Explorer Series: The Caribbean - Island Songs And Dances CD

Recorded in Villa Mella, San Pedro De Macoris, Santigo De Los Caballeros & La Yaguita, Dominican Republic; Port-Au-Prince, Haiti; Wakefield, Trelawney Parish, Maryland, St. Andrews Parish, & Chatham, St. James Parish, Jamaica. Includes liner notes by John Storm Roberts.

Beyond the global popularity of calypso, reggae, and the many son-derived musical forms that have emanated from Cuba, the Caribbean is home to a rich array of traditional music. Taking in a disparate array of root influences from West Africa, the Congo, Guinea, England, Spain, and France, the pan-Caribbean musical landscape includes work songs, lullabies, dance numbers, and ritual pieces. This excellent overview taped by the Latin music expert John Storm Roberts in 1971 covers some of the story, with field recordings from the Dominican Republic, Haiti, and Jamaica. The selections range from both predominantly African-derived and Afro-Spanish pieces by way of the Dominican Republic to Jamaican songs inspired to some extent by English ballads. Elements of Jamaican mento, Haitian merengue, and the Dominican sister genre, meringue, abound on the 18 cuts here, with plenty of percussion and call-and-response vocals to go around. This excellent collection should do the trick for Latin music fans looking to find the roots of the music going back to the 19th and early 20th centuries. ~ Stephen Cook

The island songs and dances are taken from the Dominican Republic, Haiti, and Jamaica, and they make for some fascinating history. From the first two tracks, the African influence is evident in the call-and-response singing and the massed drumming. However, the remainder of the Dominican Republic cuts show how deep the Spanish sound goes. Haiti, on the other hand, was once a French colony, and that's apparent in both "Les Deux Jumeaux" and "Josephine," although adapted to the ideals of meringue and bolero, making for a curious but lovely mix. The meat of the matter is tastiest in the last nine cuts on the disc. Jamaica yields great treasures -- not only the African-inflected work songs like "Emmanuel Road," but also the profound depth of British influence. That's obvious from the melody of "Mango Time," adapted to the mento rhythm, and in the form of the song "When I Was in Colón." Curiously, however, the most historic British form, the mummer's play, was recorded in the Dominican Republic, continuing a tradition that's alive on St. Kitts. Thought slightly altered, the roots and references are unmistakable -- and the alterations aren't even that great -- except for the drumming, which swings in a manner beyond any Morris dance troupe. Fascinating, and wonderfully listenable, too. ~ Chris Nickson

Digitally remastered by Robert C. Ludwig.

This is part of the Nonesuch Explorer Series.

Personnel: Valerie Walker (vocals); Theophilus Chiverton (fife, drums, triangle); Espiritu Santo Albertino Graciano (drums, maracas).

Audio Remasterer: Robert C. Ludwig.

Liner Note Authors: John Storm Roberts; Ed .

Recording information: Chatham, St. James Parish, Jamaica (1972); La Yaguita, Santiago, Dominican Republic (1972); Maryland, St. Andrews, Jamaica (1972); Port-au-Prince, Haiti (1972); San Pedro de Macoris, Dominican Republic (1972); Santiago de Los Caballeros, Dominican Republic (1972); Vila Mella, Dominican Republic (1972); Wakefield, Trelawney Parish, Jamaica (1972).

Photographer: John Storm Roberts.

Unknown Contributor Role: Espiritu Santo Albertino Graciano.Dirty Linen (4/04, p.61) - "[M]usic that's endlessly charming."