Calypso
with Etienne Charles

The theme for this week is: Calypso!

I will watch a performance by Etienne Charles and his friends! They will play Calypso Music.

Today, I will create instruments out of objects found in my home and play Calypso rhythms.

Step 1:
I will watch this video

What type of music is this?

Calypso is a style of Afro-Caribbean music that originated in Trinidad and Tobago.

Red flag with black stripe thinly bordered in white, cutting diagonally from top left to bottom right corners.

Flag of Trinidad and Tobego

Trinidad and Tobago is the southernmost island country in the Caribbean.

Map of the Carribean naming all the islands. Trinidad & Tobago is at the bottom right corner circled in red.

Calypso is characterized by its rhythmic vocals. These rhythms can be traced back to a Kaiso, a West African music style created by enslaved Africans.

Both Kaiso and Calypso use rhythm and vocals to express daily struggles and inequalities while also offering hope and joy.

As I watch, I will meet:

Etienne Charles playing trumpet in front of a bright green wall, wearing a black shirt, grey hat, and green glasses

Etienne Charles

Plays trumpet, conga drums, steel pan, cajon, sings

Alex Wintz seated playing guitar, behind him is a plant on a stand, and bookshelf, a mirror and framed artwork hangs on the wall.

Alex Wintz

Plays guitar

Godwin Lewis stands playing saxophone, wearing a black hat, black glasses, and black shirt with yellow letters partially visible.

Godwin Lewis

Plays alto saxophone and soprano saxophone

Or Bareket playing the bass, wearing a white shirt, necklace, and headphones. On the right books on a shelf with a glazed pot.

Or Bareket

Plays the bass

Jorge Glem plays the cuatro, similar to a ukulele. Leaning back with eyes closed, he wears a blue shirt and grey hat.

Jorge Glem

Plays the cuatro

Endea Owens, seated playing bass looks at the camera, mouth open while singing. She wears a black shirt and colorful necklace.

Endea Owens

Plays the bass, sings

Step 2:
What did I notice?

1. Which instrument was my favorite?

I noticed that Etienne Charles and his friends played many instruments.

I can pick my favorite instrument (or instruments!)

Etienne Charles playing trumpet in front of a bright green wall, wearing a black shirt, grey hat, and green glasses

Trumpet

Etienne Charles seated playing conga drums, a microphone hangs above pointing down at each drum.

Conga Drums

Close-up of person standing playing steel pan. Their arms and the drums are visible, behind is a window covered in sheer drapes.

Steel Pan

Alex Wintz seated playing guitar, behind him is a plant on a stand, and bookshelf, a mirror and framed artwork hangs on the wall.

Guitar

Godwin Lewis stands playing saxophone, wearing a black hat, black glasses, and black shirt with yellow letters partially visible.

Saxophone

Or Bareket playing the bass, wearing a white shirt, necklace, and headphones. On the right books on a shelf with a glazed pot.

Bass

Jorge Glem strums the cuatro, eyes closed with a slight smile, he wears a blue shirt and grey hat.

Cuatro

Endea Owens, seated playing bass looks at the camera, mouth open while singing. She wears a black shirt and colorful necklace.

Voice

2. What are my favorite lyrics, words in the song?

The last song Etienne Charles performed,
Miss Mary Ann is a classic Calypso tune.

Some of the lyrics are:

All night, all day

Miss Mary Anne

Down by the seaside, she’s sifting sand

Strings on a banjo can tie a goat

Water from the ocean can sail a boat

Cartoon emoji of a bright yellow sun

Cartoon emoji of a yellow crescent moon

Cartoon emoji of a beach with yellow sand, blue waves, and a red/white striped umbrella poking out of the sand.

Cartoon emoji of a brown goat with horns and beard

Cartoon emoji of a brown boat with grey sails floating on blue wavy water.

Step 3:
Calypso Rhythms!

I will make an instrument from objects found in my own home!

Materials I will need:

Container: something to hold the noise-making materials

Filling: the materials that will make noises from inside my container

Container

These are some materials I can use for my instrument:

For the container, I can use any size bottle.

For example:

soda bottle, paper towel tube, creamer bottle, salsa jar, salt shaker, vanilla extract bottle

Empty bottles of soda, olive oil, creamer, salsa, and vanilla extract, half-empty salt shaker, and cardboard paper towel tube.

Filling

For the filling, I can use any small materials that can fit in my bottle.

For example:

nuts, rice, dried beans

Bag of nuts, dried rice, and two bags of dried beans

Activity

First, I will build my instrument

I can put my filling in my container. I can experiment with how much I fill the container.

Hand holding salsa jar half-filled with dried rice

Hand holding empty olive oil bottle with several almonds at the bottom.

Hand holding empty bottle of Diet Coke with some dried beans at the bottom

Then, I will pick my favorite rhythm

I will watch these videos to learn a few Calypso rhythms. I can play those rhythms with my instrument.

Instruments in the video:

Diet Coke bottle filled with beans, olive oil bottle filled with almonds, creamer bottle filled with walnuts, salsa jar filled with rice, vanilla extract bottle filled with black eyed peas

Drawing of a 4:4 music scale with notes representing the rhythm

Rhythm 1

Drawing of a 4:4 music scale with notes representing the rhythm

Rhythm 2

Drawing of a 4:4 music scale with notes representing the rhythm

Rhythm 3

Drawing of a 4:4 music scale with notes representing the rhythm

Rhythm 4

Next, I can share my music

After I learn a few Calypso rhythms, I can teach a friend or family member a favorite rhythm! We can play together.

Last, I can build another instrument

I can build another instrument and try out the Calypso rhythms with my new instrument.

I can compare how the rhythms sound differently based on the container size and amount of filling inside.

Extension:
Calypso Dance

Cartoon emoji of four figures in shades of light and dark brown, one leg lifted and arms extended, leaning left

Calypso is often celebratory dance music.

I can pick a few moves that show celebration and happiness. I can perform these moves as I watch Etienne Charles and his friends.

Two standing silhouettes with hips jutting, and leaning left, legs spread. One with hands on hips, one with thumbs pointing out.

I can also perform the Calypso dance move: Whine.

Whine -- to rotate the waist and hips in a rhythmic pattern.

Explore More

Extension Questions:

Etienne Charles played a Blues song with his friend and former student, Endea Owens.

According to Etienne Charles’ mentor, Wynton Marsalis, the Blues is, “eternal optimism in the face of adversity.”

What are some of your challenges and what active steps are you taking to overcome those challenges?
How do you stay positive during tough times (optimistic in the face of adversity)?

Additional Links:

I can learn more about Etienne Charles and listen to his music by visiting: https://www.etiennecharles.com

To learn more about Lincoln Center Passport programs, click here.

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Click below for a printable copy of these activities:

Etienne Charles _ Passport

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