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| Swaying Like a Palm Tree
Cyril Paul |  |
| Swaying Like a Palm Tree
Cyril Paul | |
Swaying like a palm tree, hands flying, the elegant man on the bongo drum is Cyril Paul. On any given Sunday at SJA, you might find him in the "big room" or at the Family Mass. His rhythm and energy are infectious. Maybe he'll sing "Danny Boy" or some other beautiful classic. If you're lucky you'll hear him at a wedding or a park or a school or at a SJA event.
Light as a feather, his gorgeous voice brings life and love to every song. His vivacious music will get you to smile and swing and simply feel good. And if you don't, he'll smile at you, give you a warm hug, or take your hand to dance.
Cyril comes from the land of Calypso, Steel Bands, the Limbo, and Carnival - the Caribbean. He began his musical career playing steel drums in Trinidad. At St. Johns University Cyril participated in his first variety show during the 1956 Homecoming, launching his US singing career. As Trinidad's gift to Minnesota and St. John's, he graduated in 1959.
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| Pam and Cyril Paul |
I first met Cyril in 1964 at the Newman Center on the U of M campus. He was gracefully leading liturgical music by boldly teaching the congregation songs before each mass. Part of the "guitar mass", Cyril was a wonderful complement to the informal liturgies and challenging issues of the day. In fact he was so good, my future wife and I had Cyril lead the music at our wedding liturgy a year later. As if by magic or fate, Cyril and his wonderful band performed at our daughter's wedding reception 32 years later!! And then again 3 years later at our son's Minnesota wedding party. What a treat! We are hoping Cyril and his band will be available about 2020 to perform at our grandchildren's weddings.
Cyril and his five-person band, the Calypso Monarchs, are widely known throughout the Midwest for their toe tapping Calypso melodies. They play all the types of music from the Islands including rumba, bolero, cha cha, reggae, in addition to calypso. They play music that is hot, hot, hot!! Many 60s and recent popular rock and ballads are in their repertoire. Cyril and his band have performed at a variety of functions all over Minnesota - weddings, private parties, corporate functions, churches, schools, and park concerts.
Cyril has traveled the world - most recently South Africa - searching for wisdom. He has walked through ancient Aztec ruins to gaze at the glories of ancient civilizations, climbed Celtic ruins to view with awe the wonders of mankind, and stood on the edge of the Grand Canyon to behold the wonder of nature. He has walked on the shores of oceans, gazing serenely at sunsets. And Cyril has seen the destruction of magnificent buildings as a result of war. He has visited places where men, women and children have been destroyed, gassed, because they were outcasts.
Cyril has sung the songs of a people who were persecuted and rebuked. He has sung at the altars of Cathedrals and citadels, accompanied by thousands of human voices. He has marched in cities, arm in arm, with fellow human beings for the cause of justice. He has been well schooled by his forebears in the cultural arts.
Cyril would like to bring us all to the wellsprings of diversity, justice and peace. He relishes singing with students and teachers. He especially enjoys sharing his stories and teaching his Caribbean heritage. He says, "Sometimes it takes a while to understand the basics of Caribbean folklore, and the few who seem to have difficulty doing so are the ones who do not wish to be there. Thank God, they are the very few." Working with children fulfills part of his dream. Children respond beautifully to his energizing music.
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Read about Cyril and Pam as they prepared for their South Africa trip.
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| Cyril Paul and the Calypso Monarchs |
