A Musical Tour of the World: All Countries A-Z One Per Day

This was Masud Sadiki's 2011 song for the United Nation's "Unite to end violence against women" campaign - 'A Stitch in Time'



aka Kevin Donovan; tragically found dead the following year, aged 37, apparently by suicide.

SKNVibes | Masud Sadiki found hanging from tree in Old Road
Masud Sadiki

 

Thanks @Jamsterdammer. From your selection my favourite was the Odisi band. As always, it's great to hear of your personal experiences.

Thanks @John Hp for the very nice song by Masud Sadiki.

I'm going to go sideways a bit. I mentioned when we were in Qatar about the sea music and wanting to include some sea shanteys/chanteys. I had a look around and I found an interesting compilation album 'Caribbean Voyage: Nevis & St Kitts -Tea Meetings, Christmas Sports, & the Moonlight Night' of field recordings from 1962. It includes some chanteys, including 'Bear Away, Yankee, Bear Away, Boy' sung by a group of fishermen led by Water Roberts, being: Walter Roberts, Roy Gumbs, Reginald Syder, Franklin Skeete and Reuben Morris.



There are notes on the album here: Caribbean Voyage: Nevis & St Kitts

I'll add two more songs from the same album. Here is a Quadrille, performed by The Marigolds, 'Old Sailors Never Die'. Despite the name, it appears to not be a chantey.

There are also 'game songs' by a group of children led by Anita Wilkins. This is a counting song 'One, Two, Three'. It sounds better than any counting song I've heard before.

 

That's a great find, HitAndRun! I've had no such luck, but found some stuff that is amusing:

Being part of the Leeward Islands means you have to be prepared when a hurricane hits you. Most of these island nations have spent many years on improving disaster risk reduction and response capacities, but when a really big one strikes there is little one can do except seeking shelter. Here is a Nevis Island Theme Song for the 2012 International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction called "Women, The Invisible Force of Resilience". Unfortunately it doesn't say who the singer is:


Here is a performance at CARIFESTA 2019 of the Best Village Showcase featuring Saint Kitts & Nevis All Star Masquerade Group. It starts at 1:45.
https://youtu.be/qQ2_MR0OLGE

Finally, the Basseterre High School Choir singing live at Hosanna 2019, which I assume is something Christian:
https://youtu.be/NdPVH_F6uCg

 

Thanks @Jamsterdammer. Another three great tracks with variety.

Not introducing much more variety, I found yet another Calypso song, from 1977. 'Wood Man & Instrumental' by De King Arrow. The video is over 7 minutes long, but it plays the song and then plays an instrumental version.

'

 

Just randomly found something. Drew Dean is a singer and composer who describes himself on Bandcamp as from St Kitts & Nevis. Though, he describes himself on Facebook as 'originally from St Kitts and Nevis'. I've been unable to choose between two tracks.

The first one 'Ticking Tah' is a live in the studio collaboration between Dean and Virgin Islands musician André Braithwaite, and was filmed in the Virgin Islands.



And, 'Timeless' featuring rapper Duff Sinatra (no idea where he is from) is a more fully produced track.

Listen to either. Or both. Or neither. It's a free world I'd describe both as very modern takes on synth pop.

 

Thanks for the music, everybody.

Today we're in Saint Lucia, for day two of our three days in the Caribbean in a row.

Here is some patriotic music, 'Saint Lucia We Love' by Mongstar. It takes a bit for the music to start.



Sesenne Descartes is described as a cultural icon of Saint Lucia. Here she is with Manmay-la Di Way. It takes a while for the music to start. As an extra, here is a recent cover of one of Sesenne's songs, E'Oui Sa Vre', sung by Omega. The video was shot in Anse La Raye Village in Saint Lucia.

Following on from yesterday, here is some more energetic music. This is Pressure Boom by Ricky T.

Finally, including photos of carnival, here is Bôbôlist by Jaunty Mregis.

Tomorrow we're in Saint Vincent & Grenadines.

 

A nice selection as always, Sesenne Descartes being my favourite so far.

I'll start with another song about Saint Lucia, and it's a quick return appearance by Ricky T. - 'Sweet St. Lucia' from 2017; including a name-check for Derek Walcott


Curmiah Lisette moved with her family from St. Lucia to London when she was 9 and didn't return until she was 16 - "Model/Poet/Performer/Educator. She’s got it all". There is an official video for 'Lucian Pride', but I prefer this performance for a small audience at London's V&A Museum in 2013.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=njOTQzaSiPE&t&ab_channel=CurmiahLisette
https://mycaribbeanscoop.com/st-lucia/modelpoetperformereducator-meet-multi-talented-curmiah-lisette

Time for something a little more critical - 'From my Corner' by Morgee in 1998 - the first calypso singer I remember seeing making a stage entrance carrying a briefcase. He doesn't have any online presence I could find, apart from on YT, but one comment notes - "This guy is like the calypso kartel exposing truth about dirty government"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fdArLxSKqvY&ab_channel=DennisJamesSr

A brief (1:12) clip of the "folk music of Saint Lucia" being played in a restaurant near Soufrière on the west coast. "Jwé is a form of rural Lucian folk music associated with beach parties, wakes, débòt dances and full moon gatherings"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nl2eVYFy3uY&ab_channel=medstlucia

This is the trailer for the 2015 documentary "Make Mine Country" about the popularity of country music on the island; although "they don't think modern country is really country at all" (they're not the only ones)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dsdhoh2EQYI&ab_channel=ttfilmfestival
Sun, sea and stetsons: why St Lucia loves country and western music

And finally 'Saucy' by Sergie; sadly without a video, but hopefully "just how you like it"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m6ziU13RB5Q&ab_channel=KwasiPromos2020Music
Sergie Opens Up 2018 Season With “Saucy” heat - St. Lucia News From The Voice St. Lucia

 

Thanks @John Hp. Great selections and I appreciated seeing the spoken word/poetry. I was hoping for variety over these three days, and you have provided it! Musically, my favourite was Saucy.

I haven't got much to reply with yet - some more country music might be appropriate.

I'll latch onto the easy to research theme of songs that are paeans to Saint Lucia. This is the extremely mellow instrumental guitar music of Ronald Boo Hinkson with 'Simply Beautiful St. Lucia'.



EDIT: I didn't need to hurry so much. Hinkson was in a band called the Tru-Tones from the 60s, and they went through Reggae, full-on Disco, and maybe other styles. Here's a song of theirs in reggae mode: 'Burning Eyes and Hungry Bellies'.

 

St. Lucia seems to have an interesting musical tradition in comparison to some of the other island states. I liked several of the above posted songs, including Sesenne Descartes and Morgee.

Ives Simeon was another folk icon from St. Lucia. He passed away in 2014 at age 77. Here he is with "Sèl bagay ka fè mwen lapenn" (The Only Thing That Makes Me Feel Sad):


Here is a very nice "St Lucian Creole Medley" by St Lucia National Youth Choir:
https://youtu.be/hNhH_KNBWRs

And here is Connie Marshall with "Polka St. Lucia" from the album Sweet Sounds of St. Lucia:
https://youtu.be/wJwBaCxG3K0

The Ministry of Health and Wellness is taking COVID-19 serious by posting this "Soldiers for Saint Lucia COVID-19 music video":
Soldiers for Saint Lucia COVID-19 music video

Finally, with Christmas only six weeks away, let's get in the mood with Pele and "Our Tradition aka Twadisyon Nou":
https://youtu.be/XpFPo0UffBg
This was taken from a site with the 9 best Lucian Christmas songs here: 9 Best Lucian Christmas Songs Ever Made

 

'Baby Baby' by Gozilay (aka Julius Peter) from 2017 was about the best I could find, although it's more than a little repetitious. Presumably an original song, although it might be cover for all I know.



He has another country song 'Born Lucian', said to be "one of the most played songs by a Saint Lucian artist in recent decades", although it wouldn't be amongst my favourites from the songs about the country that we've heard.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AuhNz8ZoOK8&ab_channel=HOTNESSINTERNATIONAL

Most of the time he appears to be a soca singer - this is 'Koute Mamaw' (Listen to Mama) from 2011; starts 1:45 following some mother and daughter text-related problems.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OcSxIoxr8E8&ab_channel=djfreshakaboball

He's now resident in New York
https://www.thestluciamirror.com/post/slu-s-41st-independence-celebrations-in-the-uk

 

A very early song from the Tru Tones from 1968 called "Show The World" from their eponymous album:


Another monument of St. Lucian music was Joyce Auguste who led The Hewanorra Voices. They emerged in the 1970s, and were one of the premier groups of the Lucian roots revival. Here is a video called "Aie Da", which is a bit confusing in that it is credited to Solo Dessimil Chalmesin, St. Lucia Jems, Hewanorra Voices 1974. Ronald "Boo" Hinkson plays guitar and banjo and Joyce Auguste made the arrangments:
https://youtu.be/LgKf-qvn3_E

And this is "St. Lucian Folk Music Hewanorra Voices". The video shows that the song is called "We Mama":
https://youtu.be/JY2rmP6-mB8

 

Диана Арбенина is her name indeed.
Ночные Снайперы (Night snipers) is the name of the band. First there was the band (actually, a duo with session musucuans), then the second girl left, and the band became more or less solo project. However the name was quite famous, so it is still used.
Раскалённые (Sizzling hot) is the title of the song.

 

Thanks for the music, @Jamsterdammer and @john hp. And thanks for the info @leshafunk. There's been a lot of quite simple music today, in a good way. From this second batch, my favourite has been the St Lucia Youth Choir.

"<country> singer-songwriter" is a common search I use. Today it has revealed Malcom Magaron. Here is is live at the Tavistock Festival in 2006 with 'Glorificajah'.



While Magaron was born in St Lucia, I think he's lived in London for a long while. Here he is in 1971 with the Les Humphries Singers singing 'Little Brown Man'.

EDIT: Oh, and I'll add one more. I wanted to include a steel band, though I suppose I could have waited until tomorrow. Here is 'St Lucia's North Stars Steel Orchestra with 'Tribute to Scrub'.

 

Malcolm Magaron appears to have an interesting history going back to the mid 60s with groups in London including Malcolm Magaron and the Blueshealers which became the Q-Set, but I'm not sure that he's ever been "country".

But here is Gentle Bill Jackson from St Lucia in 2007 with a song which may possibly have been called 'Will you be my valentine?'. A comment from last year indicates that he has passed on.

 

Thanks for the music, everybody.

T0day we're in Saint Vincent & Grenadines.

I'm going to start with some steel can music. This is the Harmonites String Band. They are led by Almondo Shoy on mini steel cans, and are available for hire. Unfortunately they don't say what the tune is called. Hmm... I just posted some, having forgotten that I would be posting this today (this post was written a long time ago.)



Going modern, here is a recent song. Twist My Love by Zoelah. Auto-tune only up to 6, not to 11.

Continuing three days in a row of having rhythmically driving energetic music, here is Skinny Fabulous with Badder than Everyone.

Finally, yet another song advertising the country. This is “This is Who We Are” by Keith Currency, Mentaliss and the New Starrz.

Tomorrow we're out of the Caribbean, going to Samoa.

 

My first choice is 'Never Forget' by Skarpyon (aka Shernelle Williams); from 2016. Wikipedia says he is a Ragga Soca artist.


Skarpyon wins ragga soca crown as carnival kicks off in St. Vincent

Following on from HitandRun's 'Stink and Dutty' post from the other day, some carnival craziness from Lil Flama; - 'Oil Down' ("Jab Market Riddim") from the beginning of this year, celebrating those who like to cover themselves with oil and paint at carnival time (Viking helmets optional)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5eEHULBPmkI&ab_channel=VINCYPOWAENTERTAINMENT
Lil Flama

And on a similar theme (although without a video) - 'Wet and Wild' by Shaunelle McKenzie from 2016
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OczI0wQwvho&ab_channel=ShaunelleMcKenzie-Topic
Shaunelle Mckenzie

My favourite SV&G discovery - Affetuosos of St. Vincent - I couldn't find any information about them apart from discogs listing four singles they had released between 1977-1979.

'Can't Let You Go' (vocal - Lennox 'Dinks' Johnson)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4O2yqrVESEA&ab_channel=bajanmusicfan
'Hopefully' (vocal - Oscar James)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZIUSFYBL2p0&ab_channel=maaisan100
Affetuosos Of St. Vincent

And further back to 1970 for 'St. Vincent Festival' by Lord Hawke (aka Lloyd Providence)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f7W2G_y6bPg&t&ab_channel=VINCYPOWAENTERTAINMENT
Lord Hawk
Remember calypso legends

 

My favourite is the carnival craziness from Lil Flama. Hilarious!

Alston Becket Cyrus is a veteran soca/calypso artist from St. Vincent who has had many hits, but the one I like best is "Barack Obama Song":


Here is some vintage Vincy music by Scorcher with "Come St. Vincent (Wood Upon Sion Hill)"
https://youtu.be/0Srb0y3J-_E

Apparently the singer Kevin Lyttle had and international hit with "Turn Me On" in 2002. I wouldn't have known:
https://youtu.be/GP3Exc5tCtc?list=FLd2v8gspgcoCCOh0eYxdUsw

And this is a Vincy folk song from 1974 sung by the Hope School Choir from Vermont Valley, St. Vincent, called "Plenty Wuk Fo School Pickney". The YT entry has an interesting story as well:
https://youtu.be/egJHq-ygzjw

 

Things are rather tight for time, and I admit I've been spreading my focus around a bit too much. I'm going to respond to @John Hp now, and listen to @Jamsterdammer's selections after my 7pm-8pm meeting tonight, which last week went from 7pm-9pm

My favourite as well from John's postings is the video by Lil Flama with everyone doused in oil of all things

I enjoyed all the songs. I was interested to find out a bit more about the acts that were beaten into the lesser places by Shernelle “Skarpyon” Williams during his victories. After a bit of search, I found 'Ah Ketch It' by Fya Empress. I believe this is Lornette Nedd Reid who was forced back into third place in the Ragga Soca Monarch competition when Skarpyon wone.



Having seen the people soaked in oil, I wondered more about the carnivals. I've never seen a carnival in the Caribbean, never having been there. I have joined in the Notting Hill Carnival in London. So, I found some video more of the carnival itself, than the music. Though, there is music in it - thought I can't guarantee the origin. Is this live? It's labelled 'G.B.T.V. CultureShare ARCHIVES 1995: ST.VINCENT & THE GRENADINES "Carnival Tues" Part 3 of 3'. Having watched it, I'm not sure that everyone looks like they're having fun.

 

Actually I'm still here given that my meeting turned out to have been rescheduled until Wednesday.

The Barack Obama Song is brilliant, as is the repeated dancing clip.

Given that we've had a lot of what I'd described as carnival music, here is something much more loungey. But, also written and sung by Alston Becket Cyrus. 'St. Vincent I Love You'.



Looking for something else different I found the blues of Bob Berlinghof who has played guitar and sang in the Bequia Blues Band. Bequia is the second largest island in St.V&tG. This is 'Dawn's Cafe'.

I found some lists of old St.V&tG folk songs with interesting titles such as 'Green Peas Soup', but couldn't find the music.

 

I looked for some SV&G folk songs without success but did find this interesting video of the La Gracia Dancers, together with a detailed explanation (although there's nothing about the music)


"This video was created and directed by Calvert M. Jones during the National Heroes Day ceremony in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. The first and only National Hero of St. Vincent and the Grenadines is Paramount Chief of the so-called "BLACK CARIBS" Joseph Chatoyer.

As you may or may not know, most of the BLACK CARIBS were exiled from St. Vincent after they were defeated by the British in the last so-called Carib Wars in 1796 to an island off St. Vincent called Balliceaux where many of them died. Those who survived were then shipped to Roatan Island off the coast of Honduras. The offspring of those "Black Caribs" called themselves GARINAGUA. But they are more widely known as GARIFUNA, which in fact is the LANGUAGE.

Just in case you're wondering, the yellow and black colors are REPRESENTATIVE of the MIXING of the AFRICAN and "YELLOW" Carib which gave BIRTH to the "BLACK CARIBS" aka the GARIFUNA people. You may also see Yellow, Black and White as well. This is in TRIBUTE to the GARIFUNA FLAG.

During the annual National Heroes ceremony in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, you have GARIFUNA people LIVING in Central America (Belize, Honduras, Nicaragua and Guatemala) and the United States come to SVG to partake in the festivities and especially to take the annual pilgrimage to Balliceaux, the island where many of their forebears died in exile.

"Be as proud of yourselves today as our fathers were in the days of yore. We have a beautiful history, and we shall create another in the future that will astonish the world". ~ Marcus Garvey"

La Gracia 12 and still growing

 

Joie Parris is a vocalist from SV&G with a Vincentian father and Guyanese mother. She has made a career covering jazz standards and top 40 hits in luxury resorts all over the Caribbean. I found this video where she delivers an impressive cover of Gnarles Barkley's Crazy:


From someone I met in Trinidad I understood that there is some great reggae being made on Saint Vincent. Here are Abuza, Dynamite & Yaphatto celebrating the dreaded weed on "We Smoking":
https://youtu.be/tBmkLVSyEjo

And here is Yaphatto solo with "Concrete Jungle":
https://youtu.be/nHh07nwWhwc

 

Thanks both. @john hp - there seems to be an argument about the music in the tracks with the dancers, with the film-maker defending the choice. It's good music, and the focus is on the dancers. One person in the comments points out someone they went to school with.

@Jamsterdammer - I particularly liked the reggae tracks. Even though, being very boring, I was more taken by the bananas in the background than all the ganja.

I did find some country music from St.V&tG. This is 'The Country Relatives' with 'St. Vincent, My Home Land'. I wasn't initially sure they are from the country, and thought they might be a visiting band. But, I googled and found this song from the album 'Made in Bequia'.

 

Also from Bequia; the singer-songwriter Amanda Gooding - 'Slow Down Baby' from her first album


Coconut Ocean Vibez :: Amanda Gooding

 

Thanks for the music, everyone.

Today we're in Samoa.

I'm going to start with pictures of rugby, including war dances traditionally performed by Samoan teams before a match. This is the RSA Band Samoa with Tama Samoa.



A lot of people from Samoa live outside the country, with very large communities in New Zealand and Australia. I wanted to include log drums, and ended up with this video by Australian Samoan Bobby Alu playing Mili Mili.

Similarly here. Marina Davis describes herself as a 'Samoan singer, songwriter, vocal coach, and top selling artist.' However, she seems to have made her career in New Zealand. Here she is with O Le Taualuga.

With some Pacific Islands, the music is all a bit ... nice. So, here as some balance is some metal music from Samoa. Shepherds Reign with Le Manu. I particularly like the video.

Tomorrow we're in San Marino.

 

My YT problem was finding music from the former Western Samoa, as opposed to music from American Samoa, but I did find a few things which I believe may relate to the correct country.

This is Tiama'a in American Samoa in 1978. They appear to have been from Toamua in 'Upolu, but recorded and toured in American Samoa. Several members now live in Auckland in New Zealand, with others in Australia and Samoa.

a comment from last year - "And I say this with no exaggeration, the BEST BAND to come from Samoa"
Tiama'a

The Keil Isles (four brothers and a cousin; "Samoans with German ancestry") relocated from Western Samoa to New Zealand in the 1950s - 'Bullmoose' from 1959 was a cover of a Bobby Darin song (the B-side of 'Dream Lover')
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pNJcHTz3Anc&ab_channel=jansel05
Their vocalist Herma Keil in the 1966 NZ film 'Don't Let it Get You' - YT postings indicate he was backed by the (previously seen on this thread) Quin Tikis, but although Herma did go solo around this time I think the group in the film may actually be be the Keil Isles - 'My World has Gone' (unfortunately subject to some kind of fake stereo on both YT postings of the song)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Y6MFvcZuoo&t&ab_channel=SteveReekie
Herma Keil - Wikipedia

This has been posted as "True Samoan Tribal Dance - choir song & traditional drum beat music from Savai'i"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNIpQhAnmXE&ab_channel=PacificSongsandMovies

Opetaia Foai of the group Te Vaka has a song about his home town 'Alamagato' (which appears to be in 'Upolu) - performed in Apia in 2002. The New Zealand based group includes members from several countries and have been called the "world's most successful band playing original contemporary Pacific music"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IV9_u8T0uaU&ab_channel=TeVaka
Te Vaka - Wikipedia

Something a little more recent - 'Apia Lo'u Taulaga' (Apia, my city) by Peninaotifau Savea from 2018. I couldn't find any information about her except that she has an album recorded with Danny Leao.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xUmYbxkg8Y0&ab_channel=PeninaotifauSavea

And finally 16 seconds of men hitting things - "Samoan drums in Apia"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mLlzJRKnGGU&ab_channel=JoãoLeitão