MUSC 3045 - World Music Across Cultures: Advanced: The Caribbean Islands

Caribbean music is a fusion of diverse cultures, including West African drumbeats, European influences, and Spanish sounds that emerged from the blending of cultures brought on by slavery and colonialism. The region has produced many different genres of music, including Calypso, Ska, Reggae, and Salsa, each with its own distinct sound and history. This resource explores the history of influence in music of the Caribbean Islands.

Focused primarily on Jamaica & Reggae, but providing links to other Caribbean music as well, this site is a fairly dynamic dissemination hub as well as a thorough historical catalogue. It contains an interactive timeline, a cultural background with information about the various styles and periods of Jamaican music, and other information linking music and other facets of Jamaican culture.

Whether purely instrumental or with a chorus, each of these recordings manages to capture the spirit of the English, Spanish, and French speaking Caribbean. Many of the recordings are of dance music as music and dance are commonly linked in Caribbean cultures. Representing fifteen countries this collection speaks to the vibrant nature of the West Indies where even a song like “Nous Allons Dodo” or “We’re Going to Sleep” is anything short of a lullaby.

The Caribbean area has an extensive and rich musical history. Its music roots connect with socio/cultural events from the indigenous migration to the European colonization, the wars of liberation, and the current Music industry display.
It is incredible the variety of musical genres born from the Caribbean mixture of cultures. Most of these music styles have had a considerable influence on modern music. If you are a fan of music, you will love to learn about this exciting topic. This article presents everything you need to know about the ten most recognized musical genres in the Caribbean.

Recordings from the diverse and varied cultures and countries of the Caribbean.