Big Blog no. 2: Last Music Culture

 Caribbean Culture 


       We have learned about so many beautiful and fascinating cultures during our January term semester. However, there are so many more we did not discuss, for example, the Caribbean culture. I love the sound of Caribbean music and how it represents it's culture. That is why I have chosen to write about it today, so let's jump in!




Caribbean History 


        The Caribbean is basically like a melting pot of many different cultures from European colonizers, the native community who lived there before colonization, and the many waves of immigration. Along with the few colonies in North America, the Caribbean formed the center of England's first overseas empire. Fun fact, the region was also known as the 'West Indies' because when Christopher Columbus first arrived in 1492, he believed he had sailed to the 'Indies', as Asia was known way back then. 

        Can you name all thirteen countries within the Caribbean? This is a new worldle challenge for you Dr. Vaneman lol. The countries are Antigua, Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Montserrat, Cuba, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago. Thats A LOT. This melting pot holds various cultures with different languages, cuisine, customs, and yes, music! 


Caribbean Music


        There are a variety of cultural traditions including calypso and reggae music that make this area specifically unique to them. Caribbean music is colorful and diverse and comes from complicated backgrounds. It grew out of traditions from African cultures and indigenous peoples, European colonialism, and the unique places separated by water. Some of the styles gained wide popularity outside the Caribbean. These styles include: bachata, merengue, palo, mambo, denbo, baithak, gana, bouyon, cadence-lypso, calypso, soca, chutney, chutney-soca, compas, dancehall, jing ping, parang, pichakaree, punta, ragga, reggae, dembow, reggaeton, salsa, soca, and zouk. Fun fact, traditional square dancing is very common here too, but I would like to look into Jamaica and reggae music specifically and how it came about. 


Jamaica and Reggae Music


            Reggae originated in Jamaica in the late 1960s and quickly emerged as the country's dominant music style. By the 1970s, it had become an international style of music that was popular in Africa, the United States, and Britain. Reggae's origins reflect the cultural hybridity for which the Caribbean is known for. Reggae's roots trace back to the late 1940s and 1950s when the Jamaican recording industry was still very underdeveloped. There are three types of Reggae: Mento, Ska, and Rocksteady. 

Mento- A style of Jamaican folk music recognizable by its acoustic sounds.  It is a fusion of African and European rhythms and musical traditions reflecting many centuries of history.

Ska- A form of Jamaican music combining elements of traditional mento and calypso with an American jazz rhythm and blues sound. It is known for its shuffling, scratch-like, scat-like tempo and jazz-like horn riffs that are on the offbeats. 

Rocksteady- A slower style from the mid 1960s which followed on from ska. 

Known as the first 'true world beat', Reggae music entertained a global audience way before the creation of music videos and the internet. It is the signature genre in the diverse sounds of Jamaica. 




        This is a ska Reggae song called "Hooligan" by Bob Marley and the Wailers. It is such a fun and upbeat song to listen to, I recommend that you listen to it! It will instantly make your day better!



        This example of mento Reggae music is so much fun to listen to, it is very laid back, easy and breezy. Now that I have discussed reggae, I would like to move on to one of my most favorite instruments in the world: the Jamaican steel drum!



Steel Drums

        Also known as steel pans, Jamaican steel drums are percussion instruments that follow a chromatic pitch ranging from G1 to F6. The person who plays a steel drum is called a pannist, and a group of pannists is referred to as a steel band. This instrument is an idiophone because it relies on it's body to vibrate to produce a sound. Fun fact, steel drums were initially made from the bottom of 55 gallon barrels also known as drums. Today, they are played using a pair of straight mallets and the size of those mallets varies according to the class of pan being played.  There are several different types of steel drums: 

-Tenor (lead) Pan- Highest range, single barrel. Traditionally plays the melody in steel band arrangements. 

Double Tenor Pan- next highest range, comprised of two barrels. May play harmonized version of the melody.

Double Seconds Pan-Slightly lower than the double tenors, also has two barrels. This one often plays chords but also may play. the melody, it just depends on the arrangement. 

Guitar Pan- Made up of two pans with less notes than the double seconds. Used mainly to play chords or play the harmony horn section in some arrangements. 

Cello Pan- Usually has three or four barrels set in a semicircle. This instrument has many roles ranging from bass lines, to chords, to the melody. 

Quadrophonics- A sister instrument to the cello pan. However, two of the drums are set vertically and the other two drums are set flat in front of the player. 

Bass Pan- Lowest-ranged instrument in the steel drum band. There is only three different pitches on this instrument. 


So, now that I have explained the steel drum, lets listen to some cool steel drum music!



This is "under the sea" off of "The Little Mermaid" played on some steel drums. I looooove this song, it makes me feel like going to the beach and doing absolutely nothing except sit on my butt and drinking a virgin pina colada. It also makes me miss the warm weather, I am so tired of the cold weather. 



These are the Dover High School students performed "lion sleeps tonight" at Kent State University under the direction of Joan Wenzel.  I really love this performance example because it shows ALL of the steel drums so you can really hear the layered sounds. 


I really enjoyed researching and learning more about the Caribbean culture and its music. It is so diverse and it is something I can talk about all day because there is SO much to talk about regarding this culture. I knew the world was big before I took this class but I truly had no idea that it was this huge. I am so glad I signed up for it, learning about all these cultures was truly eye-opening. 





“Steel Pans.” CultureMix Arts, October 14, 2022. https://culturemixarts.co.uk/education/resources/about-steel-pans/.


“History of the Caribbean.” Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, January 26, 2023. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_Caribbean.


“Reggae.” Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica, inc., January 12, 2023. https://www.britannica.com/art/reggae.








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