Music genres with Caribbean roots include: Calypso, Chutney, Dancehall, Dub, Dub Poetry, Gospel, Junkanoo, Kaiso, Latino, Lovers Rock, Mento, Merinque, Parang, Punta Rock, Rapso, Reggae, Reggae Gospel, Reggae-Pop, Reggaeton, Rock, Rocksteady, Roots Reggae, Salsa, Ska, Soca, Steel Band and Zouk. Each genre has its origin in Africa with the individual expression taking place in Caribbean countries. Music genres, by their very nature are constantly evolving, merging and dissecting, so these are not static and will change as expressions change. Many sub-genres develop as time goes on.
Examples of music forms: Calypso – all islands | Reggae [ Mento ] – Jamaica | Punta rock – Belize | Zouk – Martinique, Dominica | Salsa – Cuba | Merinque – Haiti | Parang - Trinidad
The steelpan – the only musical instrument created in the Caribbean. [ Invented in Trinidad. ] (source: Caribbean Studies, Mitsey Weaver, Antigua State College)
2B Karibbean (2bkaribbean.com)
Elevate the brand of Caribbean culture in the fields of business, music and the arts. Celebrate cultural ambassadors on the world stage. Advocate for upcoming Caribbean talent.
LargeUp: A global platform for Caribbean music, arts and culture
Caribbean Music Festivals & Concert Events:
Island music festivals galore ...
About island music festivals ...
List of carnivals around the world (Wikipedia)
Alison Hinds – The Caribbean Queen - (facebook) (Wikipedia)
Bankie Banx: King of the Dune
Beres Hammond (facebook)
Black Stalin (Wikipedia)
Brother Resistance (1954 - 2021) (Wikipedia)
Bunji Garlin | VP Records
Calypso Rose (Wikipedia)
Linda McArtha Monica Sandy-Lewis, known as Calypso Rose, is the undisputed Calypso queen. She was born in 1940 in Bethel Village, Tobago.
Capleton (aka King Shango)
Clive "Zanda" Alexander, Kaisojazz pioneer, has died Loop News TT, Jan 6, 2022
Destra Garcia: Official facebook fan page
Fantan Mojah: Official facebook page
Fay Ann Lyons-Alvarez: Official facebook page
Harry Belafonte: Official facebook page
Kenny J (1952 - 2022) (Wikipedia)
Lord Invader (Wikipedia)
Lord Invader was a prominent calypsonian with a very distinctive, gravelly voice. He was born in San Fernando, Trinidad.
Lord Kitchener (Wikipedia)
Aldwyn Roberts, better known by the stage name Lord Kitchener (or "Kitch"), was an internationally known Trinidadian calypsonian. He was born in Arima, Trinidad.
Machel Montano: The King of Soca | Wikipedia
Marlon "Ganja Farmer" Asher: Official facebook page
Mighty Shadow (1941 - 2018) (Wikipedia)
(The) Mighty Sparrow, aka The Birdie is the unrivaled Calypso King of the World: Official Site (Last update, 2008) | Wikipedia
Nicki Minaj: Official facebook page
Patrice Roberts: Official facebook page
(The) Roaring Lion Calypso (Official Page)
Superblue (Wikipedia)
The Wailers (Official)
Soca Artist Profiles (toronto-lime.com) (2010 Archive.org)
Alan Lomax at the Association For Cultural Equity
From 1935 to 1967, Alan Lomax journeyed to Caribbean Locations (See: Fieldtrips) in order to preserve cultural heritage in the form of recorded sound. These sound recordings are archived in the Lomax Digital Archive in MP3 format available to listen online. See also: Caribbean 1962 Collection and Calypso At Midnight concert, Gerald Clark and his Invaders, Manhattan, 1946.
Search for: Alan Lomax Caribbean at Rounder Records | (CD Review)
Caribbean Voyage: Trinidad Carnival Roots, Brown Girl in the Ring and others. Alan Lomax's legendary 1962 recordings of the rich and many-stranded musical traditions of the Lesser Antilles and eastern Caribbean.
The Global Jukebox
The Global Jukebox explores connections between families of expressive style. One can travel the world of song, dance and language through the Wheel Chart and the Map. Thousands of examples of the world’s music, dance and other expressive behavior are available here.
The Unfinished Work of Alan Lomax’s Global Jukebox, by Giovanni Russonello, New York Times, 2017
There’s a fundamental contradiction to the life and work of Alan Lomax, the prolific collector of American folk songs. He encouraged Western audiences to appreciate rural and indigenous traditions as true art, on the same level as classical music. Meanwhile, he wanted to help those marginalized societies maintain distinct cultural identities, empowering them against the encroaching influence of mass media.
Alan Lomax Biography (World Biography)
No individual has done as much to catalog and preserve traditional American music as American folklorist Alan Lomax (1915–2002). A folklorist, publisher, author, and part-time musician, Lomax was a driving force in the folk and blues boom of the 1950s and 1960s, and helped the world discover such artists as Leadbelly, Pete Seeger, and Muddy Waters.
There's A Brown Girl In The Ring (Alan Lomax Recording at the The Valley Secondary School, The Valley, Anguilla, July 1962. Culture is 'Anguilla, Caribbean'. (Archive ID: T1141R01 )
There's A Brown Girl In The Ring (Alan Lomax Recording at the San Juan Girls Government School in San Juan-Laventille, Trinidad, May 1962. Culture is 'Afro-Trinidadian'. (Archive ID: T1095R07)
A brief summary of Jamaican music by Piero Scaruffi; excerpted from The History of Popular Music, 2002 (local copy)
Caribbean Music by Maalya Ramachandra at Prezi, 2014 (txt)
Ay, Calypso: CD Review at World Music Central - Your Connection to World Music (Durham, NC)
Calypso from Open Directory
Caribbean Calypso Music at SocaFreak - The Home of Soca Music (archive.org) | Playlist at YouTube
This is the place to listen to some of the best calypso songs ever recorded. Most of the songs are by the two best Calypsonians ever (by far), The Mighty Sparrow and Lord Kitchener. Listen to calypso music from other great Calypso artists like David Rudder, Sugar Aloes, Baron, Explainer, Black Stalin, Gabby, Calypso Rose, Lord Invader, Gypsy, Grynner, Byron Lee and many more.
(The) Caribbean Current: Entertainment & Travel Archives by Karl Haughton, Brampton, On.
Caribbean Currents: Caribbean Music from Rumba to Reggae by Peter Manuel, Kenneth Bilby, Michael Largey, Temple U Press, 2006 (Google Books)
Caribbean Music Documentaries at The Integrationist
Caribbean Music and Dance by Donna Lee, Iris Won, and Arianna Rivera (AMCULT 213 Student Project)
AMCULT 213 Homepage is the new Gateway Course for Latina/o Studies at U Michigan, Ann Arbor.Caribbean Music in Canada: The Canadian Encyclopedia
Caribbean Music from Open Directory
Caribbean Music Industry Database (last known working page at archive.org, 2016) See also: Caribbean Music Directory.
The Caribbean Music Museum and Hall of Fame Foundation (Last known working page, , archive.org, August 5, 2018)
Caribbean Music Reviews from GlobalRhythm (@ archive.org, 2007)
Caribbean Percussion Traditions in Miami, An exhibition at the Historical Museum of Southern Florida, May 23 - October 26, 1997 (archive.org) (local copy)
Caribbean Sound Recordings, resource helper from The British Library @ archive.org, 2012 (local copy) | Search the Sound and Moving Image catalogue
Coalition To Preserve Reggae Music
The Coalition to Preserve Reggae Music, Inc. is on a mission to raise the bar in the creation, development, promotion and presentation of reggae music; to elevate the profile of its purveyors; to research, codify, curate and disseminate information about the genre; and to increase understanding of its development, its significance, and its influence around the world. Based in Brooklyn, NY.
Copyright Music Organisation of Trinidad and Tobago (COTT)
CRS Music, Barbados
CRS Music & Media Ltd was established in 1992. It is Barbados’s leading music company with over 120 active albums in its catalogue and over 3,000 original songs in its publishing division.
Cruising Through Caribbean Music, NPR, 2011
In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, Tell Me More is celebrating the music of Latin America with Jasmine Garsd and Felix Contreras, the hosts of NPR Music's Alt.Latino. Today, they are sharing new releases from the Caribbean, including a re-release of a 1970s salsa classic and a rising Dominican star who's inventing a new genre all on her own.
Dr. Jacob D Elder (Wayback Machine) | Nalis - National Icons (Wayback Machine)
From Mento to Lovers' Rock Episode guide, BBC Radio 6 by Linton Kwesi Johnson
Linton Kwesi Johnson hosts a 10-part history of Jamaican music. First broadcast in 1983, re-broadcast in 2016. Limited availability.
"Refers to the roots of Reggae in slave culture & the different musical traditions of Europe & Africa".
(source: radiolistings.co.uk/programmes/f/fr/from_mento_to_lovers__rock.html)
IReggae (last known working page at archive.org, January 20, 2020)
Institute of Caribbean Studies and Reggae Studies @ UWI, Mona Campus
Island Sounds, BBC Radio 6 Limited availability.
Jamaica and Trinidad: 50 Years Music Playlist | Caribbean Travel+Life (archive copy, original no longer available)
Jamaica Travel & Culture: Music: A selection of Jamaica's biggest artists
jamaicansmusic.com
An unequalled mega hub for all things Reggae & Dancehall related; spanning music, videos, interviews, artworks, tracklists, news, and much more. See: Origins of Mento.
Jammin' Reggae Archives (niceup) | The History of Jamaican Music 1959-1973
kribbean.com: Artist Reviews & Caribbean Lifestyle, Authentic Caribbean Events and Music
last.fm: Caribbean
Calypso is a style of Afro-Caribbean music which originated in Trinidad and Tobago in the beginning of the 20th century. Listen to calypso tracks and watch videos of calypso artists. Top calypso artists: Harry Belafonte, Lord Kitchener, Mighty Sparrow, Banda Calypso, Lord Invader, Lord Creator, Lord Beginner, Wilmoth Houdini, Lord Invader & His Calypso Rhythm Boys, Nora Dean.
Related tags (last.fm): Barbados | Bashment | Calypso | Dancehall | Dub | Jamaica | Ragga | Reggae | Rocksteady | Roots Reggae | Ska | Soca | Trinidad | Zouk. ... Google search for: Caribbean on last.fm yields 32,100 hits. (December 2020) (September 2016; 14,600)
Mento Music from Jamaica
Mento is a vibrant and significant genre of music. It has a very long history and is still performed today. Mento was crucial in the formation of ska and reggae, yet, for the world-wide masses of ska and reggae fans, mento is largely unheard and unknown. Site created by Michael Garnice.
Music from the Caribbean: Miss Ward's Music, Dixons Trinity Academy, Bradford, UK
A diverse group of musical genres originate from the Caribbean. Popular types of Caribbean music include reggae, salsa and calypso.
Music of the Caribbean: BBC - GCSE Bitesize
A secondary school revision resource for GCSE Music about world music and the music of the Carribean.
Music of the Caribbean: Caribya
Informative guide to the music of Caribbean (last known working page at archive.org, January 22, 2020)
Music of the Caribbean: St Lucia Now
Overview of the music of Caribbean with links to other articles (last known working page at archive.org, March 31, 2016, some pages are gone.)
Origins of the Steel Drum and Rhythmical Steel - A Brief History (Archived copy). Archived from: Rhythmical Steel
Steel Pan music 24-7 - Everything about the steelpan and steelbands worldwide. Includes American and world news headlines, articles, chatrooms, message boards, news alerts, video and audio webcasts, shopping, and wireless news service.
Pan on the net: When Steel Talks - Everybody Listens
Steel Pan music 24-7 - Everything about the steelpan and steelbands worldwide. Includes American and world news headlines, articles, chatrooms, message boards, news alerts, video and audio webcasts, shopping, and wireless news service.
Pantrinbago Inc - The World Governing Body for the Steelband
Pan Trinbago was formed in 1971 but the Steelband Movement has been organized since 1950. Pan Trinbago is recognized as the parent body for steelbands not only in Trinidad and Tobago but in all parts of the world where such bands may exist. We are not only a national organization, representing the largest cultural group in our country, but an international organization which is active in the promotion of a new and vibrant musical form that is fast achieving universal recognition and acceptance.
ReggaeTimes - The Encyclopedia of Jamaica's Music Industry | Related Links (Archived page) | Wayback Machine (archive.org)
Reggae (allmusic.com)
Reggae is a music unique to Jamaica, but it ironically has its roots in New Orleans R&B. Reggae's direct forefather is ska, an uptempo, rhythmic variation based on the New Orleans R&B [ that ] Jamaican musicians heard broadcast from the US on their transistor radios. Relying on skittering guitar and syncopated rhythms, ska was their interpretation of R&B and it was quite popular in the early '60s. However, during one very hot summer, it was too hot to either play or dance to ska, so the beat was slowed down and reggae was born. Since then, reggae has proven to be as versatile as the blues, as it lends itself to a number of interpretations, from the melodic rock steady of Alton Ellis and the rock and folk-influenced songwriting of Bob Marley to the trippy, near-psychedelic soundscapes of dub artists like Lee "Scratch" Perry. It has crossed into the mainstream through the bright, bouncy "reggae sunsplash" festivals and pop-oriented bands like UB40, but more adventurous reggae artists, such as Marley and Perry, have influenced countless reggae, folk, rock and dance artists. Their contributions resonate throughout popular music.
Reggae - Dancehall | Reggae-Dub Music at the Free Music Archive "It's not just free music; it's good music"
Google search for: Reggae Music at soundcloud.com
[The] Rhetoric of Reggae Music by Prof. Alfred C."Tuna" Snider, University of Vermont, 2004.
at the Dread Library (Essays by Students)
Roots of Calypso by George Maharaj, Toronto (facebook) (Last known working page, archive.org, September 19, 2017)
Article: George D. Maharaj Selling His Famed Calypso Collection And Archive
By Colin Rickards (panonthenet.com)
Roots Reggae Gold by Mark Faviell | Explore Roots Reggae - 8tracks.com - Handcrafted internet radio
Soca Music Jukebox (toronto-lime.com) (2010 Archive.org)
Soca News (London, UK)
Steelpan (Panorama) Catalogue from Sanch Electronix
The ten most influential Caribbean musicians of all time, Zing Magazine, the magazine of LIAT Airlines, 2015
Music expert Thomas Hudson takes a look at some of our region’s most talented artists and discovers how, over the generations, their influence has spread across the world.
The Kaiso Newsletters by Ray Funk, Fairbanks, Alaska.
These irregularly issued newsletters were started out of the desire by calypso researcher Ray Funk to reach a number of e-mail correspondents with the latest news on calypso as well as provide background on classic calypsos.
Article: Ray Funk: bringing the culture home by Debbie Jacob, CaribbeanBEAT magazine, Issue 96 (March/April 2009) (txt)
Ray Funk is part Sherlock Holmes and part Santa Claus. An expert on pan and calypso, this Alaskan judge combs the Internet in search of valuable info.
The future of calypso in the Caribbean region: Letter to the editor by Joseph Harvey, 5 June 2020 (txt)
"Calypso is the folklore music for the majority of people across the Caribbean region. It is characterized by culture, poetry, humor, and a lot of love for the artists and their contributions to the music world". ... and ... "Many calypsonians expressed their stories in songs and poetry, presenting their thoughts and opinions in tunes the audience wants to hear."
The Ultimate Tropical Carnival Playlist by By DJ Franco & Danielle Howe, 2019
Presented by RedBull
Working for the Yankee Dollar: Calypso and Calypsonians in North America, 1934-1961
Blog by Michael Eldridge ... a professor, scholar, and calypso fan based at Humboldt State University in northern California. (During Fall 2009, when I started this blog, I was a Fulbright Scholar studying race, culture, and national identity at the Institute on Globalization and the Human Condition at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario.) I’ve been researching and publishing on the cultural significance of calypso’s North American travels for the past dozen years or so, with the generous support and encouragement of the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Center for Black Music Research at Columbia College Chicago, and now Fulbright. If you look hard enough, you can find my work in journals like Callaloo
, Transition, and Anthurium.
"I think that black culture commands a global audience because of the sheer power of it, the beauty of it -it is hard to dismiss. And because it brings so much delight, it can easily be embraced. The physical presence of black people, however, is something else: it reflects a history of oppression that white people don't want to deal with, not because they wouldn't like to see the oppression go away, but they don't want to pay the price for it to be gone. "Entertain me, don't agonize me": we play that role every day, and it's how we've achieved most of our economic success. We're paid most for what we do as entertainers, not for what we do as scientists or professionals or intellectuals or provocateurs. As black Americans in the midst of all this, we face a dilemma. First and foremost: What are we? If we are Americans, then what does the flag mean to us? And are we going to let this country be defined by the Bush ilk, or by the likes of Dr. King -whom we have allowed to become just a holiday rather than a living, breathing presence, a source of genuine inspiration? Why isn't Dr. King or Robeson or someone like that in our pantheon? We have no gods -except for white gods.
Dr. King said it clearly. The very last conversation we had, he said, "Harry, I think we're integrating into a burning house." I asked him, "Well, how do we fix that?" And he said, "We're going to have to become firemen."" (Remains of the Day-O, Harry Belafonte Interview by Michael Eldridge, Transition, 2002, No. 92 (2002), pp. 110-137)
World A Reggae | Reggae Magazine | Unifying people through Reggae Music. Based in Amsterdam, Netherlands.
Links are provided for convenience. Not responsible for content of external links. Not guaranteed to be an exhaustive list.