Week 10

Reggae originally came from Jamaica in the late ’60s. While Americans often use the term to describe the sound of all Jamaican dance music, the term actually describes a specific kind of sub-genre that was heavily influenced by not only the ska and rocksteady movements of 1960s Jamaica, but also traditional calypso and African music as well as American R&B and jazz. Another major influence was the Rastafarian movement, with many important fasts drummers playing on reggae records. Perhaps the most identifiable characteristic is its offbeat rhythems. The chords are staccato and played by a guitar or piano on the offbeats of the measure. In 1968 the first real reggae records were released, and almost instantaneously its influence spread across the globe. Before the year was over Johnny Nash had already introduced a bastard form on reggae to American radio. To this day, reggae has an influence on American radio, most recently from the radio smash ‘rude’.


 

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