It's a word that conjures up images of verdant, sunsplashed hideaways. We think about escape, relaxation, and regeneration on palm-lined, white sandy beaches running into turquoise seas.
Islands are stages for love, romance and passion.
Since you can't always get to them, we're taking you on a sonic world cruise, from the more familiar Puerto Rico and Hawaii to the mysterious Cape Verde and Madagascar and ports in between. Most of the music throughout the Americas, the Caribbean and the islands off the African coast grew from the seeds of West African chants and drum-based tribal dance music. It mingled with Spanish, English, and Portuguese music - the music of the colonial powers. Today, we need the refuge of islands as much as 18th century shipwrecked sailors. The magical warmth of the tropical sun has cured many a cold and raised many a spirit.