Uniquely Caribbean: Trinidad and Tobago English Caribbean Edition
The Caribbean offers more than crystal-clear waters and a pleasant tropical climate for our well-to-do tourists. We also have music unique to each country (and yes, Jamaica is not the only country that makes good music), representing our culture and capable of moving anyone who listens. If you enjoy our beaches, you might also appreciate our musical talents. If you're new to Caribbean music and need help figuring out where to start, here's a curated playlist for you. Let's begin by focusing on the works of Trinbagonian Soca artist Machel Montano and those connected to him.
King of Soca
Machel
Montana
A renowned artist known for his exceptional talent, he has garnered numerous accolades, from winning the Caribbean Song Festival to capturing a Triple Crown title at the Super Red International Soca Monarch competition. Soca often integrates electronic elements and is influenced by EDM, Afro beats, and Dancehall, focusing heavily on studio production. Before modernization, Soca artists primarily used rhythm sections and brass bands. Due to this, it is easier for new listeners to transition from popular music to Soca since the styles are similar.
Montana's life as a Soca artist began at age seven in 1982. We cannot simply talk about the central artist without acknowledging his debut album "Too Young to Soca." The first song on the playlist is "Too Young to Soca," which he performed live at Dimanche Gras in 1986 at age eleven. In this song, you will hear a pre-recorded brass and horn band, backup singers, and a live rhythm section with a bass guitar, drums, and a steel pan ( A fun fact: The steel pan is the national instrument of Trinidad and Tobago). With his lively dance and exciting melody of the steel pan, Montano expresses his desire to become a Soca artist in the song, but people criticize him and discourage him because of his young age. People can relate to this song because many of us have experienced criticism and discouragement when pursuing our dreams.
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Although Machel Montano was an excellent performer from a young
age, he was still too young to start writing his own music. Winsford Devine, a
Calypso songwriter and artist who has written over 500 Calypso songs over a
career of 30 years, wrote the song “Too Young to Soca” for Machel Montano. This
helped bring Montano to popularity. Devine also wrote music for 17 years for calypso artist Sparrow, who ruled Trinidad and Tobago's calypso landscape. Devine was not only a great songwriter but also a great singer.I thought it would be interesting to
include a song of his own, 1987 “Pushers,” with a traditional Soca arrangement, in
the playlist to pay homage to his contributions to Calypso and Soca.
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Winsford Devine was not the only one who contributed to the success of Montano’s debut song. In addition to talent from Trinidad and Tobago, the Canadian singer/songwriter Glen Johansen served as an engineer for the song. The next track on our playlist is “Walkin' A Fine Line” from his 1988 self-titled debut album. Even though the genre is Rock/Funk/Soul, you can still hear the Caribbean influence in the beat. Before he starts singing, the beginning instrumental sounds like a studio-modified version of a Tamboo Bamboo being played. He later settled down in Barbados. Incorporating Johansen's song demonstrates how music can unite people from different backgrounds and shows that you can appreciate the musical traditions of others.
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The following two songs on the playlist are two of my favorites: Xtatik's 1997 “Big Truck” and Patrice Roberts’s 2023 “Anxiety.” Both of these songs are dedicated to the traditions of Carnival. Machel Montano's band Pranasonic Express, which he formed at age nine, later evolved into Xtatik in 1989. A lot of their music incorporates a blend of Soca and Dancehall. While still in her teens, Patrice Roberts became the first female frontline singer with Machel's band, Xtatik. Later, she became a Soca soloist; however, she and Montano continued collaborating over the years. There also is a difference in the video production quality, with Patrice's video being better because of the year it was filmed.
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With 42 years of experience as a Soca artist, Machel Montano often acknowledges the influence of those who came before him, such as Calypso Legend Lord Kitchener. Calypso music, a tradition of Trinidad and Tobago influenced by French, Caribbean, European, and African cultures, focuses on storytelling. For instance, the song "Dr. Kitch" is an oldie but goodie from 1978, and while somewhat controversial, it contains a double entendre. The song describes a doctor's difficult experience of pricking his patient with a needle while also alluding to a man’s romantic encounter with a woman.
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You might be wondering how a Calypso artist can influence a Soca
artist. Well, Machel Montano's 2024 track "Soul of Calypso" addresses
just that. In this track, Montano emphasizes the connection between these two
genres and tells the story of how Soca came to be. Soca is often seen as a
modernized child of Calypso. It originated from a fusion of Calypso and Indian
rhythms, representing the musical traditions of Trinidad and Tobago's major
ethnic groups. Placing it as the last track on the playlist ties up nicely, as
it represents the musical traditions that are dear to Trinbagonians’ hearts.
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References
Discogs. (1988). Johansen* – Walkin’ A Fine Line. Discogs. https://www.discogs.com/master/1104898-Johansen-Walkin-A-Fine-Line
Gangelhoff, C., & LeGrand, C. (2019). Tour de Force. Sound Caribbean.
Google Arts & Culture. (2020). The Birth of Soca. Google Arts & Culture. https://artsandculture.google.com/story/the-birth-of-soca-notting-hill-carnival/ewUxSVEB2-zBVg?hl=en
JazzinAmerica. (2021). Role of Instruments . Jazzinamerica.org. https://www.jazzinamerica.org/LessonPlan/8/3/204
Meschino, P. (2023, February 22). 5 Artists Essential to Contemporary Soca: Machel Montano, Patrice Roberts, Voice, Skinny Fabulous, Kes The Band | GRAMMY.com. Grammy.com. https://grammy.com/news/essential-soca-artists-machel-montano-patrice-roberts-voice-skinny-fabulous-kes-the-band-carnival-2023#:~:text=Patrice%20Roberts
Montano, M. (2014, February 11). Biography – MACHEL MONTANO. MachelMontano.com. https://machelmontano.com/biography/
RamNarIne, K. (2024, February 5). Machel says UTT studies inspired his calypso. Www.guardian.co.tt. https://www.guardian.co.tt/news/machel-says-utt-studies-inspired-his-calypso-6.2.1917092.8dd30555d8
Rudder, M. (2017). Forty Years of Calypso through the eyes of Winsford Devine. Www.academia.edu. https://www.academia.edu/11312509/Forty_Years_of_Calypso_through_the_eyes_of_Winsford_Devine?source=swp_share
Toot Hill School. (n.d.). History of Soca Music, a Child of Calypso Soca Music. https://www.toothillschool.co.uk/data/files/dept/music/y8_soca_history.pdf
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