Knowing my penchant for music of the Caribbean from Calypso and Mento to Soca to Rock Steady, Ska and Reggae, I didn’t know the legendary musical social historian Alan Lomax had conveyed anything but the blues . . . so this at it’s 11 CD collection is truly fascinating!
VA - Caribbean Voyage "Alan Lomax's 1962 Field Recordings" [1997-2004] (11 x CDs)
ALAN LOMAX
VA - Caribbean Voyage "Alan Lomax's 1962 Field Recordings" [1997-2004] (11 x CDs)
"This series documents Alan Lomax’s 1962 journey through the Caribbean, a trip that produced one of the most detailed sonic portraits of the region ever assembled. Across the full run of volumes, the recordings capture local traditions at a moment when many were still rooted in community practice rather than commercial performance. The sets move from Trinidad and Tobago to Dominica, Grenada, Carriacou, St. Lucia, and beyond, each disc shaped by the voices, rhythms, and stories of the people Lomax encountered. The material is presented with minimal interference, allowing the texture of place to remain intact.
The early volumes focus on work songs, ritual pieces, and dance forms that had developed over generations. The voices are unpolished, the percussion handmade, and the performances shaped by the settings in which they were recorded. Lomax’s microphone catches the sound of open air, shifting crowds, and the natural pulse of communal music‑making. As the series progresses, the range widens. String bands, chantwells, spiritual leaders, and festival groups appear, each carrying a distinct regional identity while sharing rhythmic and melodic threads that link the islands.
Several moments stand out across the collection. The Carriacou Big Drum ceremonies reveal a deep connection between music and ancestral memory, while the Trinidadian pieces show the roots of calypso before studio polish reshaped it. The work songs from Dominica and Grenada carry a steady, unforced power, shaped by call‑and‑response patterns that speak to shared labour and shared history.
Taken as a whole, the Caribbean Voyage series forms a rare document of mid‑century Caribbean life. It preserves music that was still tied to community function, capturing voices and traditions that might otherwise have remained unheard beyond their home islands. The recordings stand as both cultural record and living soundscape, offering a clear window into a region defined by movement, memory, and rhythm." (Butterboy)
follow the link above for track listing it makes an interesting read that will lead to sample this fine studious set
Included in this set are the following albums:
Caribbean Voyage, Brown Girl in The Ring [1997]
Caribbean Voyage, Carriacou Calaloo [1999]
Caribbean Voyage, Dominica, Creole Crossroads [1999]
Caribbean Voyage, East Indian Music in the West Indies [1999]
Caribbean Voyage, Grenada, Creole and Yoruba Voices [2001]
Caribbean, Voyage Martinique [2001]
Caribbean Voyage, Nevis & St. Kitts [2002]
Caribbean Voyage, Saraca, Funerary Music of Carriacou [1962]
Caribbean Voyage, The French Antilles [2004]
Caribbean Voyage, Tombstone Feast ( Funerary Music of Carriacou) [2001]
Caribbean Voyage, Trinidad, Carnival Roots [2000]
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