Celebration is the Answer: Caribbean Carnival Unites

Cadence_music
A cadence (Latin cadentia, "a falling") is a particular series of intervals or chords that ends a phrase, section, or piece of music. Cadences are called "weak" or "strong", with the perfect authentic cadence being the strongest type.
Calypso
An especially integral part of Trinidadian music, with origins in the late 19th century African slaves' Carnival on Trinidad. It is derived from West African kaiso, native and European music.
Chutney
The chutney artist writes lyrics in either Hindi, Bhojpuri or English and then lays it on top of beats that come from soca and Hindi film ("Bollywood") songs. Chutney is an uptempo song, accompanied by dholak, harmonium and dhantal, played in rhythms imported from filmi, calypso or soca.
Extempo / Sing Down
The earliest form of what has become Calypso. Performers must think quickly, as subjects to sing about are handed out on the spot.
Junkanoo
A street parade with music, which occurs in many towns across the Bahamas every Boxing Day (December 26) and New Year's Day. Junkanoo groups "rush" from 12:00 AM until shortly after dawn, to the music of cowbells, in costumes made from cardboard covered in tiny shreds of colourful crepe paper competing for cash prizes.
Kaiso
Originated in West Africa, and later evolved into Calypso. Kaiso songs are generally narrative in form and often have a cleverly concealed political subtext. Kaiso performers are known as Kaisonians.
Kompa
A musical genre as well as a dance that originates from Haïti. It involves mostly medium-to-fast tempo beats with an emphasis on electric guitars, synthesizers, and either a solo alto saxophone, a horn section or the synthesizer equivalent.
Parang
Fuses together Venezuelan and Calypso influences to create up beat tempos with a Spanish style. Parang is usually associated with Christmas Festivities.
Punta
A type of music found primarily in Honduras, Guatemala, and Belize. Punta is the contemporary electronic offshoot of an ancestral rhythm and dance of the Garifuna people of Central America, performed during celebrations or festive occasions, with links to West Africa and an ancient rhythm called Bunda, or "buttocks" in the Mandé language.

Salsa
Salsa incorporates multiple styles and variations; the term can be used to describe most any form of popular Cuban-derived genre, such as chachachá and mambo. Most specifically, however, salsa refers to a particular style developed by the 1960s and '70s Cuban and Puerto Rican immigrants to the New York City area, and stylistic descendants like 1980s salsa romantica.

Soca
A dance music which is a mix of Trinidad's calypso and Indian music and rhythms, especially chutney music. It combines the melodic lilting sound of calypso with an insistent percussion.

Spouge
A musical genre from the Caribbean nation of Barbados. It is typically played with mandolin, guitar and drums, often with other, unusual instruments like the cowbell.

Steelpan
The pan is a pitched percussion instrument, tuned chromatically (although some toy or novelty steelpans are tuned diatonically), made from a 55 gallon drum of the type that stores oil, and is the only percussion/non-electric acoustic instrument to be invented in the 20th century. Drum refers to the steel drum containers from which the pans are made; the instrument is correctly called a pan (and pans are not - technically - regarded as drums).

The bands consist of drums, fifes, and whistles: traditional instruments for a British marching band. The music is based, in fact, on British marching tunes with African polyrhythms working through and spicing the otherwise sedate European music.

Zouk
A style of rhythmic music originating from the Caribbean islands of Guadeloupe and Martinique. Zouk means 'party' in the local creole of French with English and African influences, all three of which contribute the sound.

Joy A. I. Mahabir
SUNY at StonyBrook, New York

Joy A. I. Mahabir

Joy A. I. Mahabir SUNY at StonyBrook, New York

Joy A. I. Mahabir

Joy A. I. Mahabir
SUNY at StonyBrook, New York