Category: Chutney Music

  • Sundar Popo’s Saga

    On the drive back to Queens, New York, from Yale University, Connecticut, Sundar Popo was in a fiery mood. Far removed from the journey there when he stretched off on his side and napped, with a casual, “wake meh when we reach.” He slurped loudly on a can of Coca-Cola while I stared through the…

  • Obeah in the 2018 Chutney Soca Monarch finals

    Obeah in the 2018 Chutney Soca Monarch finals

    He’s no newcomer to the big stage. Veekash Sahadeo has made it to the finals of the 2018 Chutney Soca Monarch. He will battle nine others for the title. Sahadeo, a songwriter, would perform his song “Obeah”. He explained, “I like writing songs about topics people can relate to. It makes the song easy for…

  • Meet Ravi B and Karma the Band

    Ravi is one of the most prestigious Indian male artistes from Trinidad and Tobago because of his versatility and charming personality. He is one of the youngest and most creative musical producers, directors, singers and one of the most sought after musical programmers in Chutney and Soca. Ravi attended the Sangre Grande Hindu school, North…

  • Lord Shorty invents the chutney style

    Lord Shorty invents the chutney style 1971: Number 31 in our series of the 50 key events in the history of world and folk music John Lewis Even Lord Shorty, the leading light of Trinidadian calypso, could see that it had run its course by the early 70s. In search of a new sound, he…

  • Chutney Soca to blame for Stereotypes of Indo-Trinbagonians?

    Chutney Soca to blame for Stereotypes of Indo-Trinbagonians?

    Is Chutney Soca to blame for Stereotypes about Indo-Trinbagonians? By Kamsha Maharaj | March 28, 2011 “Rum is meh lovah… and you cyah change meh, cuz you know ah was ah drinka…so barman gimme a Guinness and puncheon…cuz I wha meh rum in de morning…” For those who aren’t Trinidadian, the above lyrics are from…

  • Is Chutney out of place in Carnival?

    Is Chutney out of place in Carnival? BY DR KUMAR MAHABIR When people get angry, they tend to speak their mind. Their emotions explode in words that they have been suppressing for some time. Psychologist Dr Jeffrey Huntsinger proved this theory after conducting experiments at Loyala University in Chicago in the USA in 2012. Chutney…

  • Chutney Soca from Oral Tradition to Carnivalization

    Chutney Soca from Oral Tradition to Carnivalization

    “From Oral Tradition to Carnivalization: Chutney Soca, the Indian Sound of the Caribbean” by Darrell G. Baksh by JESSICA DILDAY on DECEMBER 15, 2014 Transported from the ‘Cow Belt’ of India – the northern states of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar – under conditions of indentured labour to Trinidad, chutney soca is the name ascribed to…

  • Chutney music: You don’t need to understand Bhojpuri to love the spicy beats

    Chutney music: You don’t need to understand Bhojpuri to love the spicy beats

    Trinidad’s chutney music: You don’t need to understand Bhojpuri to love the spicy beats Brought to the West Indies by Indian workers, Bhojpuri and calypso share a love for uptempo beats and innuendo. Trinidad’s chutney music: You don’t need to understand Bhojpuri to love the spicy beats “Do you know what it means: ‘Patthar mor…

  • Chutney Soca: A different drum beat and musical offering

    The beat of a different chutney soca drum T&T’s chutney soca fuses Indian music with African elements drawn from calypso. Kim Johnson unearths its intertwined roots By Kim Johnson | Issue 111 (September/October 2011) The coupling of chutney and soca is a movement, drifting now in the soca direction, now in the chutney direction, like…

  • Does Chutney Soca Music need Bollywood Melodies?

    Does Chutney Soca Music need Bollywood Melodies?

    Sharlene Rampersad, Published:Tuesday, January 17, 2017 Cross over artiste Rikki Jai has come out in support of Bollywood melodies being used in the Chutney/Soca competition. Jai (Samraj Jaimungal) said while he is not contradicting the right of other artistes to question the use of this music in the competition, this is the direction in which…