| -- End Ad Box ---> | | | | and Maximus Dan. |
| What is soca music? | | | | Chutney soca is a blend of East Indian chutney music |
| This material is geared primarily towards folks who | | | | and soca. Chutney Soca is an up-tempo, rhythmic |
| are new to this genre of music called soca. As an | | | | type of song, accompanied by traditional Indian |
| artist who has been recording soca songs for the last | | | | musical instruments such as the dholak, tassa, the |
| eight years, and who has won Caribbean wide soca | | | | harmonium and the dhantal. |
| competitions, I shall humbly attempt to present a | | | | The line between different kinds of soca music is |
| comprehensive introduction to soca music. | | | | becoming less and less clearly defined. It can |
| Soca music originated in the Caribbean island of | | | | sometimes be very difficult and controversial to |
| Trinidad and Tobago. It is widely accepted to have | | | | pin-point what is groovy, power, or ragga soca. |
| been created by Lord Shorty (born Garfield | | | | There is so much fusion taking place that it is often |
| Blackman). He noticed that Calypso music was | | | | difficult to tell whether a song is really a soca song. |
| threatened by the more popular reggae music and | | | | For instance some have argued that Alison Hinds' hit |
| dying out and attempted to create a new hybrid that | | | | song, "Roll It Gal" is not really a soca song but an |
| was more appealing to the masses. He fused Indian | | | | R&B song with a West Indian influence. While I do |
| music with calypso music and this resulted in a more | | | | not hold that view, it goes to show that there are |
| energetic hybrid called solka, which later became | | | | no clear distinctions and definitions. Soca music, like |
| known as soca. Lord Shorty introduced soca to the | | | | other forms of music is an art and cannot be |
| world in 1973 with his hit song, Indrani. | | | | restricted to a specific or exclusive mold. |
| Naturally, soca music of the seventies is very | | | | Soca music is largely competitive. Every year artists |
| different to what exists today. Today, there are two | | | | try to outdo each other at carnival competitions such |
| main types, namely Power Soca and Groovy Soca. | | | | as Soca Monarch and Road March. At a soca |
| What is the major difference between the two? | | | | monarch competition soca artists perform before |
| Power soca music is very fast, with tempos of | | | | large audiences and are ranked by a panel of judges. |
| around 160 beats per minute. The music is largely | | | | A road march song is the song which is played the |
| instructional in nature. Soca artists thrive on | | | | most during a carnival street parade. Each Caribbean |
| motivating audiences to respond to their dancing | | | | island holds its own competitions. Prizes can amount |
| instructions. Power soca music is largely music to | | | | to hundreds of thousands of dollars for each winner, |
| jump, wave and "wine" to. ("Wine" is derived from | | | | particlurly in Trinidad and Tobago. |
| the word "wind" and is a type of dance that consists | | | | Some of the biggest soca artists in the industry have |
| of hip movements). Crowd reaction is key. | | | | bowed out of competition. These include big names |
| Trinidadian soca artist, Superblue has been credited | | | | such as Machel Montano, Bunji Garlin and KMC. The |
| with starting the "jump and wave" craze. His success | | | | commonly held view is that "music is a mission, not a |
| with this style of soca was so incredible that since | | | | competition". Personally, I have found such |
| then most soca songs are written with crowd | | | | competitions to be a very negative force, causing |
| response in mind. | | | | undesirable friction between artists. As an artist, I |
| Today, the challenge for power soca songwriters is | | | | have had my own battles. However, winning is so |
| to write songs that can move audiences but not be | | | | much fun that it can be hard to quit. The fans can be |
| a regurgitation of the jump and wave theme. This is | | | | relentless in urging an artist to compete against their |
| not the easiest of tasks because of the very nature | | | | own will. The way these competitions are set up, it is |
| of the festival that soca music is centered around. | | | | easy to go unnoticed if one is not taking part, |
| Soca music is largely carnival music. Since carnival is all | | | | except if you are already strongly established in the |
| about jumping and waving, the music that drives it | | | | market. |
| must be able to engender such activity. Increasingly, | | | | Popular soca performers include Machel Montano, |
| artists are succeeding at writing songs which are not | | | | Destra, Alison Hinds, Atlantik, KMC, Shurwayne |
| necessarily based on "jump and wave" or waving | | | | Winchester, Denise Belfon, Bomani, Bunji Garlin, Iwer |
| rags and flags. In an attempt to stay clear of | | | | George, Bomani, Kevin Lyttle, Tizzy, Maximus Dan, Mr |
| monotony, themes like love, peace and togetherness | | | | Killa, Mantius, Fireman Hooper, Jamesy P, Tallpree, |
| have been very common. | | | | Claudette Peters, Burning Flames, Nicole David, Ricky |
| Groovy soca music is arguably, a better means of | | | | T, Qpid and Krosfyah. |
| propelling soca music forward internationally. It is | | | | Some of soca's biggest worldwide hits include "Turn |
| much slower, around 115 beats per minute. This | | | | Me On" by Kevin Lyttle, "Tempted to Touch" by |
| newer kind of soca allows for a wider range of | | | | Rupee, "Who Let the Dogs Out" by Baha Men |
| topics to be addressed. Unlike the total frenzy that | | | | (originally sang by Anslem Douglas), "Sweet Soca |
| power soca gives rise to, groovy soca is music to | | | | Music" by Sugar Daddy, "Nookie" by Jamesy P, "Hot |
| sway and dance slowly to. Artists like Kevin Lyttle | | | | Hot Hot" by Buster Poindexter (originally sang by |
| and Rupee have demonstrated that this type of | | | | Arrow), and "Follow the leader" by Soca Boys |
| music is very palatable to mainstream music markets, | | | | (originally sang by Nigel and Marvin Lewis). |
| with international hits like "Turn Me On" and | | | | Brass instruments such as trumpets and trombones |
| "Tempted To Touch" respectively. Another artist | | | | have been very typical of soca music. Sometimes, |
| who has gain international recognition with groovy | | | | the saxophone forms part of brass sections. While |
| crossover soca is Barbadian based artist, Alison Hinds. | | | | these instruments are still used in live performances, |
| I believe that fast and groovy soca music should | | | | synthesizers and samplers are increasingly replacing |
| continue to co-exist. I readily accept all variations of | | | | them, particularly in studio recordings and at smaller |
| soca and put none against the other. Music is | | | | concerts. Soca is very percussion and drum driven |
| dynamic. Throughout history no genre has ever | | | | and these are often very loud in a soca mix. The |
| stayed the same and hybrids are constantly created. | | | | bass is also very important. Other instruments used |
| In addition to power and groovy soca, other types | | | | include guitars, and keyboards. |
| of soca music include ragga soca and chutney soca. | | | | Leading soca-producing Caribbean islands include |
| Ragga soca is a fusion of dancehall and soca music. | | | | Trinidad and Tobago, St Vincent and the Grenadines, |
| Ragga soca performers include Trinidians, Bunji Garlin | | | | St Lucia, Grenada, Barbados and Antigua and Barbuda. |