The liner notes by Jane Sarnoff start off with a poetic appreciation of the beauty and vibrancy of Trinidad, which forms with the smaller Tobago, and independent nation just off the coast of Venezuela. Usually the only time we hear about the tiny island nation is during the summer Olympics, especially the impressive showing by sprinters at the London games in 2012 or the impressive career of Ato Boldon in the 1996 and 2000 games.
The music presented here comes from a tradition dating back to the late 18th century when French planters introduced Carnival and, following the abolition of slavery in the late 1830s, black and mixed-race residents took up the celebration in their own way. When traditional conga drums were outlawed because of fears of overexcitement stirring up celenbrants, bamboo sticks (bamboo tamboo) were used and that, too, was banner in the 1930s.
Undaunted, people turned to hitting bottles partly filled with spoons and then observed that metal worked better, including car axles, tin cans, pots, containers and drums, especially the oil containers commonly found on the island. Experimentation gradually led to the formation of steel drum bands, whose musicians became experts in tone, pitch, harmony and melody. As Sarnoff observes, the instruments are more gongs that drums and one player plays the melody on the 32-note ping pong while the others accompany with theme variations, though the melody moves among instruments as the procession moves through the streets.
As Sarnoff concludes, "the sound is liquid—the sound of the sun on the sea, the sea against sand, feet marching through strets that hold sparkling heat and the hearts of an entire island." While for some the music might sound repetitive on the surface, a deeper listen reveals a great deal of melodic, harmonic and rhythmic variety, making "The Sound of the Sun" highly enjoyable and fun.
No comments:
Post a Comment