MUSIC INSTRUMENTS MUSICIANS ROOTS IN THE WIND

acoustic illustrations
lyrics
bibliography

ROOTS IN THE WIND

For calypso, like for the steeldrum, it is rather delicate to oppose a tradition against a modernised form. These genres owe their existence to the evolution of a previous form, and their respective histories are strewn with all types of instrumental, musical and contextual innovations. How then do we distinguish the traditional from the modern, when the new form is subsequently regularly re-used? They were both born of Carnival; they both broke free of Carnival, yet still remain closely linked to it. Organised in national competitions, they constitute in fact, what ethnologists call an invented tradition. We can nevertheless see some genres departing particularly from the original context.

Festival : Desperadoes directed by Pat Bishop in 1988.

In the 1980’s, calypso gave birth to a new, more commercialised form called Soca (an contraction of Soul Music and Calypso), interpreted by brass bands. Using mainly electronic instruments such as rhythm boxes or the synthesiser, this genre is characterised by a melodic, very amplified baseline, and a less developed text than that in the Calypso. This type of music, played during Carnival by the Sound Systems (open trucks with huge loudspeakers) has almost supplanted the steelbands during the parades ["Heat in the Place" (Caribbean Party Rythms Six)].
Though melodically and harmoniously very simple, the Soca has integrated ranges reminiscent of certain traditional musics, thus creating sub-categories such as the Soca Parang, (Christmas music with heavy Venezuelan influence ["Santa Say" (Parang Soca Christmas)], or Chutney Soca (Indian influence) ["Nadia Kay Par" (Rikki Jai, Millenium)].

As we have seen, steelband borrowed foreign repertoires very early ["Mission Impossible" (Pamberi Steelband, Contemporary Moods)]. Moreover, arranger Ray Holman, known for his jazz influence, helped to renew the musical style, and especially to have the composition (and not just the arrangement) of Panorama pieces accepted.

Len Boogsie Sharp meets Wynton Marsalis.

Ken Philmore playing the quadrophonic, 1988.

More recently, the biennial competition World Pan Festival presents calypsos, but also classical pieces and compositions ["Marche Slave" (Pantastic World of Steel-Music Vol. 1)]. It welcomes groups from Europe, North America and of course from the Caribbean, previously selected during regional preliminaries.
Steelbands have in fact spread to many regions in the world ; first aired in the Caribbean (especially the English-speaking islands), they then spread to those countries with heavy immigration of Trinidadians: England, United States, Canada, then to other countries like Switzerland, Sweden, Finland or Japan. France is presently witnessing an impressive boom of this type of orchestra, with West Indian as well as metropolitan groups like Calyps’Atlantique, Calypsociation, Sun Pan Caraïbe or Pan à Paname ["Soca Rakaï" (Pan à Paname, Soca Rakaï)] .

Moreover, the instrument is increasingly used by soloists in jazz formations. If these jazzmen are performing abroad, numerous are those who come from Trinidad where they are often steelband arrangers. Len Boogsie Sharp distinguished himself along with Monty Alexander, Wynton Marsalis, Grover Washington Jr., Art Blakey, and many other celebrities ["From me to you" (The Sweet Groove of Phase II Steelband)]. Othello Molineaux ["Havona" (Othello Molineaux, It's about Time)], Rudy Smith, Robert Greenidge, Liam Teague, and Ken Professor Philmore ["Rhythm in the groove" (Vat 19 Fonclaire Steel Orchestra, Pan Jazz'n'Calypso)], are also pursuing solo careers.
Other panmen have emerged from countries where the steelband was imported, like American Andy Narrel ["Karawak Dream" (Sakésho)], who has also arranged for the Panorama in Trinidad, or Guillaume Kervel and the Lalsingué brothers in France.

Othello Molineaux.

Andy Narrel.

top of the page

 
www.lameca.org