Caribbean Currents: Caribbean Music from Rumba to Reggae [Hardcover]

Peter Manuel (Author), Kenneth Bilby (Author), Michael Largey (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 30, 1995

Music is the most popular and dynamic aspect of Caribbean expressive culture. As Caribbean music has evolved from its traditional roots to its contemporary forms, it has developed a rich variety of styles. From the well-known genres—salsa, merengue, reggae, calypso, and bachata—to more localized forms like chutney and kaseko, this wide-ranging book surveys Caribbean music's prodigious diversity and colorful history.

Enhanced with numerous illustrations and musical examples, Caribbean Currents is an up-to-date overview of the region's music, covering Cuba, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Jamaica, Trinidad, Suriname, and smaller islands like Martinique and Guadeloupe. The authors provide an overview of Caribbean music—its forms and innovations, its musicians, its festivals and dance halls, and its fans—and trace its primarily African and European roots. They explore the modern genres' relationship to issues of race, regional diversity, gender, and socio-political conflicts.

Given the international popularity of such Caribbean genres as reggae and salsa, this book is a critical resource for understanding musical styles that have become a dynamic part of world culture.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Since the Caribbean's multifaceted music is usually heard in the U.S. only in such popular forms as reggae and salsa, Manuel and company's diligent scholarship is much needed. They provide thoughtful descriptions of such overlooked styles as the bachata of the Dominican Republic and the voudou-jazz of Haiti, as well as of the forms of more musically famous islands, such as Jamaica and Trinidad. They discuss such insular cultural manifestations as the salsa vs. merengue conflict in New York City and the Hindu devotional songs of Trinidad's Indian community. They describe their travels in several rather inaccessible countries, particularly Cuba. They cogently argue how the Caribbean's historical, political, and social developments shaped its musics. The musical analyses and notation they provide are straightforward enough to interest careful listeners as well as casual fans, and the many helpful discographies throughout the book--not to mention the cool photographs!--contribute to making this an essential text on some of the world's most irrepressible rhythms. Aaron Cohen

Review

Discographies and examples provide musicologists and students of Caribbean music with an excellent semi-scholarly review of the region's musical history and changes. This is an excellent resource for any who would understand the background of the musical styles which have emerged from this region, providing the connections necessary to understand the events and individuals involved in Caribbean music's evolution. -- Midwest Book Review --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 288 pages
• Publisher: Temple Univ Pr (August 30, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1566393388
• ISBN-13: 978-1566393386
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.2 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,047,883 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars All You Need to Know About Caribbean Music...Great Reading!, June 6, 2000

By 

Joe Hernandez, Int'l Latin Music Hall of Fame - See all my reviews

This review is from: Caribbean Currents (Paperback)

Probably one of the best introductory books written on the history, evolution and development of Caribbean music. Professor Manuel covers, with enough in-depth analysis, the "roots" and history of the music of Cuba, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Jamaica, Trinidad, Suriname and other small islands.

The book is well written and an easy read, as well as being informative, giving the reader an overview of Caribbean music. It is not all-inclusive of the "Caribbean Basin"...it does not include the music of Central America, Mexico and Venezuela. Nevertheless it is a book I highly recommend to anyone that is interested in obtaining an overview on Caribbean music from its beginnings to the different genres of today.

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Caribbean Musical Journey, April 7, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Caribbean Currents (Paperback)

Enjoyed the scope and ambition of this book, which educates you well about the remarkable number of musical genres that have emerged from the Caribbean. Has a place on my "world music" shelf along with "World Music: The Rough Guide" and "The Brazilian Sound."

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must have for musicians, February 11, 2009

By 

Voice of Reason - See all my reviews

This review is from: Caribbean Currents: Caribbean Music from Rumba to Reggae, Revised Edition (Paperback)

We know that much of the world's contemporary is influenced by Africa and the Americas, but maybe you don't realized how much of the old music was influenced by colonialism, how Cuban music ended up in Baroque music of the 1600's, Chaconnes and Passacaglias for example. Basically this book has some really great stuff in it, it helps you get in touch with what colonialism did down there, Christopher Columbus was not so great, and at the same time connects you to a pretty vibrant, vivacious, and really soulful kind of music. I'm not even completely done with the book yet and I want to go there and live out some of the stories of this guy's travels, it's pretty damn cool.