Andre Toussaint
Encyclopedia
Andre Toussaint stands as one of the prime movers in calypso
's history. Although he wasn't performing at the outset of the music, he quickly became one of the premier players of the genre. Living in Nassau
, Toussaint developed the lounge style of calypso (often in front of a small orchestra), a more mellow version of the usually more frantic music, often still based in goombay and junkanoo forms. His prime period of time was during the jetset calypso era, when he made the bulk of his recordings and gained a following among calypso listeners. As tourism took over the islands, his calypso fell out of favor to a degree, pushing him to the fringes of the music culture. Despite this, he continued performing his set style, to acclaim from smaller crowds. He died in 1981, renowned among calypso performers and listeners as one of the founding fathers of modern Bahamian music
.
Calypso music
Calypso is a style of Afro-Caribbean music that originated in Trinidad and Tobago from African and European roots. The roots of the genre lay in the arrival of enslaved Africans, who, not being allowed to speak with each other, communicated through song...
's history. Although he wasn't performing at the outset of the music, he quickly became one of the premier players of the genre. Living in Nassau
Nassau, Bahamas
Nassau is the capital, largest city, and commercial centre of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas. The city has a population of 248,948 , 70 percent of the entire population of The Bahamas...
, Toussaint developed the lounge style of calypso (often in front of a small orchestra), a more mellow version of the usually more frantic music, often still based in goombay and junkanoo forms. His prime period of time was during the jetset calypso era, when he made the bulk of his recordings and gained a following among calypso listeners. As tourism took over the islands, his calypso fell out of favor to a degree, pushing him to the fringes of the music culture. Despite this, he continued performing his set style, to acclaim from smaller crowds. He died in 1981, renowned among calypso performers and listeners as one of the founding fathers of modern Bahamian music
Music of the Bahamas
The music of the Bahamas is associated primarily with junkanoo, a celebration which occurs on Boxing Day and again on New Year's Day. Parades and other celebrations mark the ceremony...
.