Episode 136: West Indies

The theme of today’s show will return to the Caribbean, but today with a focus on those French West Indies of Haiti, Guadeloupe, and Martinique. It really is fascinating how little exposure these sounds have received in the United States, to the extent that most gringos could not name the country of origin when hearing this music. How funny that we should have a blind spot for this music produced right in our backyard! Today I’ll be playing sounds from the French West Indies ranging from the 60s to the 80s, covering a range of styles. The first set reveals popular sounds from the 60s and early 70s, with that spirit of exuberance that seems to characterize music of the 60s era in all parts of the world. The second set moves into the 70s and 80s… just as ska gave way to reggae in Jamaica, the exuberant sounds of the 60s gave way to more strident messages and more recognizable African influences in the music. We’ll hear 3 tracks in this set from a band named Belenou; I’ll profile that band in one of my mic breaks today. Hour two kicks off with Gwo-Ka and Gwo-Ka fusion. Gwo-Ka is roots music from Guadeloupe pairing African drumming with call-and-response vocals. Although it draws heavily on the traditions of African religious music, it is a completely secular form that may produce work songs, political songs, and the like. Then we’ll hear some zouk sounds in the final set, an era when the French West Indies was wild for their own version of disco music.