When I put out my ideas for this 'Short and Sweet Series', I was told, "You are now going down the rabbit hole!" I must admit, the topic of Soca is rife with misunderstandings and discontent among many who feel the story is told incorrectly. I guess venturing into the unknown, or as 'Grammarist' explained, "a situation that's bizarrely perplexing and difficult to understand, so it sucks you in with a search for answers." Indeed, I believe we have been immersed in this head-spinning topic for some time now, but today's post aims to explore ideas and concepts related to fusion, innovation, and the influence of culture on soca. If we get it wrong, we expect that you will correct the record.
I recently did a post titled The Evolution of Calypso to Soca: The Transformative Years by Mr. Kenny Phillips. I intend to repurpose the article for this post. Soca music, a derivative of Calypso, is a significant part of West Indian carnival celebrations worldwide. It evolved from Calypso in the 1970s when Lord Shorty introduced Sokah, a new style of Calypso, which has since been referred to as Soca and continues to dominate. Carnival 2025 brought back the Calypso vibe to Soca through numerous Calypsoca songs, but Soca still dominated the festival.
A blend of two or more musical styles
Fusions combine music styles influenced by globalization and cultural mixing, creating unique and distinctive genres. Soca, a blend of traditional Calypso and Indian influences, reflects Trinidad's multicultural tapestry and is known for its infectious party vibes. Shorty spoke about bringing the races together through music. Shorty believed that using music to unite different races could counteract the divide-and-conquer tactics based on race relations, but his efforts ultimately backfired. However, as Kenny Phillips said, Shorty was searching for something, and when he combined the sounds of East Indian instruments with traditional Calypso music instruments, he created a unique fusion. The fusion of sound, music and style created Sokah!
Innovation through the years
Innovation in music involves combining inspiration from various genres to create new styles. Some composers seek to out-innovate by tweaking existing sounds, redefining music as noise, or discovering new genres within existing ones. Initially, there was Sokah, later known as Soca. The innovation started early, and as the years passed, the evolution continued with subgenres and styles associated with mas and the diaspora.
Today we have a plethora of Soca music... yes, an abundance of styles brought about by innovative musicians. For this post we will not deal with Parang Soca and Soca Parang (that is not a typo; they are different styles)!
- Chutney, groove, ragga, and power soca evolved out of Trinidad. Don't hastily assume that Power Soca originated in Saint Vincent; let me provide some clarification before you proceed with your argument. A faster bpm for soca was started in Trinidad in the seventies, but it was in Saint Vincent that they really did a number on the bpm and named it "Power Soca." Indeed, the Vincies were the first to call it power soca!
- Grenada is known for its raw and intense Jab Jab Soca, a subgenre of Power Soca with heavy basslines and traditional jab jab drumming.
- Saint Lucia is home to the Dennery Segment, a genre influenced by Afrobeat and dancehall.
- Barbados is known for its Bashment Soca, a fusion of Soca and dancehall rhythms.
- Saint Vincent and the Grenadines have Vincy Soca (they call it Ragga Soca), a unique blend of power and groove styles.
- Guadeloupe and Martinique have a Creole twist, blending Zouk and Soca to give us Bouyon Soca. Bouyon is a staple of Dominican soca today.
- The US Virgin Islands have a more eclectic approach to soca, blending it with reggae, dancehall, and calypso.
Culture
Soca music, originating in Trinidad and Tobago in the 1970s, blends Afro-Caribbean rhythms with Indian influences, reflecting the region's multicultural heritage. Every island in the diaspora where Soca music drives the local carnival has something special that each community adds to the music post. Some continue with traditional sounds, and some take it to the next level the way the Grenadians did with Jab Soca.
Our beloved Soca music celebrates local customs, festivals, and communal gatherings, with instruments, dance styles, and storytelling deeply rooted in Caribbean culture. Indeed, culture serves as the vital core of this vibrant art form.
In conclusion, the "Short and Sweet Series" showcases the dynamic interplay between vibrant art forms and cultural innovation, capturing the essence of an evolving musical landscape. As the younger Zess generation takes over from the older "pure-soca-generation," a thrilling fusion of styles honors tradition while paving the way for new expressions. The series will continue to offer fresh insights and engaging content reflecting these changes. This was not short, and we could go on, but hopefully we caught your attention today.
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Production Notes/Music Credits:
Video Presentation: The Evolution of Calypso to Soca
Presented by: Ashwin Seegobin
Narrated/Discussion: Mr. Kenny Phillips
Origin: Palmiste, San Fernando, Trinidad, Republic of Trinidad & Tobago
Genre: Sokah/Soca
We present the music here for your listening pleasure and promotional purposes only, adhering to the "Fair Use" Musical Content Copyright Disclaimer under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976. Sokah2Soca/Soca Music Blog © 1990 by Santiwah is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-SA/4.0/.
♫ Please click the music player button below to listen now (a small triangle in the music player/TV frame).
From Facebook Post:
Mr. Kenny Phillips, a legendary songwriter, producer, musician, and entrepreneur with a profound impact on the evolution of Calypso music into the vibrant Soca genre, which was known as 'Sokah' during this time, here enlightens us about his invaluable experience during this transformative period in Trinidad music.