Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Fungi
Prominent in the BVI, fungi is similar to quelbe and is the local variation on scratch band
music played throughout the West Indies. Bands use a host of homemade percussion in-
struments - whatever they can 'scratch up' - like washboards, ribbed gourds and cowbells
to accompany a singer and melody played on a recorder or flute. Like calypso, fungi music
favors satirical lyrics. The Lashing Dogs are a well-known BVI fungi band. A good place
to hear the music live is at the Trellis Bay Full Moon party on Tortola each month.
Caribbean Carnival: Songs of the West Indies, by Irving Burgie, evokes the islands' celebrations and tradi-
tional songs, including music and lyrics.
Steel Pan
Another import from Trinidad, steel pan music began in the 1940s when musicians started
hammering out the bottoms of steel oil drums, tuning different sections to different pitches.
In the Virgin Islands, pan drum players usually perform as soloists, as background music
in restaurants and bars, but like Trinidad, the USVI also have huge steel pan bands like the
Rising Stars Young Steel Orchestra, which plays at festivals and tours internationally.
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