Black Music Sunday is a weekly collection highlighting all issues Black music, with over 260 tales protecting performers, genres, historical past, and extra, every that includes its personal vibrant soundtrack. I hope you’ll discover some acquainted tunes and maybe an introduction to one thing new.
It’s formally Caribbean American Heritage Month, and it’s necessary to not solely rejoice Caribbean American musicians, however to additionally check out the broad number of musical genres rooted in Caribbean cultures which were dropped at the US by means of immigration.
Let’s begin with Afro-Caribbean music, which was dropped at U.S. shores early on throughout the transatlantic slave commerce. Paul Austerlitz, Ph.D., explores the timeline of Afro-Caribbean music for Carnegie Corridor.
Afro-Caribbean and Afro-Latin music has blended with Black North American music for hundreds of years. This interplay is predicated in shared African-influenced musical traits akin to rhythmic focus, a percussive high quality, and hyperlinks to bop. Caribbean and Afro-Latin influences introduced new musical components, akin to polyrhythms (simultaneous contrasting rhythmic patterns), African-derived percussion devices (such because the conga), and Spanish-inflected melodies, to North America. On the similar time, African American music from the US had an affect within the Caribbean and Latin America.
Caribbean immigrants have introduced with them a broad spectrum of musical types and genres, which can shock listeners who’re solely conversant in reggae, calypso, and salsa.
With 26 totally different nations and heritage linkages to Africa, Asia, Europe and the Center East, the Caribbean is extraordinarily wealthy in tradition and particularly, music. The variety and number of music within the Caribbean is astounding. There are greater than 20 totally different music genres coming from the Caribbean akin to Rapso, Jing Ping, Chutney, Extempo, Cadence Rampa and a lot extra.
Are you able to think about what the world could be like with out Reggae, Steelpan, Calypso and Soca music?
The genres they cowl embody: Brukdown, Punta Rock, Tumba, Jing Ping, Bouyon, Cadence-lypso, Bachata, Jab Jab, Zouk, Cadence Rampa, Kompa, Mento, Ska, Rocksteady, Reggae, Dancehall, Baithak Gana, Kaseko,Calypso, Soca, Extempo, Rapso, Steelpan, Chutney, Chutney Soca, Parang, and Soca Parang.
What number of of those are you conversant in?
This 8-minute intro to Caribbean genres opens with the acquainted gospel track, “This Little Gentle of Mine,” after which repeats within the types of Parang, Calypso, Soca, and Chutney.
And right here’s one other video that pairs Caribbean genres with associated dance types, protecting Soca, Zouk, Dancehall, and Bachata.
Because the Caribbean Focus Life video notes:
Caribbean music Genres or Caribbean music is colourful and numerous and comes from sophisticated influences. It grew out of traditions from African cultures and indigenous peoples, European colonialism, and the distinctive character of locations separated by water. For instance, some music is necessary to the competition of Carnival, which, like Mardi Gras, comes earlier than Lent. The customized comes from Catholicism introduced by French colonial rule. World Warfare II launched this music to American servicemen who frolicked within the islands and helped unfold its reputation past native shores.
I didn’t know the historical past of Zouk, and I realized fairly a bit from this video:
Featured is the Guadeloupean band Kassav. This video of theirs at present has shut to six million views.
And right here’s extra on Zouk:
The Island Music Convention is now in its third 12 months, and as VMP wrote:
If the soul of music could possibly be captured in a single vacation spot, it will undoubtedly be in Kingston, Jamaica. The colourful streets resonate with sounds which have formed not simply an island, however international music tradition, and the just lately concluded Island Music Convention 2025 (IMC) was a testomony to this legacy.
Hosted by none apart from the reggae icon Shaggy, this immersive week-long expertise showcased Jamaica’s wealthy musical heritage and its promise for future generations. The IMC aimed to empower artists, educate them concerning the music enterprise, and bridge the hole between native expertise and international phases.
Leisure journalist Janeé Bolden, wrote about this 12 months’s convention for the Hollywood Reporter:
Artists, tastemakers and executives converged in Kingston, Jamaica February 19 by means of 23, 2025 for the third annual Island Music Convention (IMC). Launched in 2023 by co-CEO’s Judith Ann Bodley and Sharon Burke, together with Chairman Orville “Shaggy” Burrell, the convention has shortly established itself as a premier hub for networking, music discovery, and important discussions round the way forward for reggae and dancehall.
Equally, an hour-long dialogue was held on the 2024 Island Music Convention, that includes BBC broadcaster Seani B, Dr. Stefan Walcott from the College of the West Indies Cave Hill Campus, Atlanta-based musician Reuben Shaw, and Jamaican songwriter and music producer Mikey Bennett.
I hope this has woke up your curiosity to discover music you will not be conversant in. Please be part of me within the feedback under to listen to extra and share a few of your favorites.
