakes of The Locomotion, Down on the Corner and Twist and Shout.

The quality of the CD did not surprise those who had followed the band over the years and as if buoyed by this success Square One came even better in 1997.

That follow up CD Sweetness is still a bestseller two years after it was released. The hits just kept rolling off the album. They include Aye Aye Aye, Turn It Around (The Plumber), Ju Ju, and Sugar (Sweet).

In that same year Square One also contributed In the Meantime to a compilation album and that song not only won the road march at Barbados' carnival, Crop-Over, but it also became the signal for millions of other around the world to start to dance.

In 1998 Square One declared themselves In Full Bloom and songs from that CD have gone on to top the charts in almost very Caribbean territory as well as at numerous radio stations in North America and Europe.

In St. Lucia, DJ Ride topped the charts at Radio Caribbean for four consecutive weeks before being replaced by another Square One hit Faluma. At another station in that country, Radio St. Lucia, Faluma took just two weeks to take over the No.1 spot on the charts.

Over in St. Vincent, Bandit Dance rose rapidly to the top of the charts at the Hits FM radio station.

In Trinidad and Tobago DJ Ride, Faluma ,Kitty Cat, Electricity, Mannequin, Bandit Dance, La La and 25 dominated the charts.

A similar thing has been happening throughout the region.

The album's popularity is not limited to the region as it is also making a big impact in England where Faluma has reached the top of numerous West Indian music charts while in Canada DJ Ride, Mannequin, La La and Kitty Cat are all very popular.

Faluma was also chosen as the top song at the Miami Carnival.

The band has also been touring extensively in North America, Europe and the

Caribbean and playing to sellout crowds.

For 2000 CropOver they have come back again with their new entitled CD Heigher Heights, and once again they do not diappoint!!