Various Artists - Bahamas 2: Anthems Work / Various - COMPACT DISCS [CD]

In 1958, Samuel Charters captured the sounds of celebration during of the anniversary weekend of emancipation known as August Monday. On the island of Andros, Charters recorded traditional 'rake 'n' scrape' music by the Fresh Creek Dance Band, a harmonica tune by Charles Bastian, a few numbers by two brass bands, guitar playing in the style of the island's own Joseph Spence, and an extraordinarily rare example of Bahamian fife playing on InchI Drink All the Rum and Never Get DrunkInch.

In this collection of Religious Songs and Drums in the Bahamas, Marshall Stearns demonstrates the strong external influences on Bahamian music and culture. The religious music by the Baptist-Methodist Group and the Congregation of the Church of God suggest a certain influence of American gospel music, while the drumming of the InchRing Game,Inch InchHeel and Toe Polka,Inch and InchJumping DanceInch indicate a continuance of African drumming traditions with the scraping element of a saw, unique to Bahamian Inchrake 'n' scrapeInch music.

According to the original liner notes, this selection of 1930s Trinidadian calypso is colorful and exuberant and richly expressive and often hilariously funny. From tales of Ethiopian emperor Haile Selassie to dancer Bojangles Robinson's million dollar feet, these songs offer social commentary through calypso's inimitable raffish rhymes.