简介
Most islands in the Caribbean suffered approx 200 to 300 years of slavery except for Haiti who suffered approx 500 years. Trinidad however, had approximately 40 to 50 years of slavery due to its location ( too far south ). As a result, the slaves from West Africa retained their music " Kaiso " in its natural form . It is a way of telling stories in song. Over the years, the music was influenced by the Spanish rhythms coming from Venezuela ( 7 miles away ), the East Indian rhythms brought to the island by the indentured labourers , and even some rhythms from the french colonies. Over time, the term Kaiso was morphed into Calypso, the now accepted musical genre of Trinidad and Tobago for the major part of the twentieth and the early twenty first century. However, towards the end of the last century, from the 1960's to present, the music itself has given birth to the grandparents of Reggae ( see Belafonte's calypso album )and now Soca music , a dance variety. Soca itself has varying forms: Parang soca; chutney soca ; dancehall soca ;Rapso; Gospel Soca, and more. This Album is the bridge between then and now.