Claude said he likes the change he see's this year with the SOCA and hopes they stay with it for a few years. But in the Newsday dated Friday January 15 Calypso stalwart King David Michael Rudder one of the Country's most successful and respected Calypsonians , says the quality of Soca has become Stagnated. He also said society is caught up in fast music and Groovy Soca and Power Soca were just myths and names given to things and did not regonized that slow Music like Soca Baptist and Bahia Girl had people catching Power in the street's and they were not fast. Also we got caught up in speed, we used to laught at the smaller islands playing fast Music now it has turned around and we playing with speed because that's all we know. So what am I missing here.
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Claude Gonzales, I always say that I don't like the Music of Today for "Pan", Too fast, not enough Chord structure, Jump and Wave Music, you do not get the Sweetness of Pan with these type of Tunes, But the Young People like it "So be it".
Regardless what kind of music we have we need the right people to Market our music,
I just read an article on this forum where the author claimed that modern soca is " market driven music " and a musical representation of "capitalism gone mad ".
And David is right . My first impression about modern soca is that it seemed like an updated version of the uptempo calypso music I heard in the US Virgin Islands in the seventies and eighties.
There are arguments to be made on both sides.Every aspect of life things evolves,things change.Change,especially in Trinidad and Tobago ,always seem to hit a nerve that somehow the positive aspect of that change,is hard to embrace. Music will always change from generartion to generation.Same could be said socially,politically,financially,etc thre will always be change.I agree with Claude in that as far as the current crop of music is concerned,A Different Me by 5 Star Akile is ahead of the rest.Bunji's Come To Take Over Town is another one that has appeal.There is also a general effort to give the music a more international appeal.Power soca has been losing its appeal for the past few years.
So lets not be too critical of the direction the music is taking.The Jamaicans started with SKA,then Rockers,Conscious Rockres,Dancehall,thats all segments they embrace under the general theme of reggae music.They all has appeal even in the land of calypso.The Americans have from Jazz ,Soul,Pop,Rap,Hip Hop all different.
We can do the same and embrace our own.So there is nothing mythical about embracing musical changes.
Trinis seem to be more favourable to being "Mimic Men" rather than being more comfortable in our own skins. No different than steelpan where we seem to lack the confidence to move our cultural art forms forward building on the understanding of commercial economics without devaluing the traditions which gave rise to their birth and value in the first place. Me, I do miss the old school Calypso Music of yesteryear, nostalgic as it may seem to some...
I agree with David Rudder, wholeheartedly. Same beat, different hook line, Big Truck, Like AH boss, The 'small islanders' leaving us behind.
What yuh missing is Trini has the ability to lead but want to follow.
Earl: Go and look at the DIFFERENT ME video a few times. It's on this page!!! Then come back and we will talk!
Claude I must say I am impressed with the DIFFERENT ME video and I think it was produce for the purpose of exposure to the Local and Global markets. My concern is if the remarks by David Rudder saying SOCA is STAGNATED is CREDIBLE ?. Nuff Said.
Claude....I am not surprised by this article, I have been saying the same thing for a while now and it’s just my opinion but nothing good has come out of this genera of Soca. A few months ago a video was posted here on WST, showing a Spanish or should I say Salsa tribute to Michael Jackson, and I commented that Latin America never changed their cord and brass structure to get accepted. Why are Trinidad artist trying to create Dance Music and refer to it as new Soca? It is a disgrace to the culture and the vibe. Lord Shorty would be turning in his grave to hear what has become of his creation. Gone are the brass and driving bass of many bands in favor of a keyboard computer and electric drum kit. This year some of the older heads are trying to infuse some nostalgia into the music with good effect. This type of imitation soca may sound good on the radio but it’s totally crap in a party. Ask any artist what went wrong with the music this year and they will say it’s the short season. I say Bull Shit. Today soca is no longer created solely for the Trinidad market. There are Carnivals worldwide, which many of the artist frequent year after year. Grenada; Barbados; Jamaica; New York; London; Miami; Toronto and LA, just the name a few. If the artist wrote their own tunes like yesteryear’s artist, then I would say they have time constraints, however that is not the case. There is nothing stopping them from creating new music while on tour, it is not like they were creating an entire album from scratch. With all the technology, everything seems to be going backwards for Trinidad. If Hot, Hot, Hot; Dollar Wine; Who let the dogs out and Kevin Little’s “Turn Me On” can achieve worldwide acceptance why should soca have to change to be accepted.