Jamaican Music - Reggae Music Jamaican Music Weddings Share Jamaican music is the defining feature the island culture in a country that is relaxed, friendly, and known for its easy-going ways across all fronts. In Jamaica, it is impossible to miss the beats of reggae music drifting through the air almost everywhere you go. The beat is a steady one and the lyrics are everything from political to just plain fun. In Jamaica, reggae music has always been a favored way for expression and continues to live on and revolutionize through each new generation. Jamaican music also includes genres such as rocksteady, dub, ska, ska jazz, reggae fusion, and dancehall. The music culture includes a blend of soul, rhythm, and blues from the United States. “Toasting,” a musical practice in Jamaica, was exported into NYC by Jamaican musicians; it evolved into what is known today as rapping. Jamaican Music History The foundation of Jamaican music began following the slavery era. Traditional folk music was formed by African tunes blending with European harmonies and melodies. In the 1940s, swing bands became popular and following this, Jamaican mento music evolved.

Mento is a broad term describing Jamaica’s traditional (secular) music including instrumental style, dance, and song and was popular from the later 1800s through to the 1960s. Rhythm and blues hit the scene in the 1950s around the time big bands were also on the music circuit. With technology came access to all types of music. Slowly, Jamaican style seeped into modern music production—Rastafarian drum beats mixed with R&B, swing, and more to create a new, fresh, and energetic sound called ska which developed leading up to 1962, Jamaica’s independence. Following this period, the distinct reggae sound also emerged, heavily influenced by Jamaica’s Rastafari. Since Island Records signed Bob Marley in the 1970s, the term “reggae” has come to embody (most) all Jamaican music today. Bob Marley Jamaica’s most iconic and transcendent individual, Bob Marley was born in February 6th, 1945. Marley was a musician and singer-songwriter and lead singer and rhythm guitarist for the band Bob Marley and the Wailers.

The band performed a repertoire that included reggae music, ska, and rocksteady beats. A true Rastafarian, Marley made Jamaica and reggae synonymous and took the Rastafari movement to the world stage. You can learn more about this iconic island hero at the Bob Marley Museum . Jamaica Map Reggae Jamaica’s most famous music genre is reggae, a type of sound evolved from a combination of rocksteady and ska genres in the 1960s when music was revolutionizing. Music professionals also explain the development of reggae music as having been formed by influences from American jazz music, Africa’s traditional music, and old-style rhythm and blues. To hear authentic Jamaican music, attending one of the top reggae festivals, like Reggae Sumfest , is a must. Head to Montego Bay in the middle of July for this amazing music festival headlining incredible artists since 1993. Street & Beach Performers Jamaican music can be heard throughout the streets and beaches at almost anytime of the day or night. In the streets it’s common to see musicians sharing music with crowds.

This goes the same for the beaches, where singers and songwriters perform for sunbathers by touring around the beach, stopping to sing a song or two. It isn’t uncommon to see the same beach-dwellers belting out songs at hotel bars across the country. Many seaside hotels book live bands to play beach stages at sunset. Music is so ingrained in Jamaican culture that it is literally everywhere across the country. Hotels History of Reggae Piano | Guitar | Microphone | Drum Reggae Reggae is a music genre first developed in Jamaica in the late 1960s. While sometimes used in a broader sense to refer to most types of Jamaican music, the term reggae more properly denotes a particular music style that originated following on the development of ska and rocksteady. Reggae is based on a rhythmic style characterized by regular beats on the off-beat, known as the skank. Reggae is normally slower than ska, and usually has accents on the first and third beat in each bar. Reggae song lyrics deal with many subjects, including religion, love, sexuality, peace, relationships, poverty, injustice and other social and political issues.

The word reggae as a musical term first appeared in print with the 1968 rocksteady hit "Do the Reggay" by The Maytals , but it was already being used in Kingston, Jamaica as the name of a slower dance and style of rocksteady. As Reggae artist Derrick Morgan stated: "We didn't like the name rock steady, so I tried a different version of 'Fat Man'. It changed the beat again, it used the organ to creep. Bunny Lee, the producer, liked that. He created the sound with the organ and the rhythm guitar. It sounded like ‘reggae, reggae' and that name just took off. Bunny Lee started using the world and soon all the musicians were saying ‘reggae, reggae, reggae". Reggae historian Steve Barrow credits Clancy Eccles with altering the Jamaican patois word streggae ("loose woman") into reggae. However, Toots Hibbert said: "There's a word we used to use in Jamaica called 'streggae'. If a girl is walking and the guys look at her and say 'Man, she's streggae' it means she don't dress well, she look raggedy.

The girls would say that about the men too. This one morning me and my two friends were playing and I said, 'OK man, let's do the reggay.' It was just something that came out of my mouth. So we just start singing 'Do the reggay, do the reggay' and created a beat. People tell me later that we had given the sound it's name. Before that people had called it blue-beat and all kind of other things. Now it's in the Guinness World of Records". Bob Marley is said to have claimed that the word reggae came from a Spanish term for "the king's music". The liner notes of To the King, a compilation of Christian gospel reggae, suggest that the word reggae was derived from the Latin regis meaning "to the king." Although strongly influenced by both traditional African and Caribbean music, as well as by American rhythm and blues, reggae owes its direct origins to the progressive development of ska and rocksteady in 1960s Jamaica. Ska music first arose in the studios of Jamaica over the years 1959 and 1961, itself a development of the earlier mento genre.

Ska is characterized by a walking bass line, accentuated guitar or piano rhythms on the offbeat, and sometimes jazz-like horn riffs. Aside from its massive popularity amidst the Jamaican rude boy fashion, it had gained a large following among mods in Britain by 1964. According to Barrow, rude boys began deliberately playing their ska records at half speed, preferring to dance slower as part of their tough image. By the mid-1960s, many musicians had begun playing the tempo of ska slower, while emphasizing the walking bass and offbeats. The slower sound was named rocksteady, after a single by Alton Ellis. This phase of Jamaican music lasted only until 1968, when musicians began to slow the tempo of the music again, and added yet more effects. This led to the creation of reggae. The shift from rocksteady to reggae was illustrated by the organ shuffle pioneered by Bunny Lee, and featured in the transitional singles "Say What You're Saying" (1967) by Clancy Eccles, and "People Funny Boy" (1968) by Lee "Scratch" Perry.

The Pioneers' 1967 track "Long Shot Bus' Me Bet" has been identified as the earliest recorded example of the new rhythm sound that would soon become known as reggae. Early 1968 was when the first bona fide reggae records came into being: "Nanny Goat" by Larry Marshall and "No More Heartaches" by The Beltones. Music historian Piero Scaruffi credits American artist Johnny Nash's 1968 hit "Hold Me Tight" with first putting reggae on the American listener charts. The Wailers , a band that was started by Bob Marley , Peter Tosh , and Bunny Wailer in 1963, are generally agreed to be the most easily recognized group worldwide that made the transition through all three stages, from ska hits like "Simmer Down", through slower rocksteady; and they are also among the significant pioneers who can be called the roots of reggae, along with Prince Buster , Desmond Dekker , Jackie Mittoo and several others.

Some of the other notable Jamaican producers who were highly influential in the development of ska into rocksteady and reggae in the 1960s include Coxsone Dodd , Lee "Scratch" Perry , Leslie Kong , Duke Reid , Joe Gibbs and King Tubby . Another early producer was Chris Blackwell , who founded Island Records in Jamaica in 1960, then relocated to England in 1962, where he continued to promote Jamaican music. He formed a partnership with Trojan Records, founded by Lee Gopthal in 1968. Trojan released recordings by reggae artists in the UK until 1974, when Saga bought the label. The 1972 film The Harder They Come, starring Jimmy Cliff , generated considerable interest and popularity for reggae music in the United States, and Eric Clapton's 1974 cover of the Bob Marley song "I Shot the Sheriff" helped bring reggae into the mainstream. By the mid 1970s, reggae was getting radio play in the UK on John Peel's radio show, and John continued to play more reggae throughout his career.

What is called the first "Golden Age of Reggae" corresponds roughly to the heyday of roots reggae. During the second half of the 1970s, the UK punk rock scene was starting to form, and some punk DJs played reggae songs during their sets. Some punk bands, such as The Clash , The Slits , The Police , and The Ruts , incorporated reggae influences into their music. At the same time, reggae began to enjoy a revival in the UK that continued into the 1980s, exemplified by groups like Steel Pulse , Aswad , UB40 , and Musical Youth . Other artists who enjoyed international appeal in the early 1980s include Third World , Black Uhuru and Sugar Minott . The Grammy Awards introduced the Best Reggae Album category in 1985, which was won that year by Black Uhuru's Anthem LP. Characteristically Reggae is either played in 4/4 time or swing time, because the symmetrical rhythmic pattern does not lend itself to other time signatures such as 3/4 time. Harmonically, the music is often very simple, and sometimes a whole song will have no more than one or two chords.

These simple repetitious chord structures add to reggae's sometimes hypnotic effects. A standard drum kit is generally used, but the snare drum is often tuned very high to give it a timbale-type sound. Some reggae drummers use an additional timbale or high-tuned snare to get this sound. Cross-stick technique on the snare drum is commonly used, and tom-tom drums are often incorporated into the drumbeat itself. Reggae drumbeats fall into three main categories: One drop, Rockers and Steppers. With the One drop, the emphasis is entirely on the third beat of the bar (usually on the snare, or as a rim shot combined with bass drum). Beat one is completely empty, which is extremely unusual in popular music. There is some controversy about whether reggae should be counted so that this beat falls on the 3, or whether it should be counted half as fast so that it falls on the 2 and 4. This article follows the convention of placing the beat on the 3. Many credit Carlton Barrett of The Wailers as the creator of this style, although it may actually have been invented by Winston Grennan .

An example played by Barrett can be heard in the Bob Marley and the Wailers song "One Drop". Barrett often used an unusual triplet cross-rhythm on the hi-hat, which can be heard on many recordings by Bob Marley and the Wailers, such as "Running Away" on the Kaya album. An emphasis on beat three is in all reggae drumbeats, but with the Rockers (pronounced like "raucous") beat, the emphasis is also on beat one (usually on bass drum). This beat was pioneered by the prolific innovative duo of Sly and Robbie , Sly Dunbar and Robbie Shakespeare, who later also helped create the "Rub-a-Dub" sound that greatly influenced Dancehall. An example of the Rockers beat is in "Night Nurse" by Gregory Isaacs . The Rockers beat is not always straightforward, and various syncopations are often included. An example of this is the Black Uhuru song "Sponji Reggae." In Steppers, the bass drum plays four solid beats to the bar, giving the beat an insistent drive. An example is "Exodus" by Bob Marley and the Wailers.

Another common name for the Steppers beat is the "four on the floor". The Steppers beat was also adopted (at a much higher tempo) by some of the 2 Tone ska revival bands of the late 1970s and early 1980s. Examples include "Stand Down Margaret" by The Beat and "Too Much Too Young" by The Specials . An unusual characteristic of reggae drumming is that the drum fills often do not end with a climactic cymbal. A wide range of other percussion instrumentation is used in reggae. Bongos are often used to play free, improvised patterns, with heavy use of African-style cross-rhythms. Cowbells, claves and shakers tend to have more defined roles and a set pattern. The bass guitar often plays a very dominant role in reggae, and the drum and bass is often called the riddim. Several reggae singers have released different songs recorded over the same riddim. The central role of the bass can be particularly heard in dub music, which gives an even bigger role to the drum and bass line, reducing the vocals and other instruments to peripheral roles.

The bass sound in reggae is thick and heavy, and equalized so the upper frequencies are removed and the lower frequencies emphasised. The bass line is often a simple two-bar riff that is centred around its thickest and heaviest note. The rhythm guitar in reggae usually plays the chords on beats two and four, a musical figure known as skank or the 'bang'. It has a very dampened, short and scratchy chop sound, almost like a percussion instrument. Sometimes a double chop is used when the guitar still plays the off beats, but also plays the following 8th beats on the up-stroke. An example is the intro to "Stir It Up" by The Wailers. From the late 1960s through to the early 1980s, a piano was generally used in reggae to double the rhythm guitar's skank, playing the chords in a staccato style to add body, and playing occasional extra beats, runs and riffs. The piano part was widely taken over by synthesizers during the 1980s, although synthesizers have been used in a peripheral role since the 1970s to play incidental melodies and countermelodies.

Larger bands may include either an additional keyboardist, to cover or replace horn and melody lines, or the main keyboardist filling these roles on two or more keyboards. The latter has become increasingly popular as keyboard technology improves. The reggae-organ shuffle is unique to reggae. Typically, a Hammond organ-style sound is used to play chords with a choppy feel. This is known as the bubble. There are specific drawbar settings used on a Hammond console to get the correct sound. This may be the most difficult reggae keyboard rhythm. The 8th beats are played with a space-left-right-left-space-left-right-left pattern. Horn sections are frequently used in reggae, often playing introductions and counter-melodies. Instruments included in a typical reggae horn section include saxophone, trumpet and/or trombone. In more recent times, real horns are sometimes replaced in reggae by synthesizers or recorded samples. The horn section is often arranged around the first horn, playing a simple melody or counter melody. The first horn is usually accompanied by the second horn playing the same melodic phrase in unision, one octave higher. The third horn usually plays the melody an octave and a fifth higher than the first horn.

The horns are generally played fairly softly, usually resulting in a soothing sound. However, sometimes punchier, louder phrases are played for a more up-tempo and aggressive sound. The vocals in reggae are less of a defining characteristic of the genre than the instrumentation and rhythm. Almost any song can be performed in a reggae style. Vocal harmony parts are often used, either throughout the melody (as with bands such as the Mighty Diamonds ), or as a counterpoint to the main vocal line (as with the backing group I-Threes). The British reggae band Steel Pulse used particularly complex backing vocals. An unusual aspect of reggae singing is that many singers use tremolo (volume oscillation) rather than vibrato (pitch oscillation). Notable exponents of this technique include Dennis Brown and Horace Andy . The toasting vocal style is unique to reggae, originating when DJs improvised along to dub tracks, and it is generally considered to be a precursor to rap. It differs from rap mainly in that it is generally melodic, while rap is generally more a spoken form without melodic content. Reggae is noted for its tradition of social criticism, although many reggae songs discuss lighter, more personal subjects, such as love, sex and socializing.

Many early reggae bands also covered Motown or Atlantic soul and funk numbers. Some reggae lyrics attempt to raise the political consciousness of the audience, such as by criticizing materialism, or by informing the listener about controversial subjects such as Apartheid. Many reggae songs promote the use of cannabis (also known as herb or ganja), considered a sacrament in the Rastafari movement. There are many artists who utilize religious themes in their music, whether it be discussing a religious topic, or simply giving praise to the Rastafari God Jah. Other common socio-political topics in reggae songs include black nationalism, anti-racism, anti-colonialism, anti-capitalism, criticism of political systems and "Babylon", and promotion of caring for needs of the younger generation. Some dancehall/ragga artists have been criticised for homophobia, sometimes including threats of violence. Buju Banton 's song "Boom Bye-Bye" states that gays "haffi dead" ("have to die"). Other dancehall artists who have been accused of homophobia include Elephant Man ("When you hear a lesbian getting raped/ It's not our fault ...

Two women in bed/ That's two Sodomites who should be dead."), Bounty Killer (who in a song urges listeners to burn "Mister Fagoty") and Beenie Man . The controversy surrounding anti-gay lyrics led to the cancellation of UK tours by Beenie Man and Sizzla . After lobbying from the Stop Murder Music coalition, the dancehall music industry agreed in 2005 to stop releasing songs that promote hatred and violence against gay people. In June 2007, Beenie Man, Sizzla and Capleton signed up to the Reggae Compassionate Act, in a deal brokered with top dancehall promoters and Stop Murder Music activists, renouncing homophobia, and agreeing to "not make statements or perform songs that incite hatred or violence against anyone from any community". Five artists who had been targeted by the anti-homophobia campaign did not sign up to the act, including Elephant Man, TOK , Bounty Killa, Vybz Kartel and Buju Banton. Reggae includes several sub-genres, such as roots reggae, dub, lovers rock, and dancehall. Roots reggae is the name given to a spiritual type of music whose lyrics are predominantly in praise of Jah (God).

Recurrent lyrical themes include poverty and resistance to government oppression. Many of Bob Marley's and Peter Tosh's songs can be called roots reggae. The creative pinnacle of roots reggae was in the late 1970s, with singers such as Burning Spear , Gregory Isaacs, Freddie McGregor , Johnny Clarke , Horace Andy , Ijahman Levi , Barrington Levy , Big Youth , and Linval Thompson , and bands like Culture , Israel Vibration , the Meditations , and Misty in Roots , teaming up with various studio producers including Lee 'Scratch' Perry and Coxsone Dodd. Dub is a genre of reggae that was pioneered in the early days by studio producers Lee 'Scratch' Perry and King Tubby. It involves extensive remixing of recorded material, and particular emphasis is placed on the drum and bass line. The techniques used resulted in an even more visceral feel described by King Tubby as sounding "jus’ like a volcano in yuh head." Augustus Pablo and Mikey Dread were two of the early notable proponents of this music style, which continues today. The Rockers style was created during the mid-1970s by Sly & Robbie.

Rockers is described as a flowing, mechanical, and aggressive style of playing reggae music. The Lovers rock sub-genre originated in South London in the mid-1970s. The lyrics are usually about love. It is similar to rhythm and blues. Notable lovers rock artists include: Gregory Isaacs, Freddy McGregor, Denis Brown, Maxi Priest and Beres Hammond . Toasting is a style of chanting or talking over the record that was first used by 1960s Jamaican deejays such as U-Roy and Dennis Alcapone . This style greatly influenced Jamaican DJ Kool Herc , who used the style in New York City in the late 1970s to pioneer a new genre that became known as hip hop or rap. Mixing techniques employed in dub music have also influenced hip hop. The Dancehall genre was developed around 1980, with exponents such as Yellowman , Super Cat and Shabba Ranks . The style is characterized by a deejay singing and rapping or toasting over raw and fast rhythms.

Ragga, (also known as raggamuffin), is a sub-genre of dancehall where the instrumentation primarily consists of electronic music and sampling. Notable ragga artists include Shinehead and Buju Banton. Reggaeton is a form of dance music that first became popular with Latino youths in the early 1990s. It blends reggae and dancehall with Latin American genres such as cumbia (a back-beat type of latin music, originated in Colombia), bomba and plena, as well as hip hop. All About Jamaican Music Genres and Artists By Megan Romer History of Jamaican Music The history of Jamaican music is inextricably intertwined with the history of the Jamaican people. Jamaica is the third largest island in the Caribbean, and was initially populated by the Arawak people. Christopher Columbus "discovered" the island on his second voyage to the Americas, and it was settled first by Spanish colonists, and later by English colonists.

It became a major hub for the Trans-Atlantic slave trade and sugarcane production, and because of the high population of Africans and people of African descent on the island of Jamaica, it was the site of multiple slave uprisings, many of which were successful, resulting in the establishment of long-term Maroon (escaped slave) colonies, some of which lasted until the British Empire's abolition of slavery in 1832. The large numbers of Africans also helped to keep a high level of African cultural elements, including musical styles, alive in Jamaica throughout the colonial era. continue reading below our video Celebrity Breakups of 2015 We Didn't See Coming Read More: Best Books About Jamaican Music African Elements in Jamaican Music These African musical elements formed the basis of Jamaican music as we know it. The one-drop rhythm , which is the defining rhythmic element of reggae music, is distinctly African. The call-and-response style of singing which is so common in West African music is reflected in many genres of Jamaican music, and even forms the basis for toasting which, in turn, forms the basis for rap music .

Even the language of African-descended Jamaicans is reflected in Jamaican music, much of which is sung in patois , a Creole language with both African and English linguistic elements. European Elements in Jamaican Music English and other European influences are also apparent in Jamaican music. During the colonial era, black slave musicians were expected to play the popular music of Europe for their European masters. Thus, slave bands would perform waltzes , quadrilles and other figure dances, reels , and many other dances and song styles. These song styles remained present and intact in black Jamaican folk music right up until the middle of the 20th century. Early Jamaican Folk Music The first folklorist to collect and categorize Jamaican folk songs was a man named Walter Jekyll, whose 1904 book Jamaican Song and Story is in the public domain and available to read for free or download as a PDF from Google Books . Though the book is a bit dated, it's a wealth of information, and the earliest scientifically-collected grouping of Jamaican songs and stories, as well as the elements that made up Jamaican music at that time.

Mento Music By the late 1940s, mento music arose as a unique style of Jamaican music. Mento is similar to Trinidadian calypso and, indeed, is sometimes referred to as Jamaican calypso, but it is indeed a genre unto itelf. It features a fair balance of African and European elements, and is played with acoustic instruments, including banjo , guitar, and the rumba box, which a large-scale bass lamellophone (kind of like a giant mbira which the player sits upon while playing). One of the most fun aspects of mento music is the lyrical content, which frequently features extended bawdy double entendres and political innuendo . Ska Music In the early 1960s, ska music took shape. Combining traditional mento with elements of American R&B and boogie-woogie , which was immensely popular in Jamaica at the time, ska was a soulful genre which featured harmony singing, upbeat and danceable rhythms, a horn section, and songs that are frequently about love. The emergence of ska occurred at the same time as the emergence of rude boy culture, wherein impoverished Jamaican youths emulated an old-school American-style gangster aesthetic.

Competing gangs of rude boys were hired by sound system operators like Clement "Coxsone" Dodd and Lesley Kong to start fights at the street dances of competing sound system operators. Listen: Essential Traditional Ska Starter CDs Rocksteady Music Rocksteady was a short-lived but influential genre of Jamaican music that came about in the middle to late 1960s, which differed from ska with a slowed-down beat and, often, a lack of a horn section. Rocksteady quickly evolved into reggae music. Reggae Music Reggae music emerged in the late 1960s, and went on to become the genre of music that most people identify with the music of Jamaica. Reggae, particularly roots reggae , was heavily influenced by Rastafarianism , both lyrically and musically, with nyabinghi drumming and socially conscious (and often Pan-African ) lyrics re-injecting the music with the distinct sounds of Africa. Dub music is an offshoot of reggae, which features producers remixing reggae songs, usually adding heavy bass lines and re-processed instrumental and vocal tracks. Important figures in reggae music include Bob Marley , Peter Tosh , and Lee "Scratch" Perry .

Listen: Beyond Bob Marley: More Great Early Reggae Artists Dancehall Music Dancehall music emerged in the late 1970s as a modernized form of reggae music, which reflected increasingly violent and impoverished conditions in Jamaica. Dancehall, also known as bashment , continues to exist as a modern genre, and usually features a deejay toasting over a riddim , and has been under fire for years , as slack lyrics (lyrics featuring violence and blatant x-rated content) have gone so far as to advocate the killing of homosexuals. Jamaican Music's Influence on the World Jamaican music's popularity has spread throughout the world, and manifested in many different ways. It is omnipresent in various ways on pop music charts from around the world. For example, reggae is hugely popular in Africa, where artists like Lucky Dube created their own brand of reggae. Artists such as Matisyahu have created a sub-genre of Jewish reggae that continues to gain popularity. In the mid-1990s, bands like No Doubt and Reel Big Fish revived ska music by combining it with punk rock , making it wildly popular among young people in the U.K. and the U.S.

And indeed, every once in awhile, a reggae song becomes a pop hit . Jamaican music is deeply entrenched in the musical culture of the world, and will likely continue to be that way for a long, long time. Reggae Is A Music Genre Film Studies Essay Reggae Is A Music Genre Film Studies Essay Published: Last Edited: 23rd March, 2015 This essay has been submitted by a student. This is not an example of the work written by our professional essay writers. Reggae is a music genre first developed in Jamaica in the late 1960s. The term reggae is more carried out and stand as a symbol for a music style that originated following on the development of ska and rocksteady. Reggae is the Jamaican music that evolved from ska and rocksteady developing into a huge musical force. Reggae is based on rhythmic style characterized by regular beats on the off beat know as the skank. In 1960 musicians turned the beats around placing the emphasis on the second and fourth beats of each bar rather than the usual first and third. The new style became know as ska, and proved incredibly popular with Jamaicans.

In the beginning reggae music supported much of the Rastafarian faith, and included many political themes. Reggae lyrics spoke of Ethiopian and Mount Zion as the musicians began to sport the traditional Rastafarian hair style or dread locks. Bob Marley said the word reggae came from a Spanish term for "the king music". Reggae song lyrics deal with many subjects, including religion, love, sexuality, peace, relationships, poverty, injustice, and other social and political issues. Jamaican music flowed in the dances the evening gatherings in clubs or outside were recorded music usually American R&B was played. When rock emerged as the dominate music in the U.S. the supply of R&B slowly dries up and by the late 1950s Jamaicans were making their own music. Many Jamaicans were listening to American rhythm and blues music. Ska music is a thing that Jamaican music genre created in the late 1950s. Ska music then went on to influence the later reggae music form. Ska music was between 1959 and 1961 and it was influenced by Jamaican mento genre.

Ska combined elements of Caribbean mento and Calypso with American jazz and rhythm and blues. Ska music was made for dancing. Ska music is upbeat, quick, and exciting. Ska genre was precursor to reggae. Ska was typically set to four/four time drum beats. This mean the drum beats is on second and fourth beats. Meanwhile, ska music remains a popular music genre back in Jamaica. Ska made an introduction in American; however, it was not successful, but it made impact upon Britain. Ska was made through a working course. Ska music is all over the world and has brought joy and entertainment to millions of fans world wide with generally fun loving up beats songs. Rocksteady is a music genre that came to Jamaica around 1966. Rocksteady was performed by Jamaican vocal harmony groups. Rocksteady came from a dance style. Rock steady is like ska music, but has roots in traditional Jamaican mento as well as American R&B and jazz. Just like ska music rocksteady was a music that was popular for street dances. Rocksteady was songs that described dances; it was very popular in the 1950s and 1960s.

Rocksteady provides a slower, mellower beat, allowing for more relaxed dancing. Dancing to rocksteady was less energetic than early ska dances. Rocksteady went away by the end of 1960s, but it didn't really die out, it went into what we know now as reggae today. Mento music is a style of Jamaican music in the early part of the 1900s. Mento music is much like other Caribbean folk music, and is a blending of African rhythms. Mento music found its popularity in the 1940s and 1950s in Jamaica before rocksteady and reggae became musical style. Mento music relaxes your mind whenever you hear it. Mento music was largely unheard and unknown, because of ska and reggae music. Mento music was sounds by banjo, guitar, hand drums, homemade saxophone, flute made from bamboo, and a lot more. Mento music was sometimes confused by calypso music, which was from the Caribbean islands of Trinidad and Tobago. Both music shared some similarities, but were very distinct and separated in music forms. Mento music has very long history and is still performed today.

Kumina is a cultural form to Jamaica. Kumina is also called Cumina. Kumina is a form of ancestral worship. Kumina is a traditional Jamaica folk form involving dance, music, and religious practices and beliefs. Kumina was practiced in large parts of Jamaica. Kumina is an afro Jamaican religion. Kumina refers to religion and dance. Dance was an entertainment and they use it during the private religious ceremonies. Drumming and singing are key elements in kumina music. Kumina believe in knowledge and wisdom of their ancestors. In America kumina is still being practice today. Lovers rock is a style of reggae music noted for romantic sound and content. Lovers rock has been apart of reggae since the late 1960s. Lovers rock is a genre that black Britons can claim as their own. Lovers rock focuses on romance and love. Lovers rock is a smooth and quieter reggae beats. Lovers rock got its name from England in the mid 1970s. As lovers rock developed it became popular back in Jamaica where older reggae artists supported it as a way to attract new fans.

Dance hall is a music genre that came about in the late 1970s. Dance hall music is most popular music in Jamaica. Dance hall music became more popular in the mid 1980s. Dance hall is generally deejay toasting or rapping. Dance hall genre mainly focuses on dancing, violence, sexuality, homophobia, and other subjects. Dance hall artists took old rhythms and tweaked some things, and then added new vocals to create dance hall sound. Dance hall has a faster rhythms and reggae rhythms. Dance hall is also known as regga or dub. Dance hall gets its name from large halls or street spaces where deejays were setting up their sound system. Dance hall is also known as bashment, a term which can refer to music itself or large party where dance music is played. Dance hall is all about energy and having a great time. They call it dance hall because it was played in dance halls, because it was easier to dance to than reggae. Dance hall replaced reggae as the party music choice. In the late 1990s dance hall stayed popular and continued to be and kept coming with new talent.

Dub is a genre that is form of Jamaican music, which developed in the early 1960s. Dub is considered a subgenre, thought it has developed to extend beyond the area of reggae. Dub genre is mostly instrumental remixes of existing recordings. Dub is a version of an existing song, emphasizing the drums and bass for a sound popular in local sound systems. The music sometimes features sound effects and other noises. The word dub today is still used to describe a genre of music that consists of instrumental remixes of existing recording. Dub music is often use for toasters, and rapping heavily rhymed lyrics. Dub has become a buzz word for any style of music that has to deal with remixing sounds. In 1971 the first real dub recording began to appear. In the 1990s dub influenced dance music, techno, ambient music, and hip hop, with many dub tracks produced by non traditional musicians from these other genres. Dub music introduced a new ear in reggae music. Almost all reggae still carries an instrumental version. Dub has continued to keep up its popularity in musical fashion.

Dub poetry have been invented by Jamaican poet Oku Onuora to describe a form of oral art that has been developing in Jamaica since the early 1970s. Oku said dub poem was built on reggae so that it can be heard and felt. The term dub poetry has not always found favor with the entire genre. Dub poetry evolved out of dub music consisting of spoken words over reggae rhythms in Jamaica. Dub poet's performances are normally prepared, and dub poet's generally perform with out backing music. Dub poets usually perform with a band playing music that has to do with the poem rather than simply performing over top. Dub poets can adapted to performing along with music, which is usually reggae or something with a similar rhythm. Dub music is often preaching about injustice to non Jamaican audiences. Dub poetry is often said to be musical genre due to its close connection to reggae music. This kind of poetry may not be as popular today as it once was. The sound system is also an important part of Jamaican musical genres. Sound system is a group of DJs working together, and making music. A sound system in Jamaican is a term for a large street party.

Sound systems took over in Jamaican dance hall in 1950s because it was music playing on the streets. DJs would get a generator, turntables, and huge speakers and set up large street parties. When Jamaicans travelled; sound systems were apart of their luggage. Sound systems were also a business, and a way to make more money in some areas. DJs would make there profit by charging a minimal admission, selling food, drinks, and alcohol. The popularity for sound system was having new music. In the 1950s sound systems became a public entertainment. Sound system continues to get popular all over the world. In the late 1960s and early 1970s toasting became quite popular in Jamaica. Toasting originated in the Caribbean calypso and mento which had became popular in Jamaica. Toasting is the act of talking over rhythms or beats by a deejay. In the early 1970s Jamaicans called toasting deejay and spelled like DJ. Toasting, chatting, or deejaying is the act of talking or chanting over a rhythm or beat.

Deejay toasting influenced the development of rapping in African American hip hop and the development of the dance hall style. Deejaying is still popular in today's life. Then you have root reggae which is a sub genre of reggae. Root reggae focuses on every day life. Root reggae is a sub genre that most Americans and European think of it as reggae, but it is often found in Jamaican music. Root reggae sounds just like what you already hear and identify in reggae music. The vocals are harmonized and have soulful lyrics. Root reggae carries positive messages in the lyrics. Root reggae is the most popular sub genre of reggae in the United States. When you think of reggae music the very first name that comes to mind is Bob Marley. Reggae back ground began along with jazz music. Most people feel that first reggae recording was "Do the Reggay" by Toot and the Maytales in 1968. Reggae is a African Caribbean style of music developed on the island of Jamaica. Some Jamaicans will tell you that the term reggae means "coming from de people" a phrase by Toots Hibbert.

Reggae is music from Jamaican that comes from ska and rock steady; developing into a huge musical force. Reggae music originated in Jamaica; during the late 1960s. Many people think that reggae is one sound that came out of Jamaica but their wrong. Reggae music and beats came after the development of ska and rock steady. Reggae tempo is usually slower than ska and rock steady music. Reggae music is extremely popular and it has broken down many walls and made its way across the world influencing many people. Reggae music help make a way for music such as dance hall music, for the younger generation. The name reggae evolved from the world. The term ragged is a term to describe a style of dance music which had rhythm and blues. It changed to the style we use today and its origin is not actually Jamaican, but a mix of sounds from the United States and Africa. Reggae music is set away from other styles because of its syncopation. Syncopation allows the emphasis of the beats that would otherwise not be emphasized and rhythms that are often deviate from their expected placement. Reggae usually means that the second and fourth beats are accented, and the third beat is emphasized.

The rhythmic and style of reggae is off beat. Reggae is relaxed and slower than other music genres; such as, disco, soul, jazz, and pop. Common instruments found in other musical genres are also used in reggae music. The bass drum is often played as a heart beat, and the bass guitar is in the front with a thick treble less sound. Guitars often take a back seat in reggae, unlike most styles of music including rock and jazz where the guitar incorporates melody. Playing the drums in most reggae songs use a standard drum kit, but the pieces are played in specific way. A snare drum is often tuned to a higher pitch which gives it a sound that resembles timbales. Reggae drum patterns usually place an emphasis on the third beat. The bass guitar is played with the drums, and the bass guitar provides the rhythm of a reggae song. An electric guitar in reggae tends to stress chords over individual notes pattern. Unlike the other instruments there is a more relaxed feel to the sound of a guitar in reggae. Reggae also has a horn section; such as, a saxophone, trombone, and trumpet. Each member playing will play the exact same pattern.

The horn section plays during the introduction, instrumental breaks, solos, or counter melodies. Small hand percussion instruments can also be used in reggae music; like the congas and bongos. The bongos are use to give a spiritual as well as an African feel to a song or beat. Reggae use a variety of instruments to create the reggae rhythms associated with the style. Most reggae artists were born and raised in Kingston Jamaica. The most common man for reggae music is Bob Marley. Bob Marley is the main man who turned Jamaican reggae songs world wide with help from several others. Bob Marley was best known for reggae music. Bob Marley was best known for his work with his reggae group called "The Wailers", which included two other reggae musicians, Bunny Livingstone and Peter Tosh. They left the group and became successful solo artists. Bob Marley wanted to do his own work, and wished to bring reggae to the world. Bob Marley planted himself deeply into the heart or reggae fans throughout the world.

Bob Marley started his musical experimentation in ska and gravitated towards reggae as the music evolved playing, teaching, and singing for a long period of time in 1970s and 1980s. Bob Marley was responsible for the first all reggae album, and was an activist for the Jamaican people. In 1975 his hit No Woman, No Cry gained him fame. Bob Marley focus on putting out good music so the reggae would spread all over the earth. Bob Marley died of cancer in 1981. Bob Marley music has gone from strength to strength in the years since his death and stills continue to produce. Bob Marley influenced musicians of many other genres. Reggae music has become the sound of Jamaica; then the music spread throughout the United States. Reggae music has found its way into films, televisions, and the mainstream music scene. There is still a lot of ska, rock steady, lovers rock, dancehall, dub, toasting, root reggae, reggae and many more reggae genre, but the main focus today is just reggae music itself. Reggae music is still popular today and still increasing in number.

Reference Page Reggae Music and Reggae History 101 By Megan Romer The Beginning: Reggae is a genre that grew out of several other musical styles, including both traditional and contemporary Jamaican music , like ska and mento , as well as American R&B . In the early days of radio, stations were super-high-powered, and several stations from Florida and New Orleans were powerful enough to reach Jamaica , thus the R&B influence. Reggae evolved from these other genres, and really emerged as a unique form in the late 1960s. Characteristics of the "Riddim": Reggae is characterized by a heavy backbeated rhythm, meaning the emphasis of the beat is on, for example, beats 2 and 4, when in 4/4 time. This backbeat is characteristic of all African-based musics and is not found in traditional European or Asian music. Reggae drummers also emphasize the third beat when in 4/4 time with a kick to the bass drum. Rastafarianism: Rastafarianism is a religion that is very common among Jamaicans of African descent.

Many of the world's most famous reggae musicians practice this religion, and therefore many reggae lyrics reflect the beliefs and traditions of Rastafarianism. continue reading below our video Great Singers Gone too Soon Popularity of Reggae in the United States: Bob Marley was reggae's best-known international ambassador. From his early days in a rocksteady band to his later years as a Rastafari convert and political activist, Bob Marley planted himself deeply into the hearts of reggae fans throughout the world. Artists like Jimmy Cliff and Peter Tosh , among others, were also integral to the spread of the genre. Marijuana and Reggae: In Rastafarian practices, marijuana is used as a sacrament; the belief is that it brings a person closer to God and makes the mind more open to receiving His testimony. Therefore, cannabis (referred to as "ganja" in Jamaican slang) often features prominently in reggae lyrics. Unfortunately, a few decades of American teenagers have misinterpreted this sacred ritual and use it as an excuse to partake. Not all reggae lyrics contain references to ganja, just as not all reggae musicians are Rastafarians. Read More: Why Did Bob Marley Smoke Marijuana?

Reggae Language: Reggae lyrics are sometimes borderline incomprehensible to Americans, as they are usually in an English-based but distinctly Jamaican patois . Many exclusively Jamaican slang terms and alternate verb forms are used, as are frequent references to Rastafarian terms, such as "Jah" (God). Reggae's Influence: Reggae was a precursor not just to the modern Jamaican style of Dub, but to American Ska (think No Doubt, Sublime, Reel Big Fish), Jambands (Donna the Buffalo, The String Cheese Incident ) and British reggae-based bands (UB40). Also often ignored is that reggae is the predecessor to Hip-Hop and Rap music, and a very clear line can be drawn between the two . Reggae Starter CDs: The Reggaskas Ska and Reggae music History of Reggae History of Reggae Reggae is a term that was coined sometime close to 1960. Derived from rege-rege, a Jamaican phrase meaning “rags or ragged clothing,” it is used to denote a raggedy style of music that grew up in Jamaica around that time.

Reggae is a genre of music that has its roots in a number of other musical styles. It incorporates influences from Jamaican music (both traditional Mento and contemporary Ska), as well as American Rhythm & Blues, which was broadcast from high-powered stations in New Orleans and Florida in the early days of radio, and could be easily picked up in Jamaica. Reggae’s closest musical relations are Ska and Rocksteady, popular in Jamaica during the 1950s and early 1960s. Reggae evolved from these other genres, really coming into its own later that decade. Reggae shares many characteristics with Ska, such as a walking bass line with guitar and piano off-beats, but Ska is faster paced and also tends to incorporates jazz-influenced horn riffs. The genre was lauded by Jamaican youths around the time that the nation gained independence in 1962. Rocksteady slowed the Ska tempo right down. Played by smaller bands, it also used more syncopated bass patterns. This style is very close to Reggae and the dividing line between Rocksteady and early Reggae is not always easily distinguishable. Reggae music is recognisable thanks to its heavy backbeated rhythm.

This means, for example, that the second and fourth beat would be emphasised when playing in 4/4 time. This is very typical of African-based musical genres, though uncommon in traditional forms of Asian or European music. Reggae also tends to use “double skank” guitar strokes on the offbeat, and lyrics often centre on more socio-political themes. Early reggae music had lyrics consistent in theme with its predecessor, Rocksteady, with songs often focusing on topics such as love. As the genre found its feet in the 70s though, it evolved in line with the Rastafarian movement that was sweeping Jamaica at the time, and lyrics of Reggae songs quickly developed a more socio-political or religious bent. Many of the words used in reggae songs are incomprehensible to US and UK English speakers, as they are taken from traditional Jamaican patois or refer to Rastafarian concepts – for example Jah, meaning God. There is heavy use of Jamaican slang, a common example being Ganja, meaning marijuana. Cannabis is smoked as sacrament in the Rastafarian faith, as Rastafarians believe that smoking marijuana allows them to experience a closeness to God.

This message in the songs has been open to much misinterpretation, particularly by American youth who have used this as an excuse to “get high.” Reggae began to rise to international acclaim as the 1970s progressed. A seminal moment for the genre was the release of the 1973 movie The Harder They Come. The film reached a global audience and told the story of a young man making his way in urban Jamaica. Most importantly though, it had a soundtrack that consisted entirely of reggae hits, which helped elevate Reggae music to the mainstream. Of particular influence was the popular song You Can Get It if You Really Want by Jimmy Cliff that was featured on the soundtrack. Of course, Bob Marley is the world’s best known and loved international Reggae ambassador. Marley’s career spanned more than a decade, beginning in 1963 with Rocksteady band, the Wailers, and culminating in the release of his 1977 solo album, Exodus, which achieved international acclaim. Marley was not only a Reggae singer, but a committed Rastafarian and a political activist.

Through his music, his words and his actions, he earned forever a place in Reggae fans hearts around the world. Marley’s music was first popularised in the Wes by Eric Clapton performing a cover of Who Shot the Sheriff. Since the 60s and 70s, Reggae music has spread and developed in many different ways around the world. This distinctive style was the precursor to modern Jamaican style Dub, as well as British bands, such as UB40, The Reggaskas; American Ska groups, such as Reel big Fish, Sublime and No Doubt; Jambands, such as the String cheese Incident; and even Rap and Hip-Hop. Of course, Reggae is still going strong in its pure form around the world too, with many modern Reggae bands achieving success in the mainstream. Reggae is a term that was coined sometime close to 1960. Derived from rege-rege, a Jamaican phrase meaning “rags or ragged clothing,” it is used to denote a raggedy style of music that grew up in Jamaica around that time. Reggae is a genre of music that has its roots in a number of other musical styles.

It incorporates influences from Jamaican music (both traditional Mento and contemporary Ska), as well as American Rhythm & Blues, which was broadcast from high-powered stations in New Orleans and Florida in the early days of radio, and could be easily picked up in Jamaica. Reggae’s closest musical relations are Ska and Rocksteady, popular in Jamaica during the 1950s and early 1960s. Reggae evolved from these other genres, really coming into its own later that decade. Reggae shares many characteristics with Ska, such as a walking bass line with guitar and piano off-beats, but Ska is faster paced and also tends to incorporates jazz-influenced horn riffs. The genre was lauded by Jamaican youths around the time that the nation gained independence in 1962. Rocksteady slowed the Ska tempo right down. Played by smaller bands, it also used more syncopated bass patterns. This style is very close to Reggae and the dividing line between Rocksteady and early Reggae is not always easily distinguishable. Reggae music is recognisable thanks to its heavy backbeated rhythm.

This means, for example, that the second and fourth beat would be emphasised when playing in 4/4 time. This is very typical of African-based musical genres, though uncommon in traditional forms of Asian or European music. Reggae also tends to use “double skank” guitar strokes on the offbeat, and lyrics often centre on more socio-political themes. Early reggae music had lyrics consistent in theme with its predecessor, Rocksteady, with songs often focusing on topics such as love. As the genre found its feet in the 70s though, it evolved in line with the Rastafarian movement that was sweeping Jamaica at the time, and lyrics of Reggae songs quickly developed a more socio-political or religious bent. Many of the words used in reggae songs are incomprehensible to US and UK English speakers, as they are taken from traditional Jamaican patois or refer to Rastafarian concepts – for example Jah, meaning God. There is heavy use of Jamaican slang, a common example being Ganja, meaning marijuana. Cannabis is smoked as sacrament in the Rastafarian faith, as Rastafarians believe that smoking marijuana allows them to experience a closeness to God.

This message in the songs has been open to much misinterpretation, particularly by American youth who have used this as an excuse to “get high.” Reggae began to rise to international acclaim as the 1970s progressed. A seminal moment for the genre was the release of the 1973 movie The Harder They Come. The film reached a global audience and told the story of a young man making his way in urban Jamaica. Most importantly though, it had a soundtrack that consisted entirely of reggae hits, which helped elevate Reggae music to the mainstream. Of particular influence was the popular song You Can Get It if You Really Want by Jimmy Cliff that was featured on the soundtrack. Of course, Bob Marley is the world’s best known and loved international Reggae ambassador. Marley’s career spanned more than a decade, beginning in 1963 with Rocksteady band, the Wailers, and culminating in the release of his 1977 solo album, Exodus, which achieved international acclaim. Marley was not only a Reggae singer, but a committed Rastafarian and a political activist.

Through his music, his words and his actions, he earned forever a place in Reggae fans hearts around the world. Marley’s music was first popularised in the Wes by Eric Clapton performing a cover of Who Shot the Sheriff. Since the 60s and 70s, Reggae music has spread and developed in many different ways around the world. This distinctive style was the precursor to modern Jamaican style Dub, as well as British bands, such as UB40, The Reggaskas; American Ska groups, such as Reel big Fish, Sublime and No Doubt; Jambands, such as the String cheese Incident; and even Rap and Hip-Hop. Of course, Reggae is still going strong in its pure form around the world too, with many modern Reggae bands achieving success in the mainstream.

Back to previous page The evolution of music - Embrace the change, says Jamaica Music Museum curator | Entertainment | Jamaica Gleaner The evolution of music - Embrace the change, says Jamaica Music Museum curator Published:Tuesday | March 12, 2013 | 12:00 AM 2 Jordane Delahaye, Gleaner Writer Over the past couple of years, dancehall music has experienced an unprecedented dominance of local airwaves. Jamaica, a country revered for producing one of the most original genres of music and some of the world's most celebrated in that same genre, has been toting reggae's flamboyant offspring as the music of choice for quite some time now. Many music enthusiasts have voiced their antagonism towards dancehall and its reign on the local music circuit, because of the recurring motifs of sex and violence that it tends to portray, with explicit lyrics that leave little to the imagination. But, dancehall music is as much a part of Jamaican culture as reggae music though, and all animosity should be directed towards the musicians rather than the music.

The truth is, sex and violence are recurrent themes in many popular genres of music on the international scene today, and are not necessarily a defining characteristic of the genre itself, but speak instead to the artiste's moral standing. Reggae music is the diamond of Sierra Leone that has lost its lustre and appeal in the country that it has brought fame. Internationally though, reggae is still lauded and celebrated, even though it is, for the most part, the same veteran reggae musicians who are being praised. Many have blamed reggae's virtual consignment to oblivion in Jamaica on a lack of fresh, credible reggae acts, but director/curator of the Jamaica Music Museum Herbie Miller isn't convinced. Miller blames reggae's poor performance on the local music scene on the disinterest of the younger generation. According to Miller, it is the younger generation who knows nothing about the history of Jamaican music that are dispelling music through different media and, naturally, he says, they only purport what they know and are a part of - which is the dancehall culture.

In an interview with The Gleaner, William 'Bunny Rugs' Clarke, lead singer of the Third World band - Jamaica's longest running reggae band, said he saw a bright future for reggae music. Recently, there has been a slew of authentic reggae acts that have surfaced to lift the dark fog of obscurity which seems to have engulfed the genre. Rising, talented musicians like Pentateuch, Chronixx and Kabaka Pyramid join an already long list of reggae acts that have been attempting to herald reggae music's triumphant return to the fore. Unlikely While some of these musicians are bound for success, reggae music's 'comeback' is not guaranteed and is, in fact, unlikely. Many have said that reggae music has been dead for some time now, but this could not be further from the truth. Reggae lives on, not only through surviving and up-and-coming reggae acts, but through dancehall as well. It is important to view the Jamaican music industry's transition from mento in the yesteryear to dancehall today as an evolution rather than a replacement of one genre by the other.

Mento gave birth to ska, which paved the way for reggae and so on. Soon dancehall will have inspired some new sound and the cycle will continue. Miller posits that what is important is for Jamaica to preserve and educate the upcoming generation on the history of Jamaican music, and embrace the change, as it is inevitable. Exploring Reggae 858,172 Description Reggae is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1960s. While sometimes used in a broad sense to refer to most types of popular Jamaican dance music, the term reggae more properly denotes a particular music style that was strongly influenced by traditional mento and calypso music, as well as American jazz and rhythm and blues, and evolved out of the earlier genres ska and rocksteady. Provided by Wikipedia under Creative Commons Attribution CC-BY-SA 4.0

Question: Reggae evolved from what three-letter Jamaican music genre?
Answer: Ska