Calypso music

Calypso is an Afro-Caribbean dance rhythm or style of music.

History

Calypso was built on the British and French colonial Caribbean Islands at the beginning of the 20th century and is a key feature of the music of Trinidad and Tobago and the Netherlands Antilles. The origins go back to African slaves. Changing colonial powers brought different musical styles to the islands. The French brought the carnival, where now Calypso contests were popular, especially after the abolition of slavery in 1840. During most sources emphasize the African origins of music, Rafael de Leon points out in his 1986 book Calypso from France to Trinidad, 800 Years of History on a descent from the medieval French troubadour out.

Furthermore, Calypso was a communications medium, so that over 100 years ago News in Trinidad were most widely used. Politicians, journalists and the public debated their content, and many of the residents watched the songs as a trusted news source. The songs created a space for freedom of expression, about the uncovering of political corruption. The British authorities tried to minimize this behavior by censorship, but they may not fully succeeded.

Music recordings

Music recordings are mainly based on the 2/4-taktigen syncopated calypso rhythm. All vowel sounds are extended so that the words sound like Pidgin English. The first calypso recording was made on 20 June 1912 as the instrumental version with Lovey 's Trinidad String Band under the title Manuelita (Victor # 63792 ) in New York, followed in 1914 with the first vocal recording with the Duke of Iron under the title Iron Duke In The Country, the September 11, 1914 was with Jules Sims song Native Kalenda Trinidad in Trinidad. On September 7, 1915 Lionel Belasco took his Bajan Girl on; Belasco has between 1914 and 1945 published a total of 278 songs. On July 18 In 1924 Sam Manning's career with Amba Cay La. On February 16, 1937 Lord Caressers arose ( Rufus Callender ) very successful Edward the VIII

There now began the Golden Age of Calypso. The first in the carnival tents erected to practice before the Calypso competitions have now even the stages of new music. The first musicians who made the leap to the international stage, were " Attila the Hun ", " Roaring Lion " and Lord Invader, followed by Lord Kitchener, one of the longest successful stars. He released recordings until his death in 2001. Early 1945 was " Rum and Coca - Cola" the Andrews Sisters, a plagiarism of two songs by Lord Invader (text) and Lionel Belasco (music), an American million seller.

One of the most famous calypso songs is the " Banana Boat Song " by Harry Belafonte from 1956, a Jamaican folk song, which was released on the album Calypso, from the first album ever more than a million copies have been sold. In the same year was " Jean and Dinah " by Mighty Sparrow another great success. The content of the song, in which the effortless availability of prostitutes after the closure of the " U.S. Naval Base " and " Missile Tracking Station " was described in Chaguaramas, Trinidad, led to more political calypso songs that were associated with the party People's National Movement. A well -known work based on the calypso song " Any Dream Will Do " by Jason Donovan. Also by Sonny Rollins became known jazz standard St. Thomas based on a Calypso.

Even in the Protestant hymnal located in the root part of the number 188 a setting of the Lord's Prayer for a West Indian calypso and under the number 229 a Calypso " Comes with gifts and praise " for the English "Let us talents and tongues employ".