BY MICCA VANVIELD
I’ve recently had an opportunity to take a well-deserved vacation and not include any work. We are all guilty of it. We say we are going away and we’re not going to check emails or do any work, but we do it anyway. We get so caught up in the “now a days”. We feel like we constantly need a phone, tablet, or computer to keep us in line. But really, we don’t. This vacation for me was definitely an eye opener. I set out to have an actual vacation. Time away to relax and reflect. I got to do just that, but I was also blessed with the opportunity to tap into Jamaican music and got to realize how it has really helped to shape the view of the island and its people of today.
I just know that this trip was divine. My first day on the island landed me on a resort that I was familiar with. I’ve had the pleasure of staying there in the past as well as watch a number of their shows. My first night at the resort consisted of dinner and a little music. The hotel presented a show highlighting the different genres of Jamaican music and how it has evolved. From Ska, Rocksteady, Reggae, to Dancehall. Just to name a few. I got an opportunity to realize how much Jamaican music is influenced by cultures around the world, from African to European, and how present day music has been injected with the music of the Jamaican culture.
Traditional Jamaican Ska music came about in the late 1950s to early 1960s. It was originally a blend of mento, calypso with American jazz and R&B. It was fast music and definitely made for dancing. Ska, within itself has a very unique sound. Picture hearing the sound of a large horn in one section of a stage performance with the influence of jazz and soul.
Ska also incorporates the nyabinghi drumming of the Rastafarianism culture, which many view as a staple of Jamaica and relates this to the late great Robert Nesta Marley. Before Bob Marley became famous for his lifestyle as a Rastafarian he was a clean-shaven young man in the Wailers, a group known for their soulful vocal harmonies and sweet love songs. I actually had the opportunity to meet a few of the members of the Wailers on this trip and it was definitely a humbling experience.
Rocksteady also originated in Jamaica in the 1960s. This genre of music formed to be the successor of Ska and a precursor to reggae. The term rocksteady comes from a dance style that is less energetic than the dances of Ska though still boasting the strone sounds of horns and jazz. This genre of music calls for slow rhythmic movements of the hips while at times incorporating your arms.
In my opinion dancehall is probably by far one of the most popular genres of music stemming from Jamaica. It evolved in the late 1970s and has now impacted all different types of musical genres around the world.
Digital instrumental was introduced into Jamaican music in the 1980s, with faster rhythms and it considerably changed the sound of the music.
Dancehall has changed the face of music worldwide. It is one of the most versatile genres and so many artists all over the world collaborate on tracks that feature the dancehall sound.
No matter where you vacation in the Caribbean, a little music is always good for the soul. With a variety of influences and sounds Caribbean music hits that relaxation spot. When on the islands, kick up your feet, grab a drink and enjoy the sweet sounds of the music, Island style.
