Jamaican music

Jamaican music has many influences from various kinds of music from many countries such as Flk music, R&B from USA or Calypso and soca from Caribbean islands (Trinidad and Tobago), Jazz from New Orleans, Ska, Dub, as well as Ska, and Reggae music especially popular through Bob Marley.

Folk music became popular around the early 1900. Around same time Jamaica produced many notable jazz musicians.

During 1980s ragga and music was popular in Jamaica. Dancehall is more functional and had a quickstep with MCs. As influenced by ragga, technology influenced dancehall music.  Dancehall music has criticized by international organizations and indivisuals   for its violent lyrics.

Dancehall music seems to resurgent within the late 2000’s music scene with such as Christina Aguilera,’s “Woohoo”, Robyn’s “Dancehall Queen” and Swan Fyahbwoy.

In the late 1950s Ska was the mainstream music genre in Jamaica. Ska combined elements of Caribbean mento and calypso with American Jazz and R&B.

After this reggae music emerged as American R&B in the late 1960s. It’s including internationally successful artists such as Bob Marley, Peter Tosh and Bonny Wailer.

Reggae and ska had a big influence on British punk rock and new wave bands on the 1970s.

By 1973, Dub music had emerged as a distinct reggae genre. After ths reggae fusion emerged as a mainstream in the late 1990s.

Nuyorican Soul

Nuyorican stands for Puerto Rican people from New York. This term was used around 1960 which means after The Cold War. Many Nuyoricans are second-and third-generation Puerto Rican Americans whose parents or grandparents arrived in the New York metropolitan area during the Great Migration.

The music style of Nuyorican soul is often Latin, Salsa, and sometimes also has an element of R&B and Jazz.

As one of examples Ray Baretto contributed to a fusion of many kinds of music such as R&B, Rock, Salsa and Jazz. He is a conga player and well known for his performance of unique style.

Tito Puente (1923-2000) is credited as “El Rey de los Timbales” (the king of timbales) and “the king of Latin music” as he pioneered the Mambo and Salsa sound which kept his career going for 50 years. He was from New York and he was gifted with his great talent of music. He played timbales, vibraphone, keyboard, and contributed to the development of Latin Jazz and Salsa music. The song called “Oye Como Va” and the album “Dance Mania” is well known as one of his biggest hits of all time.

The main record labels of Nuyorican soul are Fania, Tico, and Salsoul. They are all New York based record labels. Ray Barreto and Tito Puente had contracts with Tico.

Punk and Postmodernism

You can find the origin of punk rock in various places, you can even dates back to post-World WarⅡwhich means 1950s when the “do-it-yourself” attitude of the Skiffle craze. (Skiffle is a Jazz style music combining the element of folk music that was popular in 1950s Britain).

What first formed the punk rock was a garage bands of 60s such as Sonics and Wailers and they often had limited musical skill. Following these movement, British Invasion took place in Britain in the mid 60s. British Invasion is a movement that British music had overtaken America’s music scene in the mid 60s.

Besides those garage bands of the 1960s, it is also notable that aggressive instrumentation of The Who and the snotty attitude of the early Rolling Stones, dissonant style of The Velvet Underground, the sexuality, political texts and violent style of Detroit bands, they had all inspired the new era of punk rock.

Also Nirvana, as emerged as a Grunge band in the early 90s and still popular today, can be traced back to the movement stated above. Slightly after those who were called Grunge bands, what is called “pop punk” bands such as Green Day and Offspring came out in the music scene as a new style of punk rock.

Northern Soul

Northern Soul is a music and dance movement that has origin in Northern England in the late 1960’s. “Northern” means its origin North of England, and “Soul” is fans of black American music

This was influenced by British mod scene, which is a subculture thrived in London in the late 1950s to 1960s. Northern soul consists of black American soul music in terms of its style having the heavy syncopated beats and fast tempo with soulful vocals. Also Northern soul is associated with Motown (Tamla Motown sound) and R&B scene of the late 1960s not only about music, but dance styles and fashion. In the late 1960’s young people were going to clubs that were playing R&B and Motown records.

This movement quickly spread to many dancehalls and nightclubs in the UK such as Catacombs, the Highland Rooms, Golden Torch, Wigan Casino, and especially the Twisted Wheel was a centre of the Mod scene in Manchester.  Then it lasted until 1970s. Later on, DJs generally started to move to play more contemporary sound instead of 1960’s Motown sound.  

Today there are still DJs influenced by the Northern soul movement and the DJs at that time. Northern Soul DJs sought to satisfy the crowd’s desires for music and the base was built up by them.

Here are some examples of Northern Soul music.

Landslide/ Tony Clarke

Tainted Love/ Gloria Jones

I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch)/ The Four Tops

Motown

When it comes to think about Motown, you can easily imagine the number of great artists such as Jackson 5, Michael  Jackson, Stevie Wonder, The Supremes, Boys II Men, The Martha & Vandellas, etc. Motown sound is still loved today.

The history of Motown all started in the late 50’s Detroit. The history of Motown is reflecting a social situation back then.

Black music used to be treated as “race records” in the market in the 1920’s.

Around 1958 Jazz music was thriving in Detroit and best artists were gathered. There was still a line in terms of racial obstacles in the music industry. As Motown came out in the music industry, the situation changed greatly. The founder of Motown is Berry Gordy Jr. He founded Motown in Detroit n 1958 with an $800 loan from his family. His goal was to unite what was considered to be music for Blacks, and music that was traditionally associated with Whites. It didn’t take long until Motown’s soul music conquered America and the world. It’s a remarkable fact that the record company founded by a Black had a great success just in a decade.

What is called “Motown sound” has the roots in funk, jazz, blues, gospel music, basically black music. One of the important elements of Motown sound is The Funk Brothers. It’s a nickname of session musicians who performed the backing to most Motown Records recordings from 1959 to 1972.

Motown sound still has big influence on today’s musicians such as Mariah Carey, Amy Winehouse, Duffy, etc and many Motown songs are often covered.

In 2011, Motown has been reactivated under The Island Def Jam Music Group division of Universal Music Group.

Fela Kuti -Afrobeat-

Fela Kuti is an African musician, composer, and a liberationist

He is a multi-instrument player (vocal, saxophone, keyboard, trumpet, guitar, and drums) and also known well as the pioneer of Afrobeat, and “the black president”.
 
He was born in Nigeria in 1938 in a colonial Christian family.

He studied music in University in London and around this time he experienced discrimination against blacks. Finally it influenced his whole life and his music style.

In the late 60’s, his music started to change through the tour in the USA as he got a political influence by such as Malcolm X, and Black Panther Party. Also he was musically inspired by James Brown’s funk music. Then he began to call his music “Afrobeat”.

Afrobeat has roots in Yoruba, jazz, highlife music, which means Western African music, and of course funk music. As a distinction, it always includes political contexts.

He devoted his life to change Nigeria’s situation and fought for the rights of black people against corrupt government as an anti-imperialism/anti-establishment.

In 1976 he released the album “Zombie”. In the song “Zombie” from this album, he called army ironically as zombies.

Although his political movement was oppressed by the government again and again, his fans who found hope in Fela’s music kept supporting him.

In 1997, he died from AIDS.

His music still has big influence on today’s Nigeria.

Many artists admire him, such as Sade, Macy Gray, Common, etc.
In 2008, his life was reenacted as a musical and won popularity.
Now his son Femi Kuti inherit his music style.

Rock 'n' Roll

Rock music has always influenced teenagers. Especially in 50’s and 60’s, a lot of notable rock bands came out and teenagers enthused. The Beatles also debut in 1962, and the Rolling Stones, Jimi Hendrix, Mick Jagger, The Who, they were all popular in 60’s.

In this era, rock music had a big influence especially on teenagers as a massage of the lyrics aroused sympathy from them.

Many remarkable things in history of rock music happened in 60’s.

The Beatles released the album “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” in 1967. It is said that it's quite an experimental album in terms of musical sound, instrumental elements.

There was also a big incident in the late 60’s. Brian Jones died at the age of 27 in 1969, who was the guitarist of The Rolling Stones. It’s kind of an urban legend that many rock stars die at young ages like him, such as Jimi Hendrix and Jim Morrison.

In 70’s, rock music was still growing up with young people.

In the early 80’s, The Rolling Stones came back on a stage after the long break and they are still active.

Also new bands came out such as the Beach Boys, The Queen in the 80's.

Today still many people love rock music and is now listened by from generation to generation, from grandpa to grandson.