Ringbang
Ringbang is a Caribbean fusion of music genres propounded by Eddy Grant in 1994.
| Ringbang | |
|---|---|
Eddy Grant, proponent of Ringbang | |
| Stylistic origins | |
| Cultural origins | Mid-1990s |
| Typical instruments |
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| Other topics | |
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In an interview circa 2000, Grant defined ringbang like this:
Ringbang is the thing that makes the soul quiet. That in a musical concept is rhythm. A child is given ringbang when a mother rocks it in her arms. Ringbang allowed the slaves to communicate. Ringbang is a bridge that allows us to stop being insular; it is a concept predicated on our being able to communicate with one another.
In applying ringbang to music, Grant attempted to define a meta-style to encompass all Caribbean rhythms; it was to be a musical lingua franca. He wished this multicultural style to place no restrictions on instrumentation, and he said that he wanted no single country or culture to lay claim to it. Among ringbang's stylistic influences are calypso, reggae, soca, tuk, and zouk.
Grant says that the word "ringbang" comes from vocalists scat singing "Ringa-ringa-ringbang!". He chose the word one day in 1993, while standing in recording engineer Frank Agarrat's backyard in Trinidad.