Introduction
The rhythms and instrumentation of Latin music
from Central and South America and the Caribbean
have been used
extensively in Western styles of popular music,
espedally jazz, rock, pop and dance music.
Musicians
from Cuba and other Latin countries
played a role
in the development of Latin jazz in New York City,
while Brazilian musicians created
samba and bossa nova,
two very popular styles of music.
While Latin music and dance are popular
throughout the world,
it is mostly in Latin American countries
where the music really thrives.
Reggae music,
from the island of Jamaica,
is known throughout the world,
and its unique rhythm has influenced
many musicians in other genres.
Reggae is very popular in African countries,
where its political and social messages appeal
to the black populations.
Latin Music
Latin music comes
from the countries around the world
where Spanish is spoken,
including Spain, Mexico
and the countries in Central and South America.
Latin music is similar
to American music
in that it is a mix of African, European and indigenous influences.
Latin music has a strong Spanish influence
in its vocals and in the use of the acoustic guitar,
and an influence from jazz
in the use of brass and reeds.
African-based percussion is very prominent
and includes bongos, congas, shakers, cowbells and other drums.
Brass instruments and piano are also common
in Latin music.
Syncopation—placing notes on the offbeats—helps make
the music very lively and danceable.
There is not one predominant style of Latin music,
as each country has developed its own local styles
and borrowed from others,
but Afro-Cuban rhythms were very influential
in the 20th century.
Other Latin music styles include merengue,
which originally came from the Dominican Republic,
cumbia from Colombia,
salsa from Cuban and Puerto Rican communities in New York,
mariachi and conjunto from Mexico,
and reggaeton, a mix of Latin, hip hop and reggae music.
Andean music,
based in countries like Bolivia, Chile and Peru,
is different
from other Latin music styles
in that the influence of indigenous cultures is stronger,
especially in the use of panpipes.
Latin dances,
which have been internationally popular
at different times
during the past century,
include the cha-cha-cha, rumba, mambo, salsa, merengue
and the tango from Argentina.
In the 1990s
there was an explosion of interest in Latin music and dance,
especially salsa and merengue.
Latin music is very popular in the U.S.
where Latinos are the biggest minority group.
Today, Latin pop music can be heard
around the world
and includes many musical influences.
There are Latin musicians p
laying heavy metal, rock, reggae, pop, electronica, dance and hip hop.
Some of the most popular performers of the last 50 years include
tango master Astor Piazzolla, Tito Puente, Celia Cruz, Beny More, Ibrahim Ferrer,
Marc Anthony, Julio Iglesias, Ricky Martin,
Grupo Niche and Shakira.
Brazilian Music
Brazilian music is placed
in a different category from Latin music
because of its Portuguese background.
Moreover, Brazil's large size and population have led
to the emergence of a great number of musicians and styles.
Brazil's music is influenced
by African, European and indigenous music.
There is a strong percussive element
in much Brazilian music,
and the use of guitar, piano, reed and brass instruments is also common.
Samba is one of the most popular styles of music
to come from Brazil.
It was first played
at the beginning of the 20th century
in poor black communities in Rio de Janeiro,
and its appeal grew steadily.
The true beginning of Brazilian popular music was in the 1930s
when radio stations played the various forms of Brazilian music
that were developing at the time.
In the 1950s,
composers like Antonio Carlos Jobim and Joao Gilberto created
bossa nova, a smooth and slow style
that had both jazz and samba influences.
In the 1960s,
musicians like Caetano Veloso and Gilberto Gil added
electric rock influences
to Brazilian music,
and the resulting genre was named Tropicalia.
After the 1970s,
Brazilian popular music became known
as MPB—Musica Popular Brasileira—
and was influenced by jazz, rock, pop, funk and Latin music.
Most MPB songs include
traditional Brazilian styles, rhythms and instruments.
DJ culture and electronic music are also very big in Brazil.
Some of the great names
in Brazilian music
since the 1970s
include
Elis Regina, Maria Bethania, Jorge Ben, 20 Djavan, Gal Costa, Milton Nascimento, Marisa Monte,
Os Mutantes, Carlinhos Brown, Bebel Gilberto, Daniela Mercury and Lenine.
The yearly celebration of carnaval underlines
the importance of music and dance in Brazilian society.
Reggae
Reggae music developed
on the island of Jamaica in the Caribbean Sea
and became a worldwide genre
largely through the popularity of reggae star Bob Marley
in the '70s and '80s.
Reggae was influenced
in the beginning
by African-Caribbean music, and American rhythm and blues and soul.
The instruments of a typical reggae band are guitar, bass, drums and keyboard.
Reggae is defined
by guitar strokes
played between the beats, strong bass lines and offbeat drumming.
Reggae lyrics typically deal
with religious, social, political, romantic and sexual themes.
There are numerous styles
of reggae, including ska, rocksteady, roots, dub, raga, dancehall and reggaeton.
In the 1960s,
Jamaican musicians played
styles of up-tempo music
that were called ska and rocksteady.
The Wallers,
including the popular Bob Marley,
were one of the biggest bands of the time.
By the end of the '60s,
the rhythms of rocksteady and ska were slowed down
and a new style called reggae was created.
15 The word reggae comes
from a 1960s song
called "Do the Reggay."
In the 1970s,
reggae began to establish itself
as a creative force on the music scene.
The reggae of the '70s is known
as roots reggae,
and its lyrics focus on social, political and religious themes, especially subjects
connected with the Rastafari religion.
In this religion,
in which God is called Jah,
smoking marijuana and wearing dreadlocks are considered
part of the faith.
In 1973, the Wailers,
including songwriters Bob Marley, Bunny Livingston and Peter Tosh,
made Catch a Fire
one of the first reggae albums
to become successful around the world.
British guitarist Eric Clapton recorded
a version of the Waiters' "I Shot the Sheriff,"
as well as other songs
played in the reggae style,
which helped bring reggae
to the attention of popular music fans.
After the Wailers broke up in 1974,
each member had a successful solo career;
but it was Bob Marley’s music and positive lyrics about social and political change
that helped bring reggae
to Africa and English-speaking countries.
In the 1970s,
reggae producers and musicians were responsible
for the creation of dub music,
early forms of rap and up-tempo ska.
Dub music,
whose name came from the word "double,"
consisted of instrumental tracks
that were changed in the studio
using effects like echo and reverb.
Producers l
ike Lee "Scratch" Perry, Coxsone Dodd from Studio One and King Tubby
were very important
to the creation of early reggae and dub.
In the late '60s and early '70s,
Jamaican DJs (known as MCs in America) were already rapping
over instrumental music
in order to entertain and excite the crowds
at neighborhood parties.
This would have a big effect
on the development of hip hop
in New York City in the '70s.
Reggae also had an influence
on the British music scene,
as bands developed
a form of lively reggae called ska,
which is still popular today.
Later Reggae
By the time of Bob Mariey's death in 1981,
reggae was well established
throughout the world,
especially in Africa,
where its messages of political and social freedom connected
with Africa's colonial history.
Reggae rhythms became faster
in the '80s,
but the essential between-the-beats guitar stroke was retained
in most songs.
Styles were called
dancehall, ragga and reggaeton,
the latter being a mix of Latin music and reggae.
Recent reggae is influenced
by hip hop
and features a great deal of rap,
while drum machines have become more important
in the creation of beats.
Although recent reggae has been criticized
for its sometimes violent and sexist lyrics,
reggae music in its various styles
has been heard on radio
since the '70s,
and continues to attract many listeners.
Some of the well-known reggae artists
since the '70s
include Toots and the Maytals, Barrington Levy, Jimmy Cliff, Desmond Decker, Diana King, the
Mighty Diamonds, Shabba Ranks and Sean Paul.
The- Music Makers
* Bob Marley (1945-1981)
Bob Marley's career lasted
a little more than 20 years,
but he helped establish
reggae as an internationally popular style of music.
He is also known
for his support of the Rastafari religion and its use of marijuana,
and for his lyrics,
which contain messages of love and strong religious belief,
as well as a deep concern
for poor and oppressed people.
Marley was born
in Jamaica in 1945,
the son of a British man and a Jamaican woman.
His music career began
when he was young
and, as a member of the Wallers,
he had his first hit
in Jamaica in 1963,
when he was only 18 years old.
In the 1970s,
he established himself
as a solo artist
and helped bring reggae and Rastafarianism to the attention of the world.
He was extremely supportive
of the liberation of Africa
from its colonial past,
and he toured the continent in 1980.
His music no doubt helped to establish
reggae as a popular music style there.
Unfortunately, Marley died of cancer
at the age of 36.
He was buried in Jamaica
with his guitar, a soccer ball, the Bible and some marijuana.
His son Ziggy reported
that his last words were, "Money can't buy life."
* Caetano Veloso (1942- )
Veloso is one of Brazil's most famous musicians and singer-songwriters.
He is well known
for his highly intellectual, poetic lyrics.
Born in 1942,
he began his career playing bossa nova.
He was one of the main forces
behind the creation of Tropicalia music in the 1960s.
Tropicalia mixed
Brazilian pop with '60s rock and avant-garde music.
Veloso expressed
some critical political views in his lyrics,
and this was not accepted
by the government at the time.
He and Gilberto Gil, a friend and fellow musician, were jailed
and eventually exiled to London.
Caetano returned to Brazil in 1972
and continued a long, successful career
as one of Brazil's most popular composers.
Caetano's career expanded internationally
after 1983,
and he has recorded
more than 50 albums
Cultural Tidbit
Censorship
Censorship in music has existed
for thousands of years and continues today.
Religion has played a major role.
In some Islamic societies, f
or example, secular music is forbidden.
Some Christian groups have protested
against so-called satanic
messages of metal bands,
as well as the sexist lyrics of some hip hop artists.
Various forms of music censorship have been based
on racism and sexism within societies.
In certain African and Islamic societies,
women are allowed to sing
but not play instruments.
In the early 20th century in America,
black musicians were often segregated
from white musicians.
The censorship of lyrics is also common.
In the U.S. in the 1980s,
pressure was put
on the government and on recording companies
to place "Parental Advisory" labels on music CDs
to warn people about violent and sexual lyrics.
Censorship can also be political
and some governments have even banned
musical styles
coming from other countries.
For example, American-style rock'n'roll was
once banned in communist countries
like China and Russia,
and Japanese music was banned in Korea
following World War II.
Television and radio have also censored music.
MTV has banned certain music videos
for their violent or sexual images,
and radio stations often choose
not to play music
that is controversial.
In the UK, the British Broadcasting Company (BBC) has banned
certain songs
because of drug-related, sexual or politically controversial lyrics.
Lyrics can be controversial
if they are political, violent or sexual,
but some people believe
that open criticism and freedom of expression are important to a society.
It is also argued
that most people are intelligent enough
to make their own judgments
about the written word.
The question does remain, however,
as to what to do about lyrics
that are extremely sexist, violent or political—
whether it is best to censor these lyrics,
or simply inform people about them
and let them make their own choices.