In the tradition of the West Africa griots and the ancient Greek epic poets / storytellers, calypso music has long provided a form of social commentary for the Trinidadian and Tobagonian peoples. • Originating from the kaiso music of Western Africa and evolving with various influences over time, calypso is to Trinidad and Tobago as reggae is to Jamaica and samba is to Brazil. • Despite tackling often-serious subject matter, a calypsonian conveys it all in a humorous – sometimes bawdy – but always inherently enjoyable manner. • This collection highlights a selection of classic and modern calypsos.

As a music laboratory of great influence in the southern states of America, New Orleans was instrumental in the development of American popular music, and soul in particular. Fantastic New Orleans artists and producers mixed religious and secular music, Indian and Caribbean sounds, voodoo, Jazz and Zydeco… Their soul music was born out of the fusion between those influences and the language and emotions of Gospel, creating a universal idiom that stood the world on its head. In the 32 page booklet accompanying this essential anthology, Bruno Blum provides a commentary of the metamorphosis of Negro spirituals, blues and rock into pure New Orleans soul, thanks to such legendary artists as Lee Dorsey, Irma Thomas, Snooks Eaglin or Eddie Bo. Patrick FReMEAUX