Dwight Pinkney - File

Song Title: Chis-mas Breeze

Written by: D Pinkney, Grub Cooper, Pam Hall, K. Pinkney, J. Pinkney.

Chris-mas Breeze by the JAVAA Singers is a jolly romp through the celebratory period, yard style, with a healthy dose of reason through advice about restraint.

JAVAA is the Jamaica Association of Vintage Artistes and Affiliates, which is certainly not short on talent, so with writing by Dwight Pinkney and arrangement by Pinkney and Grub Cooper the foundation is set for a good production.

In addition, there is lyrical input from some members of the all-star cast, as Cooper and Pam Hall, who are among those who have lines in the verses that surround the chorale style chorus of "it's comin' roun, roun, roun/feel the Chris-mas breeze an' pressure comin' roun", the other lines of the chorus changing on each of the five go-rounds.

So after the opening bell and the uptempo rhythm hits, Boris Gardiner, Orville 'Bagga' Case, Angella Stewart, Ras Mandito, Ken Boothe, Mary Isaacs and Charmaine Limonious are among those who deliver the rollick on the rhythm, Althea 'Di Chick' Hewitt's voice doing into a delightful, swooping high on the rhyming parts of "plaza yu fi walk it, go a gran market".

From going home to family to "style up yu hair", "pudding, sorrel and wine plenty" and "blue draws an' roti", it is Christmas Jamaican style, with the attendant celebration. However, the reason is there with the reminder "but save di pickney dem school fee/memba school open back inna January", as well as the core of the season with "people everywhere rememba di birth of Christ, Peace on Earth".

'Chris-Mas Breeze' is a jolly but not light puff of song distributed by Stage Records.

- Mel Cooke.