This month’s listening picks from the Caribbean — featuring new music by Leon Foster Thomas; Monique La Chapelle; Fay-Ann Lyons; and Kevon Carter
Leon Foster Thomas
Calasanitus (Crossover Jazz)
The steel pan, as an instrument for translating emotion into sound, does not receive the high-profile notice that, say, a violin or piano does. With a history not yet 100 years old, this may be inevitable – but in the hands of a master, one can hear the expressive potential of the instrument. Thomas’ rapid-fire flair takes a back seat to his improvisational élan on this, his fourth album, to let his compositions breathe and his guest soloists soar. The album is a tribute to his late mother and her life lessons, and its songs follow a range of ideas and moods – from heartache to joy, meditation to remembrance. Steelpan, piano, saxophone and trumpets speak dramatically to each other to tell stories: a parent’s sacrifice, an immigrant’s dream, the immigrant’s challenges, a blissful evocation of childhood, a meditation on the end of life in the Caribbean, and more. This mature reflection – good and sad, well played – makes this album a keeper.
Monique La Chapelle
The Hopeful Romantic (self-published)
The hopeful romantic it plays like a musical autobiography, or a song diary where personal stories become public. The arc of a relationship is explored over these seven songs: longing for love, lovers, lovers… These nuanced differences are reflected in lyrics that speak of having lived this range of emotions – culminating in the recognition that not all young people love is eternal. The fall and rebound from sadness in this song cycle culminate in a duet with Zachary de Lima, offering a masculine perspective on unfulfilled possibilities. The excellent production value puts this album in a category above many others; Adding to the playlist should be a no-brainer. La Chapelle’s vocal phrasing works effectively and emotionally on these songs. Brilliant pop sensibility and a touch of island vernacular on standout track, “It Doh Matter”, make this a great debut album from a young Trinidadian singer/songwriter with something to say.
Fay-Ann Lyons
HuU Project: Human Infinite (Bad Beagle)
There is an open conversation about what constitutes a soca artist. A carnaval singer, a soca singer from the islands, a modern calypsonian? Fay-Ann Lyons is a major soca artist who continues to challenge the definitions of music, bending the accepted rules to create new boundaries for what is possible for soca and modern calypso music in the global market. She too good faith are also top notch – three T&T road marches and a Soca Monarch title. This four track EP, made exclusively for the Apple Music Home Sessions project and now widely available, has a fascinating variety of beats and producers (Guyana, Ghana, USA) that were used to make this collection widely appealing. Ghanaian producer Kofi Black gives “Over You” an island calm with hints of Afrobeats; his compatriot Drillyx Beatz lays a soaring sax on “Island Girl,” making Antillean metropolitan and cool. Two more jams showcase the upcoming sound of island music.
Kevon Carter
Welcome Back (XplicitMevon) • Single
…the carnival spirit saying, ‘welcome back.’ These words drive this catchy soca single and set what is said to be the “mother of all carnivals” in 2023, as the Trinidad Carnival returns in full force after a two-year pandemic hiatus. Today we are here looking for more than one taste / ‘Cause we love the carnival, we love the bacchanal. These lyrics will put a smile on the faces of locals who remember that in 2022, a boring experiment – The taste of carnival – was judged. For everyone else, it’s an appeal to return to the island as the joyous and festive atmosphere unique to this festival will be back in full swing. When pop music meets soca, as it has for years, good things can happen. Add Carter’s high-tenor pop voice and you’ve got something even better. The synth sound of a muted guitar bounces throughout, giving this track an unforgettable earworm. This could be an invitation for 2023 and beyond.
