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Take seven self-titled music gurus, some drums, lead and bass guitar, throw in some powerful and diverse voices for maximum effect, pour in a blend of traditional and dance music namely, Belle, Quadrille, Jing Ping, Mazouk and Candance………….and you get? A taste of a truely phenomenal genre of music…BOUYON MUSIC created and originated by Dominica’s very own, WCK.

The band WCK or Windward Caribbean Kulture was formed in 1988 by a group of versatile, dynamic and highly creative young Dominican musicians. This group of young men came together to fill a void left by several of Dominica's most internationally recognized bands such as EXILE ONE and GRAMMACKS. These bands were solely responsible for the Cadance-Lypso phenomenon during the 70’s, which propelled Dominica into the international music spotlight as well as establishing Dominica as an emerging leader of Caribbean music. The 80’s were a tremendously challenging decade for the bands and their music due to intense competition from Zouk bands from Martinique & Guadeloupe as well as the proliferation of the Sound System/Hi-fi.

In comes WCK. The band heralded in a new and much needed resurgence of live music and created a new wave in Dominica’s musical evolution. They began experimenting with a fusion of Cadence-Lypso and Jing Ping. While the Candance-Lypso sound is based on the creative use of acoustic drums, an aggressive up-tempo guitar beat and strong social commentary in the native Creole language, the new sound created by WCK, focused more on the use of technology with a strong emphasis on keyboard rhythmic patterns & street vernacular of the younger generation.

The band made its debut in 1988 with an album titled "ONE MORE SWAY" which coincided with the REUNION YEAR (10th anniversary) Independence celebrations. That album was successful but the band still did not think that they had captured their true sound with their first attempt. The next album titled "CULTURE SHOCK" was probably the defining moment for the band. With this album, they created a new musical beat they dubbed BOUYON, which was a celebration of the island’s music and cultural consciousness, so evident in the tracks "Culture Shock" and "Dance Floor".

The albums that followed showed the creative growth of the band throughout the years. In 1991, the "FOLLOW THE LEADER" album delivered signature tracks such as "Follow The Leader" and "Land Of Sunshine". In 1992, the release of "KANNIBAL" was another step towards the fine-tuning of this new sound. The 1993 release "FOREVER" produced one of the bands biggest hits, "Conch Shell/Vola Vole" or "The Fish Song" (as it was popularly called). In 1995, the band released maybe it’s most successful album, "TOU CHO TOU FLAM", which generated 7 smash hits out of the 11-track album. One of these being the huge hit "Balance Batty" which is still being played throughout the Caribbean and the rest of the globe to this day. By the launch of the band’s 7th album, "ORIGINAL HOLD DEM", CK mania had taken over Dominica as well as the rest of the Caribbean. That album contained popular tracks like "Mete Veye", "Original Hold Dem", "Nomn La" and "Preg Dance See". The hits just kept on coming and CK music was in constant demand by partygoers and music lovers all over the globe.

To establish their musical strength, prowess and creativity, the band toured the US, Canada, Europe and the Caribbean from 1995 - 1998. They packed dance halls, concert halls, arenas and any open space they played. That set the stage for the next two albums, "TOO MANY COOKS" & "MARATHON", which propelled the band and it’s Bouyon Music into the international spotlight. The 1999 release "SET MY PEOPLE FREE" kept that momentum going and demonstrated again the band’s ability to position itself as true Caribbean cultural champions.

The Y2K release, "PRIDE AND JOY" truly demonstrated that they were actually, the pride and joy of Dominica. The follow-up, "CARIBBEAN HEARTBEAT" stated their position as true trendsetters in the music artform of the Caribbean. The latest release, "ON TOP", which highlights the tremendous growth of the band to date, sends a clear message that WCK is at the top of it’s game and plans on staying there.

A little taste of KULTURE NOUS