Rise

Formats

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  SJRCDDVD2633 x CD  £25.00

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  SJRLP2632 x Long Player  £20.00

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  SJRLP263-DELUX3 x Long Player  £ —Out of stock

Label

Soul Jazz

Various Artists

Soul Jazz Records Presents: Mirror To The Soul: Music Culture And Identity In The Caribbean 1920-72

‘Mirror To The Soul: Music, Culture And Identity In The Caribbean 1920-72’ is a massive new release from Soul Jazz Records, comprising 2 CDs, a two hour (plus 1hour of extras) documentary DVD, and a 72-page book.

The Film: ‘A Documentary Film About British Pathé In The West Indies 1920-72’. Over two years in the making, ‘Mirror To The Soul’ is a new documentary film about the Caribbean, a unique collaboration between Soul Jazz Records and British Pathé, made up entirely of newsreel footage (short news pieces of two or three minutes in length) filmed during the period 1922-1970.

British Pathé was established in London in 1910 to produce newsreels screened in cinemas throughout Britain before main feature films. In the 1950s, to compete with the new medium of television, Pathé began adding entertainment, cultural, musical and educational stories to hard news items. Pathé eventually closed production in 1970 after accumulating over 3,500 hours of documentary history and Soul Jazz Records / Films were given full access to these film vaults for the making of this new film.

As well as offering an insight into aspects of West Indian life, the film also allows us to see how a private British film company presented a Caribbean identity to the outside world. Consequently the film tells us as much about British society and its own identity and values - especially in regard to attitudes towards its colonies and former-colonies - as it does those of the Caribbean itself.

The relationship between the Caribbean and Britain is explored through features and footage of the onward diaspora of West Indians to the ‘motherland’, from the fascinating footage of the arrival of the Empire Windrush in 1948 (including an interview with new arrival Lord Kitchener) to racial troubles and more.

This film presents many aspects of Caribbean life to the viewer. From Calypsonians to banana plantations, from Voodoo ceremonies to revolutionaries, as well as hurricanes, stingrays and flying fish, colonialism and independence, water diving, carnival - all presented together here as a uniquely fascinating document.

As well as the West Indian islands this film also includes footage of Venezuela, Belize, Colombia and Florida, USA, which form the wider Caribbean region. The film also documents the changing relationship between a number of islands and their friends or enemies - such as, for instance with Cuba and the USA - as we see with footage from the Cuban revolution onwards.

‘Caribbean Jump-Up, Mambo And Calypso Beat 1954-77’: Big sounds from small islands. This album is a whistle-stop musical journey through the Caribbean, stopping off at Trinidad, Cuba, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, the Bahamas and more along the way. Artists include Irakere, Cachao, Slim Smith, Celia Cruz, El Gran Combo, Edmundo Ros, Lord Flea, Techniques, Carlos Malcolm, Count Ossie and more.

‘Afro-Caribbean Music Up From The Roots’ (SJRCDDVD263 only): Soul Jazz Records have been recording Afro-Caribbean music for the last 15 years, travelling to and documenting roots styles in the Caribbean region. This authentic Afro-Caribbean music is at the source of many popular styles of today and the album is a selection of Soul Jazz Records’ productions and includes music from Cuba, Haiti, Colombia, Guadeloupe and Belize.

Whilst popular music in the Caribbean has produced many new styles, such as reggae in Jamaica, calypso in Trinidad, salsa and mambo in Cuba, zouk in Martinique and Guadeloupe, Afro-Caribbean roots music remains a constant throughout. This music retains its power today - a musical concept both forward looking and creative as well as remaining steeped in tradition. This album includes 21st century recordings of Haitian Voodoo and Rara music, Cuban Santeria and Latin Jazz, Gwo-Ka from Guadeloupe, Paranda and Dugu from Belize and more besides, in this fascinating journey through some of the many roots musical styles of the Afro-Caribbean.

Tracklist

• Disc: 1
  1. Nassau Cha Cha - Andre Toussaint
  2. Descarga Cubana - Cachao
  3. Filthy Mcnasty - Carlos Malcolm & The Afro-Caribs
  4. Bacalau Con Pau - Irakere
  5. Chango - Celia Cruz
  6. The Queen Sings Calypso - Lord Brynner
  7. Canela - Peanuts Taylor
  8. Saturday Night Reggae - Mark Holder
  9. London Is the Place for Me - Edmundo Ros
  10. West Indian Drums - Russ Henderson
  11. Calypsonian Invasion - The Duke Of Iron
  12. Baila Mi Shinga Ling - El Gran Combo
  Disc: 2
  1. My Conversation - Slim Smith & The Uniques
  2. Repentino - Grupo De Experimentación Sonora Del Icaic
  3. Mambo Caliente - Bebo Valdes And His Havana All Stars
  4. Vitalogy - The Duke Of Iron
  5. Aprieta Suavecito - Conjunto Roberto Faz
  6. I'll Be Right There - The Techniques
  7. Para Los Rumberos - Frank Ferrer & Puerto Rico 2010
  8. Pa' Coco Solo - Jose Fajardo
  9. Don't Blame It On Elvis - Fabulous McClevertys
  10. Four Hundred Years - Count Ossie & The Mystic Revelation
  11. Elegua - Gina Martin
  12. Mira Como Los Pollos - Manuel Santo Y Su Orchestra De La Habana
  13. Calypso Be Bop - Lord Flea