Converted Calypso
Since both reggae from Jamaica and soca from Trinidad are very popular in Barbados, a fusion of the two was always likely. This fusion came in the form of ragga-soca - a rhythm that is faster than reggae but slower than up-tempo soca.
Ringbang is a fusion of all the music of the Caribbean with the focus
is on the rhythm rather than the melody. Since it's creation in 1994,
ringbang has grown in popularity in Barbados and throughout the Caribbean.
Barbados Music: Calypso
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The
derivation of calypso rhythms can be traced back to the arrival of the
first African slaves to Barbados and other Caribbean islands in the seventeenth
century. The artform, which was developed in Trinidad, combines the skills
of story-telling, singing and instrument making, and has since been influenced
by European, North American and other Caribbean cultures. Calypso is a
unique form of music that is an integral part of the Barbadian cultural
landscape.
The calypso usually involves some social commentary, typically a humorous
satire on social and political events, with an infectious beat. Other
calypsos are strictly for "wuking up"!
Calypso
became highly organized in Barbados in 1974, with the revival of the Crop
Over Festival. Today, calypso is an integral part of the festival,
with the Pic-O-De-Crop Calypso Competition
being one of the most popular events. During Crop Over, approximately
nine calypso tents (organized groups of calypsonians) perform several
times weekly. Eighteen of these calypsonians go forward to the semi-finals
of the competition, with seven advancing to the finals to challenge the
previous year's monarch.
The youth of Barbados are also involved in calypso, with several children
(under 16 years) taking part in the Junior Calypso Monarch competition,
which serves as a training ground for the calypsonians of the future.
Based on the talent and enthusiasm of these youngsters, the future of
calypso in Barbados looks very bright.
