Soca music is influencing the direction of West Indian carnivals, leading to the erasure of some truly exceptional songs. Recently, we began to 'bring back' to our readers some of the old music. There's something special about capturing that nostalgic DJ vibe with a classic Soca tune. We found one of those songs, a dancehall soca song, and today, we feature one very famous Vincentian singer, Alston Becket. Becket is a wonderful singer, and, to be honest, the Caribbean has not seen another talent like this. Today we pick one song that we recently heard played by Mr. Desmond on WACK Visual Radio: "Since Ah Small."
"Since Ah Small" is a genre-bridging song known as "Dancehall Soca," not Calypso or Soca. When you listen to the song it is easy to understand why it was labeled "Dancehall Soca." Dancehall Soca was still evolving in the late '80s, blending Jamaican Dancehall vibes with the undeniable energy of Soca. Becket, always an innovator, embraced this fusion effortlessly in "Since Ah Small." His delivery—playful yet commanding—captures the spirit of storytelling that makes Caribbean music so rich.
"Since Ah Small" was arranged by the legendary Frankie McIntosh and featured on the 1988 album Soca Dance Party. Both Becket and Frankie McIntosh are beloved Vincentians who created excellent music that crossed borders long before soca replaced calypso as the preferred music for Caribbean-style carnivals.
Efforts to preserve and reintroduce songs like "Since Ah Small" go beyond nostalgia—they safeguard the legacy of artists like Becket, whose contributions deserve continued celebration. His work, alongside Frankie McIntosh, stands as a testament to the dynamic and ever-evolving nature of Caribbean music.
It is always a challenge to reintroduce songs like Becket's "Since Ah Small" to a generation that speaks Zess Soca, Dennery Segment and Bouyon. It's the "older heads" who demand the preservation and resurgence of these classic songs. Any generation will always appreciate excellent music, I assure you. The music of Frankie McIntosh and Becket is worth making the effort to bring to this generation of listeners. Today's music can be monotonous at times; listening to a song like "Since ah Small" can be invigorating and stands as a testament to the dynamic and ever-evolving nature of Caribbean music.