6A: Bob Marley
Ska is a form of music that started in Jamaica in the late 1950s. (Question 1 — Where is Jamaica?)
It combines several forms of other music – calypso, jazz, and rhythm and blues. One of its distinctive features is the beat. The rhythm and the bass sound a little “off.”
Here’s an early ska song from Prince Buster. Listen to that weird beat.
One of the most notable early ska bands was called the Skatalites. They were formed in Jamaica in 1963. Here is one of their most popular songs. Listen to the talking at the beginning — that’s a Jamaican accent. And listen again to the weird beat.
Watch this short video from a movie about ska. Check out the hand instruments. And the beat. Does this make you want to be on a beautiful island?
Ska was the basis for another popular form of Jamaican music called reggae. It’s a little different – it’s usually slower, has fewer horns, and more singing. But the “offbeat” is the same. This song by Toots and the Maytals is one of the first reggae songs. In fact, this is where the word “reggae” was born.
The most popular reggae singer of all time was Bob Marley. Because of him, Jamaican music and reggae became popular worldwide.
Bob Marley sang songs about love, peace, and hope. The beat was super laid-back. His music appealed to young people, old people, and kids. Take a look at how happy everyone is in this song, “Is This Love?”
Many reggae singers wear their hair in dreadlocks. This means braiding hair into many rope-like strands. Some reggae musicians wear wraps on their dreadlocks. It’s kind of like a knit hat or headband, to help corral all those crazy dreadlocks.
Another feature of reggae is the steel drums. It sounds flatter than most drums. Here’s one more Bob Marley song. Check out the dreadlocks, the head wraps, and the steel drums.
Answer:
1 — Jamaica is an island in the Caribbean.