Night Hawk

Released, September 2010Gappy Ranks may be new in the Jamaican reggae scene, but his debut album already deserves consideration for the genre’s album of the year. More than a mere musical delight, Put the Stereo on offers a retrospective look at Jamaican music history, with a distinctly similar sounds to artists 30 even 40 years to Gappy Ranks senior. He chooses not to pander to the hip-hop infused predilections of most modern audiences for which he will likely be rewarded as far as critical acclaim is concerned, though it remains to see what kind of commercial success the CD develops into. Unfortunately, it seems as if the work couldn’t entirely escape the bad habits of today’s recording artists, as some listeners will immediately auto-tune out to a few tracks, though on the whole the CD is not just tolerable but a true treasure. (more…)

While Bob Marley perhaps made Reggae the most famous airwaves output hailing from the Island of Jamaica, the land is home to many more distinct sounds, offering a very diverse musical culture for such a modestly sized nation. Here’s a brief look at the different stylings found on the island long before reggae found its way to mainstream audiences. These genres helped to establish Jamaica as hub for melodious innovation, and molded the talent for years of musicians to come.Jamaican Folk Music Jamaican folk refers to the original songs of the Jamaican people, many of which came of age over generations of singings before ever being written down or recorded.Mento Some would classify it as a subgenre within Jamaican folk, but Mento rose to its height of popularity much later, in the early 50′s, and would heavily influence future genres such reggae and ska. Mento can be tough to discern from calypso music, native to Trinidad and Tobago, to the untrained ear. (more…)