Carnival Music in Trinidad: Experiencing Music, Expressing Culture offers an engaging introduction to the vibrant soundscape of Trinidad’s world‑famous Carnival. Part of Oxford’s Global Music Series, it uses contemporary Carnival as a starting point to explore how music, history, and culture intersect on the island.
The book traces the development of calypso, steelband, soca, and related styles, showing how musical structure, lyrics, and performance practice reflect Trinidadian society. It highlights calypso’s role as a popular voice commenting on politics and everyday life, and examines the steelband’s journey from marginalized neighbourhoods in Port of Spain to a symbol of national pride and artistic innovation.
Along the way, the author considers how Carnival music shapes ideas of national and ethnic identity, and how traditional functions of the music coexist with modern commercial pressures. Written in an accessible, lively style, it is suitable for students of world music and general readers interested in Caribbean culture.
Ideal for readers who want to:
- Understand the history and aesthetics of calypso, steelband, and soca
- See how Carnival performances express social and cultural ideas
- Use an in-depth case study alongside broader world music surveys
