Educate me about Caribbean music - soca/reggae etc

[Condi]

Anyone know much about this sort of music? Can someone suggest a good 'starting' playlist to teach me about soca, reggae and other forms of Caribbean sounds? Probably more the soca side than reggae.

This was on 1xtra the other day, and its just such happy uplifting music:

Machel Montano - Fog
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ea57flloyaw

[zb]

Best place to start would actually be a book; Bass Culture: When Reggae Was King by Lloyd Bradley.

Covers all the basses (sic), and lists a lot of the important tunes and artists.

But if I was to list reggae artists I 'd start with:

Lee Perry/The Upsetters
King Tubby
Maytones
U-Roy
Linton Kwesi Johnson
Sly and Robbie
Jimmy Cliff
and, of course Bob Marley, but avoid his polished Island sound and head for his stuff on Trojan/Upsetter records.

There's plenty more, but that's just a few quickly off the top of my head.

[Miguel Alvarez]

Soca and calypso is to the trained ear very different to reggae and dancehall. For the record I'm not a Soca fan and my family is from Barbados.

Machel Montana is a big name so are people like Lil Rick, Alison Hinds, Bunji Garlin, Rupee. But I couldn't tell you any tracks. You've also got the Baha Men with their anthem Who Let The Dogs Out (I hate that bloody tune).

I prefer the older stuff truth be told. Mighty Arrow (Hot Hot Hot), Gryner (We Want More) and artists like that.

[HOGEPH]

Just got a job playing triangle in a reggae band. It's pretty easy, I just stand at the back and ting.

[Condi]

Miguel Alvarez said:

Soca and calypso is to the trained ear very different to reggae and dancehall. For the record I'm not a Soca fan and my family is from Barbados.

Machel Montana is a big name so are people like Lil Rick, Alison Hinds, Bunji Garlin, Rupee. But I couldn't tell you any tracks. You've also got the Baha Men with their anthem Who Let The Dogs Out (I hate that bloody tune).

I prefer the older stuff truth be told. Mighty Arrow (Hot Hot Hot), Gryner (We Want More) and artists like that.

Ah, sorry, I didnt make myself clear. I know the difference between soca and reggae, but as they came under the general guise of caribbean music I put them in the title. It was really the soca stuff I was struggling with.

Thanks for the other suggestions.

[Miguel Alvarez]

Condi said:

Ah, sorry, I didnt make myself clear. I know the difference between soca and reggae, but as they came under the general guise of caribbean music I put them in the title. It was really the soca stuff I was struggling with.

Thanks for the other suggestions.

Fair enough. Those names ar all current ish Soca artists. From memory I think Square 1 is a big name. Red Plastic Bag is another but these guys had big songs out in the 90/00's.