The Evolution of CalypsoBy Danielle John-Palmer

The Birth of Calypso

Calypso began in a country called Trinidad and Tobago

Trinidad and Tobago is a Carribbean island off the coast of Venezuela

It started in the 17th century by West African slaves who were brought over to the Island

The Origin

These slaves worked on sugar plantations

They used calypso to mock the slave masters and speak amongst themselves

Calypso was previous spoken in French creole but it later changed to English as the language became more prevelant

The Basic Rhythm of CalypsoIt varies but stays around this beat

How it became Popular

When the French Martinique planters began to colonize in Trinidad a very important celebration became popular amongst the slaves

This was called Carnival, a celebration before Ash Wednesday, a Christian Holiday preparing for Easter

Slave owners would not allow slaves or laborers to participate in this celebration, so the people created their own kind of carnival

The First Recording of

CalypsoThe official recording was created by Lovey’s String

Band in 1912

They recorded it in New York and the song is called ‘Mango

Vert’

Canboulay

Canboulay was the people’s carnival, it is what made Calypso what it is today

Canboulay would soon become the official Trinidad Carnival which is known all over the world

During carnival they played calypso music and to create this new music the brough out a new instrument, the steel pan

The Steel Pan

The steel pan was created by slaves who wanted to create music

Because they didn’t have access to other kinds of instruments, they used oil drums and pans

This instrument was derived from calypso and is the newest percussion instrument today

Today, a very important part

PanoramaToday a very immportant

part of Carnival is Panorama

Which broadcasts the best pan bands in a calypso

competition

The Calypso Movement

Soca music spoke of repression, rights, love, empowerment, and current news

They were often forcefully silenced by the parliament

Out Calypso came many subcultures, the most famous being Soca music

Soca is the new Calypso

Soca was a subculture created by named GarfeildBlackman

He is named the ‘Father of Soca’

His goal in his music was to bring East Indian and African groups together

He fused calypso with indian instruments including the dholak, table, and dhantal

Soca Today

Soca is the most popular music of Trinidad today, it stands for the ‘Soul of Calypso’

It is mostly revolved around partying and having a good time, which correlates to the whole idea of Carnival.

During carnival, there is a competition called SocaMonarch which rates the best Soca artist

Soca has replaced calypso in carnival, calypso is now seen as an older, more political type of music but it is always recognized

MachelMontano

Machel Montano is the most famous soca artist to date

He wins Soca Monarch almost every year

One of his most famous songs is “Epic

Chutney

Out of Soca came a new kind of music, Chutney

Chutney puts a heavier influence on the East Indian part of Soca music

Chutney music speaks of the same thing as Soca but it is sometimes in Hindi or English

The EndCalypso has created a world of music for Trinidad and it continues to

grow. Thanks for watching.