| The Caribbean is a diverse region that has a rich | | | | simply means "double meaning" and was used to |
| history and eclectic culture. It follows that the | | | | sing about issues covertly by masking it behind a |
| music of the Caribbean has been influenced by | | | | plot that served as a 'red herring'. |
| the cultures and traditions of Africa, India, France, | | | | Calypso started as social and political commentary |
| Spain and England. As a result of the dominance | | | | in Trinidad. However, the calypso tradition |
| of the English-speaking Caribbean in the Caribbean | | | | developed to include humorous calypso and |
| identity, Trinidad and Tobago and Jamaica make | | | | calypso ballads. Some of the more popular early |
| significant contributions in the area of Caribbean | | | | calypsos include 'Banana boat' and 'Jean and Dinah'. |
| music. However, the French and Latin Caribbean | | | | Most calypsonians sang using a sobriquet. |
| have also increased the musical variety. | | | | Exponents of the art form include The Mighty |
| There are over 100 forms of music in the region | | | | Sparrow (Slinger Francisco), Lord Kitchener |
| identified as the Caribbean. Some of the genres | | | | (Aldwyn Roberts), Attila the Hun and the Roaring |
| are derivatives of other Caribbean genres as well. | | | | Lion. In modern times, calypso is less prominent. |
| Since there is a proliferation of music genres in | | | | More emphasis is placed on its faster-paced |
| the Caribbean, popularity and representativeness | | | | spin-offs like soca music, rapso and chutney soca. |
| would be used to identify the main forms. Some | | | | Soca |
| of the less-popular- but notable genres- will also be | | | | Soca music is a huge part of the cultural identity |
| mentioned in this introduction to the music of the | | | | of the Eastern Caribbean. Like its parent genre, |
| Caribbean. | | | | calypso, soca originated in Trinidad and Tobago in |
| Steelpan music | | | | the 1970s. Originally conceived as a fusion of soul |
| Pan (Steel pan or Steel band) music has reached | | | | and calypso, soca music is now standard fare at |
| as far as North America, Europe and Japan. | | | | Carnivals and parties across the Eastern |
| However, its origin is distinctly Caribbean- to the | | | | Caribbean. Soca is much faster-paced than |
| extent that the sound of the pan is associated | | | | calypso and is usually accompanied by gyrations |
| with island life or a Caribbean vacation. Pan music | | | | of the waist and hips or 'chipping'. In earlier times, |
| originated in Trinidad and Tobago and was | | | | soca was generally groovy with a heavy infusion |
| adopted by other Eastern Caribbean islands. | | | | of brass. |
| Pan music was originally used to capture the | | | | Soca music uses a variety of conventional and |
| sounds and rhythms of Trinidad- mainly calypso in | | | | indigenous instruments, including; drums, |
| the 1930s. Pan music - a generic term for tunes | | | | synthesizers, keyboards and 'iron' rhythms. There |
| played by 'pannists' or steel orchestras - is very | | | | are also fusions of East Indian rhythms, Latin |
| diverse as well. It can encompass other genres of | | | | beats and reggae into soca. The main |
| music (within and outside the Caribbean) like soca, | | | | categorizations of soca music are "Power soca" |
| reggae, pop, ballads and classical music. | | | | and "Groovy soca" and "Vintage soca". "Power |
| Reggae | | | | Soca" has a frenzied beat while "Groovy soca" is |
| This essentially Jamaican genre is, arguably, the | | | | more melodic and slow-paced. "Vintage soca" |
| most popular genre of music to emerge from the | | | | reflects the early days of soca, which typically |
| Caribbean. Reggae's popularity has much to do | | | | used more 'brass' than modern soca. |
| with the rhythmic beat and the universal issues | | | | Other genres |
| and themes addressed by reggae artistes. The | | | | The French and Latin Caribbean influences have |
| reggae style uses a basic, mellow rhythm with | | | | increased the diversity of Caribbean music. Zouk |
| emphasis on the off-beat. This genre of music | | | | is a French-Caribbean style of music that is |
| relies heavily on drums, bass, guitars, horns and | | | | popular in Guadeloupe, Martinique, Dominica and St. |
| appropriate vocals. | | | | Lucia. The 'Zouk' band 'Kassav' is popular across |
| The most famous reggae artiste is the late Bob | | | | the Caribbean and in parts of Europe and North |
| Marley. Other notable exponents include Jimmy | | | | America. |
| Cliff, Gregory Isaacs, Glen Washington and the | | | | The Latin influence on Caribbean music is evident. |
| British reggae band UB40. Many love songs have | | | | Parang, Merengue, Salsa, Reggaeton, Mambo and |
| been adapted to reggae as a result of the | | | | Bolero are just some of the genres of |
| versatility of the beat. Reggae has also resulted in | | | | Latin-influenced music that are becoming more |
| several spin-offs and genres including 'ragga soca', | | | | popular throughout the Caribbean and the |
| roots reggae, reggaeton, rockers and dancehall. | | | | Western Hemisphere. |
| Calypso | | | | The volume of Caribbean music cannot be dealt |
| The origins of Calypso are associated with the | | | | with comprehensively in anything short of a book. |
| Carnival tradition. This music genre originated in | | | | The existence of over 100 music genres in a |
| Trinidad and spread to other Eastern Caribbean | | | | collection of islands attests to that. Music in the |
| islands. African slaves used to mimic and parody | | | | Caribbean is constantly evolving as a result of |
| the slave masters in song. This developed into the | | | | intra-regional exchange and sometimes influenced |
| calypso tradition of social commentary. As a | | | | by the dominant American culture. The unique |
| result of the covert nature of the earlier version | | | | sounds and melodies of the Caribbean are |
| of this art form, earlier calypsos also used the | | | | gradually grabbing the attention of music lovers |
| technique of 'double entendre'. "Double entendre' | | | | who have not even visited those isles as yet. |