Rose sings for celebs in Mustique

CALYPSO Queen of the World Calypso Rose (McCartha Linda Sandy-Lewis) was specially invited by the Mustique Company to perform at its 50th anniversary party at Basil’s Bar last month.

Rose’s manager Jean Michel Gibert who attended the party said it was quite an experience.

He said Rose went to the popular Basil’s Bar with her full band and gave a concert performance that had approximately 200 guests from around the world – but mostly British – dancing throughout her performance.

Gibert said, “It was a vibrant private party that had fireworks!”

Among the guests were Prince William and Katherine, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, and close to the stage were Mick Jagger and his daughter Jade, who invited Rose to her shop in Mustique. Jagger’s granddaughter was also on stage with Rose.

“The show was extremely well received, as Rose told guests short back-stories on the songs she sang which they related to. Songs like Abatina, No Madame, Calypso Queen and Back to Africa. Then towards the end of her performance, everybody came on stage with Rose as she ended with Fire Fire and Tempo. She was very happy with that. It was a good promotion for TT and Rose,” Gibert said.

As a lagniappe, he said, Rose gave guests an unplugged version of Rivers of Babylon, which they sang along to.

Bar owner Basil Charles attended William and Kate’s wedding in 2011 as a guest of Princess Margaret, and has since became the couple’s personal friend. The Mustique Company, which owns the island in the Grenadines, was featured together with Calypso Rose and the royal couple in the British celebrity magazine Hello on August 13.

The story spoke of Kate’s paradise party during her tropical island date with William, cocktails and calypso in the Caribbean.

It said William and Kate joined locals and holidaymakers at the famous bar for the 50th-anniversary celebrations of the Mustique Company, the consortium of residents that runs the island, where the dress code for the party was “a splash of gold.”

“The royal couple opted for an ‘island chic’ look, with Kate wearing white while William sported a shirt from the local brand Pink House Mustique. They were there for the cocktails segment and kept it rather classy,” a source told Hello.

Rose’s band comprises a number of Caribbean musicians including Corey Atheleny Wallace (TT/UK) on bass; Gregory Louis (Guadeloupe/France), drums; Fabien Kioka (Martinique), horn; and Audrey Rose Gbaguidi (Grenada/France) on vocals, as well as Silvain Barvieu, horn; Patrick Goraguer, keyboard; Cali Kamga (Africa/France), vocals; and Jean Mba (Africa/France), guitar. Also providing entertainment were the Rolling Stones’ touring keyboard player Matt Clifford and his band.