For those of you not too familiar with what a cello looks like or sounds like, just imagine the sound and image of the violin, and then amplify the size and the sound texture many times over. Although the cello and violin differ quite a bit from each other, they also resemble each other in quite a few ways.

The cello originated in Italy, and this string instrument is a member of the violin family. In terms of size, the cello is larger than the violin while smaller than the bass.

The cello is considered as one of the most complex instruments created. It is made up of various materials, such as wood and also steel, rubber and metal. It has a unique shape, with a wide breadth on the top and bottom and a narrow middle.

This instrument produces a rich alto sound that is beautifully suited for special occasions. However, it is quite difficult to play a cello particularly for beginners. Do not expect to produce a very pleasant sound when first starting out. You need years of expert training and plenty of practice in order to bring out the cello’s rich and melodic sounds.

For those of you who are hesitant about learning to play the cello, or are about to make your first cello purchase, here are a few things to watch out for:

1. Ask the right questions. Is this the right instrument for me? Can I learn it easily? Am I committed to practicing? This is especially true for beginners.

Gauge yourself whether you are a slow or fast learner when it comes to playing the cello. Make sure that you are committed to learn and to practice so that the money spent on your first cello is not wasted.

2. Consult experienced cello players about the most suitable brand to start out with. Ask them for advice on assessing the quality and authenticity of the cello you are looking to buy.

It is important to ask people who are experienced cello players. These people know more than you about the cello instrument.

3. Set a budget. Shop around first and get a better feel about the pricing of cello instruments before you decide on a suitable price range.

Make sure that for the price you are going to pay you are getting the quality you are paying for. It is a good idea to make the purchase with a reputable cello dealer just to be sure.

4. Look for cello dealers that provide warranty on the cello. It is important that your purchase of the instrument is secure for your peace of mind.

Most of the credible cello dealers give their customers a warranty paper good for six months to a year.

5. Check the net. Websites offering free information on cello instrument are also available on the internet.

By reading up more information about the cello online, you will be more knowledgeable in making your purchase.

Buying and selecting a cello instrument can be agonizing and time-consuming. Hopefully these tips will help somewhat in making your cello-buying experience as stress-free and uncomplicated as possible for you.

The holidays are filled with joyful emotions and honored traditions, including the playing of songs about snowmen, St. Nick, evergreen trees, and presents wrapped up with big pretty bows. No matter how you celebrate the season, you’ll hear these songs on the radio, on TV, at the mall, in the office, and just about anywhere music is performed. If you think the same songs are played over and over, you’re right, but if this bothers you, consider the alternative: Christmas carols were banned in England between 1649 and 1660. Oliver Cromwell, serving as Lord Protector of Britain, believed Christmas should be solemn and also banned parties, limiting celebrations to sermons and prayer services. Lots of holiday songs are festive, many have spiritual overtones, and all are played so often that they are familiar no matter what your faith. But what do you know about how these songs were created and the people who wrote them? There are some fascinating facts behind this memorable music. So, toss a log in the fireplace, pour yourself a hot toddy or some cold eggnog, and sit back as we reveal the secrets behind many of the tunes you are going to be hearing dozens of times during December. “The Christmas Song,” Mel Torme and Bob Wells, 1944. On a sweltering July day in Los Angeles, 19-year-old jazz singer Torme worked with 23-year-old Wells to create this beautiful tune. Full of wintry images and a charming wistfulness for all the delights of the season, the song became an enormous hit by Nat “King” Cole the following year. In Torme’s autobiography, he says Wells wasn’t trying to write lyrics but was simply jotting down ideas that would help him forget about the heat wave. “The First Noel,” Traditional, 16th or 17th century. Some say this is a song with a British background while others insist it has French origins. So far, no one has any definitive proof. Two things are for certain: first, it’s very popular if two countries are claiming it; and second, counting the title, the word “Noel” appears in the song 30 times. “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing,” Felix Mendelssohn, Charles Wesley, and William Cummings, 1739-1855. Wesley’s opening line was “Hark how all the welkin rings” and he protested when a colleague changed it. Wesley wanted a slow and solemn anthem for his song, but William Cummings set the lyrics to rousing music by Felix Mendolssohn (from a cantata about movable type inventor Johann Gutenberg). For his part, Mendolssohn specified that his composition only appear in a secular context, not spiritual. So both original authors’ wishes were thwarted in the creation of this glorious song. “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” Hugh Martin and Ralph Blane, 1943. The songwriting team of Martin (music) and Blane (lyrics) worked together for five decades, producing Oscar- and Tony-nominated songs. This hauntingly lovely tune was made famous by Judy Garland in the 1944 film, “Meet Me in St. Louis.” While the song is a bittersweet gem, the original lyrics were actually darker and not to Garland’s liking. Since she was a huge star at the time, and was dating the film’s director, Vincent Minnelli (she married him the following year), the changes were made. “I’ll Be Home for Christmas,” Kim Gannon and Walter Kent, 1942. Gannon (lyrics) and Kent (composer) worked often together, but even with her three Academy Award nominations, nothing was as successful as this wartime song. By getting it to Bing Crosby, they were assured of big sales even though it competed with Crosby’s recording of Irving Berlin’s “White Christmas.” The song is a perennial favorite, and appears often in films, including “Catch Me If You Can” and “The Polar Express.” “Jingle Bells,” James Pierpont, 1850s. Starting out as a lively celebration of the Salem Street sleigh races, the song called “One-Horse Open Sleigh” made a fast transition to the more sober atmosphere of the church social and became known as “Jingle Bells.” While there are four verses, only the first is usually sung because of the lyrics in the remaining three verses. A woman named Fannie Bright appears in verse two, which also features a sleigh crash. The third verse displays an anti-Samaritan laughing at a fallen sleigh driver and leaving him sprawled in a snow bank, while the final verse offers such lines as “Go it while you’re young” and “Take the girls tonight.” Ah yes, just good clean mid-nineteenth century fun. “Joy to the World,” Isaac Watts and Lowell Mason, 1719 and 1822. The words, inspired by the 98th Psalm, were written by Watts, a British pastor, preacher, and poet. More than a century later, banker and choral teacher Mason composed music for the piece but attributed it to Handel, presumably to make the hymn more popular. It took another century for the hoax to be uncovered. “Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” Johnny Marks, 1949. Beginning as a coloring book written by advertising copywriter Robert L. May in 1939, the story of an unloved caribou triumphing over adversity was a promotional item for Montgomery Ward department stores. May’s fairy-tale was enormously popular, and became even more so when May’s brother-in-law, songwriter Marks, composed music and lyrics and got the composition to singer Gene Autry. That version sold 2 million copies the first year alone. While most of the other reindeer names were invented by Clement Moore in his 1822 poem, “The Night Before Christmas,” the hero of the May story was called Rollo. Wait, that name was nixed by store executives, so he became Reginald. Oops, that was rejected, too. Finally, May’s daughter suggested Rudolf. “Santa Claus is Coming to Town,” Haven Gillespie and J. Fred Coots, 1932. After countless versions by stars as varied as Bruce Springsteen and Perry Como, it’s hard to believe that Gillespie and Coots’ song was turned down all over town because it was “a kid’s song.” Even though Coots was a writer on the Eddie Cantor radio show, Cantor at first passed on the song, only agreeing to do it at the urging of his wife. Now it’s so successful there’s even a parody version by Bob Rivers (in the style of Springsteen) called “Santa Claus is Foolin’ Around.” “Silent Night,” Joseph Mohr and Franz X. Gruber, 1816-1818. There are numerous stories and fanciful speculations about the origin of this beautiful song. Tossing aside the more lurid stories, we are left with this: the poem, “Stille Nacht,” was written by Mohr, who became assistant pastor of the St. Nicholas Church (really!) in Oberndorf, Austria. Mohr gave the poem to Gruber, the church organist, reportedly on Christmas Eve, 1818, and was performed that same midnight. Oddly, the first version did not involve an organ, but was arranged for two voices, guitar and choir. Both Mohr and Gruber created manuscripts with different instrumentation at various times from 1820 to 1855. The tune first made its way around the world as a “Tyrolean Folk Song” before gaining enough fame to be instantly recognized with its first two words or first four notes. The Silent Night Web page (www.silentnight.web.za) claims there are more than 300 translations of the song and features links to 180 versions in 121 languages. “The Twelve Days of Christmas,” Traditional, 16th Century. Okay, let’s get the two most popular myths out of the way: the dozen days are December 26 through January 6, and there is no hidden religious meaning to the lyrics. It’s simply a song that’s also a memory game. Little brother sings a line, you sing two lines, Aunt Lucy sings three lines, and so on around the room. This passed for a good time in 1590. The “four calling birds” are another popular misconception. It’s actually “four colley birds” (or blackbirds). Besides the seven swans a-swimming and six geese a-laying, there are more birds in the lyrics than you might think, as “five golden rings” actually refers to ring-necked birds, such as pheasants. “White Christmas,” Irving Berlin, 1942. Sometimes considered America’s most popular holiday song, Berlin composed it for a movie soundtrack (“Holiday Inn” starring Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire). With its quiet power and elegant longing for the simple pleasures of the past, it was the perfect song for the gloomy months during the middle of World War II. Composer Berlin was not positive about the song when he first presented it to Crosby, but Bing’s confidence was well-founded. Spawning a movie of its own (1954′s “White Christmas” with Crosby and Danny Kaye), the song hit the Top 30 nearly 20 times and has now sold more than 30 million copies. There are reportedly 500+ recorded versions of the tune in two dozen languages. # # #

The holidays are filled with joyful emotions and honored traditions, including the playing of songs about snowmen, St. Nick, evergreen trees, and presents wrapped up with big pretty bows. No matter how you celebrate the season, you’ll hear these songs on the radio, on TV, at the mall, in the office, and just about anywhere music is performed.

If you think the same songs are played over and over, you’re right, but if this bothers you, consider the alternative: Christmas carols were banned in England between 1649 and 1660. Oliver Cromwell, serving as Lord Protector of Britain, believed Christmas should be solemn and also banned parties, limiting celebrations to sermons and prayer services.

Lots of holiday songs are festive, many have spiritual overtones, and all are played so often that they are familiar no matter what your faith. But what do you know about how these songs were created and the people who wrote them?

There are some fascinating facts behind this memorable music. So, toss a log in the fireplace, pour yourself a hot toddy or some cold eggnog, and sit back as we reveal the secrets behind many of the tunes you are going to be hearing dozens of times during December.

“The Christmas Song,” Mel Torme and Bob Wells, 1944.

On a sweltering July day in Los Angeles, 19-year-old jazz singer Torme worked with 23-year-old Wells to create this beautiful tune. Full of wintry images and a charming wistfulness for all the delights of the season, the song became an enormous hit by Nat “King” Cole the following year. In Torme’s autobiography, he says Wells wasn’t trying to write lyrics but was simply jotting down ideas that would help him forget about the heat wave.

“The First Noel,” Traditional, 16th or 17th century.

Some say this is a song with a British background while others insist it has French origins. So far, no one has any definitive proof. Two things are for certain: first, it’s very popular if two countries are claiming it; and second, counting the title, the word “Noel” appears in the song 30 times.

“Hark! The Herald Angels Sing,” Felix Mendelssohn, Charles Wesley, and William Cummings, 1739-1855.

Wesley’s opening line was “Hark how all the welkin rings” and he protested when a colleague changed it. Wesley wanted a slow and solemn anthem for his song, but William Cummings set the lyrics to rousing music by Felix Mendolssohn (from a cantata about movable type inventor Johann Gutenberg). For his part, Mendolssohn specified that his composition only appear in a secular context, not spiritual. So both original authors’ wishes were thwarted in the creation of this glorious song.

“Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” Hugh Martin and Ralph Blane, 1943.

The songwriting team of Martin (music) and Blane (lyrics) worked together for five decades, producing Oscar- and Tony-nominated songs. This hauntingly lovely tune was made famous by Judy Garland in the 1944 film, “Meet Me in St. Louis.” While the song is a bittersweet gem, the original lyrics were actually darker and not to Garland’s liking. Since she was a huge star at the time, and was dating the film’s director, Vincent Minnelli (she married him the following year), the changes were made.

“I’ll Be Home for Christmas,” Kim Gannon and Walter Kent, 1942.

Gannon (lyrics) and Kent (composer) worked often together, but even with her three Academy Award nominations, nothing was as successful as this wartime song. By getting it to Bing Crosby, they were assured of big sales even though it competed with Crosby’s recording of Irving Berlin’s “White Christmas.” The song is a perennial favorite, and appears often in films, including “Catch Me If You Can” and “The Polar Express.”

“Jingle Bells,” James Pierpont, 1850s.

Starting out as a lively celebration of the Salem Street sleigh races, the song called “One-Horse Open Sleigh” made a fast transition to the more sober atmosphere of the church social and became known as “Jingle Bells.” While there are four verses, only the first is usually sung because of the lyrics in the remaining three verses. A woman named Fannie Bright appears in verse two, which also features a sleigh crash. The third verse displays an anti-Samaritan laughing at a fallen sleigh driver and leaving him sprawled in a snow bank, while the final verse offers such lines as “Go it while you’re young” and “Take the girls tonight.” Ah yes, just good clean mid-nineteenth century fun.

“Joy to the World,” Isaac Watts and Lowell Mason, 1719 and 1822.

The words, inspired by the 98th Psalm, were written by Watts, a British pastor, preacher, and poet. More than a century later, banker and choral teacher Mason composed music for the piece but attributed it to Handel, presumably to make the hymn more popular. It took another century for the hoax to be uncovered.

“Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” Johnny Marks, 1949.

Beginning as a coloring book written by advertising copywriter Robert L. May in 1939, the story of an unloved caribou triumphing over adversity was a promotional item for Montgomery Ward department stores. May’s fairy-tale was enormously popular, and became even more so when May’s brother-in-law, songwriter Marks, composed music and lyrics and got the composition to singer Gene Autry. That version sold 2 million copies the first year alone. While most of the other reindeer names were invented by Clement Moore in his 1822 poem, “The Night Before Christmas,” the hero of the May story was called Rollo. Wait, that name was nixed by store executives, so he became Reginald. Oops, that was rejected, too. Finally, May’s daughter suggested Rudolf.

“Santa Claus is Coming to Town,” Haven Gillespie and J. Fred Coots, 1932.

After countless versions by stars as varied as Bruce Springsteen and Perry Como, it’s hard to believe that Gillespie and Coots’ song was turned down all over town because it was “a kid’s song.” Even though Coots was a writer on the Eddie Cantor radio show, Cantor at first passed on the song, only agreeing to do it at the urging of his wife. Now it’s so successful there’s even a parody version by Bob Rivers (in the style of Springsteen) called “Santa Claus is Foolin’ Around.”

“Silent Night,” Joseph Mohr and Franz X. Gruber, 1816-1818.

There are numerous stories and fanciful speculations about the origin of this beautiful song. Tossing aside the more lurid stories, we are left with this: the poem, “Stille Nacht,” was written by Mohr, who became assistant pastor of the St. Nicholas Church (really!) in Oberndorf, Austria. Mohr gave the poem to Gruber, the church organist, reportedly on Christmas Eve, 1818, and was performed that same midnight. Oddly, the first version did not involve an organ, but was arranged for two voices, guitar and choir. Both Mohr and Gruber created manuscripts with different instrumentation at various times from 1820 to 1855. The tune first made its way around the world as a “Tyrolean Folk Song” before gaining enough fame to be instantly recognized with its first two words or first four notes. The Silent Night Web page (www.silentnight.web.za) claims there are more than 300 translations of the song and features links to 180 versions in 121 languages.

“The Twelve Days of Christmas,” Traditional, 16th Century.

Okay, let’s get the two most popular myths out of the way: the dozen days are December 26 through January 6, and there is no hidden religious meaning to the lyrics. It’s simply a song that’s also a memory game. Little brother sings a line, you sing two lines, Aunt Lucy sings three lines, and so on around the room. This passed for a good time in 1590. The “four calling birds” are another popular misconception. It’s actually “four colley birds” (or blackbirds). Besides the seven swans a-swimming and six geese a-laying, there are more birds in the lyrics than you might think, as “five golden rings” actually refers to ring-necked birds, such as pheasants.

“White Christmas,” Irving Berlin, 1942.

Sometimes considered America’s most popular holiday song, Berlin composed it for a movie soundtrack (“Holiday Inn” starring Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire). With its quiet power and elegant longing for the simple pleasures of the past, it was the perfect song for the gloomy months during the middle of World War II. Composer Berlin was not positive about the song when he first presented it to Crosby, but Bing’s confidence was well-founded. Spawning a movie of its own (1954′s “White Christmas” with Crosby and Danny Kaye), the song hit the Top 30 nearly 20 times and has now sold more than 30 million copies. There are reportedly 500+ recorded versions of the tune in two dozen languages.

# # #

Did you know that different types of instruments require different sorts of sheet music? Take the clarinet for example. A clarinet falls in the woodwind family meaning that traditionally it was made of wood and used a reed to be able to produce music. It is made up of four parts. These include (from bottom to top) the bell, the body, the barrel and the mouthpiece. The mouthpiece itself holds the reed in place with another piece known as the reed guard. This instrument can produce beautiful music but with a major distinction from others. It can only produce various flat tones.

Sheet music produced for the clarinet reflects this difference. A flat is a note that is used to reduce the semitone which produces a lower pitch. It is this flat which is integral to its performance. There are many different clarinets that are available in different keys. These include D Flat, C Major, A Flat, A Major, Bass and Alto B Flat and E Flat clarinets. The most commonly preferred type is the B Flat clarinet however.

The type of music an orchestra plays is what determines how they will make use of clarinets. The sheet music for the clarinets will reflect the notes that are particular to their instrument. They cannot play all the notes that might be found on a normal sheet of music. For example, the B Flat sheet music is written in such a way that it will contain notes that can be played in that particular key. Interestingly enough, clarinet sheet music may be very exacting but there are players that can easily play high notes that often times may not be found on the particular sheet of music they are using. A wide number of musical styles today make use of the clarinet. From big band music to even some rock and roll great clarinet players could conceivably find themselves playing nearly any venue available.

One thing to keep in mind is that a clarinet player must remember that each type of music will have its own particular forma, notes and improvisational styles. While sheet music for certain instruments were once hard to come by today there are many different sources that are available. From downloadable sheet music to website stores that specialize in it musicians can now get most any musical score they would like. It does not matter if you are looking for a vintage piece from the big band swing era to a clarinet part from a big Broadway musical you will most likely be able to easily find what you are looking for.

The first thing you will want to do in searching for the piece you would like is to check with local music supply shops around your area. If they do not carry what you are looking for then they may be able to either order it for you or tell you where you might go to find it. If you are not able to find a piece locally then you can find any number of online sources by using your choice of Internet search engine and typing in the keywords you are looking for. Soon you will be playing away on that piece and enjoying every minute of it.

HP- Tell us something about yourself.

CD- I’m a Mumbai goan looking forward to being a Goa goan very soon. I’ve reached two important milestones in my career. One is, after decades of playing everyone elses music i’ve development a style of my own and the biggest compliment I get these days is when someone recognizes my bassplaying on some tune they heard somewhere, they call up to confirm and..voila! The other milestone is probably every musicians dream, to produce music out of my own studio. A dream that will come true for me within this year when I setup my own state of the art studio in Sangolda. I’ve also setup an organisation called Jazz Goa with the help of fellow musicians and jazz enthusiasts in Goa.

HP- What drew you towards jazz?

CD- Jazz is a huge word, it should be spelt jjjaaaazzzzz! Seriously though, I think jazz is the most open, alive and evolving form of music that allows a musician to be him/herself. Most other forms of music demands a musician to follow trends and tradition or create stuff that’s currently hip. Whereas a jazz musician goes about his business listening, assimilating and finally innovating with yet another genre of jazz! We now have dixiland-jazz, swing-jazz, bebop-jazz, funk-jazz, rock-jazz, pop-jazz, fusion-jazz, latin-jazz, indo-jazz, mando-jazz… to cut a long story short, there’s a -jazz attached to every genre of music. And there will be a -jazz attached to every genre that comes along. I’m a musician who’s atracted to anything that looks, feels, smells, tastes and even sounds like music, so naturally I choose jazz as I get to play it ALL.

HP- What sets apart jazz music from other genres?

CD- Jazz is the only form of music that embraces all other forms and it is no longer American music. Today jazz can safely be called world music.

HP- What led you to become a jazz artiste?

CD- From amoung all the different genre’s of music I grew up listening to, for some reason it was always jazz that struck those extended chords within me. I could always hear the human and very often super human element in a jazz rendition.

HP- Your favourite jazz aristes/tracks.

CD- You’ll need to extend this interview by a few thousand pages to answer that. My all time favourite however was a bassplayer called Jaco Pastorius who revolutionised bassplaying taking bass right upfront, over, under and right through a song.

HP- To whom would you attribute your credentials as a jazz musician?

CD- To everyone i’ve worked with and everyone I would like to work with someday.

HP- Where and how did you train to be a jazz artiste?

CD- I have no formal training in music, I learnt music listening to other musicians, assimilating what I liked and using it consiously or subconsiously in performance until i developed a style of my own. Once I decided to play professionally though, I did study the technicalities through some great music books that are easily available these days.

HP- How do you prepare for a gig?

CD- I make sure there’s enough soda to go with the whisky…just kidding! It depends, if it is a concert where I would be performing my own compositions, I get the tunes composed, then get the band to rehearse and sound the way I heard it in my head. As it often turnsout, input from the rest of the band takes the tune to a dimension I would never have imagined. So you see, music is all about connecting and collaborating, don’t believe any of those fantastic one man bands. They’re faking it for monetary reasons, not that I have anything against it. All is fair in love, war and music.

HP- Talking about gigs, where and when did you first perform/how long have you been into jazz?

CD- Like most musicians I first got into music with school/college bands. I then graduated into fivestar hotel resident bands whose repertoire was made up mainly of jazz standards. I did that for ten years, playing music every night made me a musician.

HP- What is the jazz scene like in India, and Goa in particular?

CD- The jazz scene in India, Goa or anywhere in the world is the same. There’s a niche group of performers and listeners that grows all the time. Hopefully with jazz’s open armed evolution, it will grow into the global sound of music.

HP- What have been your highs and lows in your career thus far?

CD- The highs have always been the applause at the end of a track performed, the lows would be finding out that the applause was actually for the sixer Sachin hit on the big screen just besides the stage at Jazz by the Bay in Mumbai.

HP- How would you explain your role as a jazz musician in society?

CD- A jazz musician gives people a nicer high than some other interesting social highs.

HP- Define jazz.

CD- Jazz is improvised music. Sometimes structured, sometimes orchestrated, sometimes free of form and almost always, spontaneously created.

HP- Notable gigs/performances.

CD- The world reknowned Hennessey XO jazz tour has always been featuring jazz artistes signed by the American Blue Note label. Last year for the first time a jazz band outside the label, from far away India, was selected for this prestigious international tour. I was the bassplayer for that band. An unforgettable experience for sure. More recently my indo-jazz fusion band ‘The Brown Indian Band’ has been approached to open for Sting’s European tour this year. Fingers are crossed about that one.

HP- Collaborations with other musicians.

CD- I am contineously collaborating with musicians from all over the world thanks to the internet and my website http://www.hullocheck.com

HP- I understand you have been into different genres of music and worked with various ensembles. Tell us more.

CD- As I mentioned it before, when it comes to music I want it ALL. Name the genre and chances are, i’ve been there. You’ll find traces of just about every genre in my own music. There are very few musicians in the world today, who would match the number of bands and musicians I have worked with.

HP- Currently performing at…

CD- I currently perform on two resident contracts in Mumbai at the JW Marriott hotel in the afternoons and the Taj Lands End hotel in the nights. I also take timeoff from these two gigs to perform at concerts and corporate events in India and abroad. So that averages some sixty gigs a month!

HP- Your hobbies/interests…

CD- My main hobby and interest is my profession today. Everyone else works for a living, I play for mine. Someone once told me ‘All play and no work makes…makes me tick!’ Seriously though, I am very keen on improving the plight of most goan musicians in Goa. I was one sometime ago so I should know the raw deal most of them get. My plan is to set up Jazz Goa as an umbrella organisation for not just jazz but all the other immense artistic talent in Goa. To start with my studio in Sangolda will record and produce deserving artistes. Jazz Goa will then launch the best from there at a global level. Jazz Goa has already produced four audio CD’s and a DVD that is available in Goa exclusively at Vibes Music in Margao and online at http://www.jazzgoa.com

When people think of the word “Caribbean,” a number of images come to mind: tropical scenes with palm trees and calm, blue waters being perhaps the most notable. But when it comes to the evening time with dinner and dancing however, nothing invokes images of the Caribbean more than Calypso music. Certainly, the name Calypso could hardly be associated more with any location in the world than with the Caribbean.

The name for Calypso music has been updated and has changed in recent years. Now termed Soca, it is said that the new name came about when a dose of ‘So’ from Soul was infused with the ‘Ca’ in Calypso to become Soca! While the original label continues to be used to describe the early recordings of Harry Belefonte and others of the period, Caribbean communities worldwide currently refer to the music now only as Soca.

Soca music is dance music! It is also music that anyone can enjoy dancing to, regardless of their previous dance experience. Standing in one spot and moving to the rhythm is all that it takes… just swaying in whatever way the beat moves you.

Moving to the beat is, indeed, perhaps the most natural response to hearing this music. The rhythm and beat seem as basic as one’s heartbeat and finds literally everyone in the room ‘tapping their toes’.

What is frequently seen, as well, is a Conga Line taking off when people hear the sweet, Soca / Calypso rhythms. “It’s in the air – Celebration time; Music’s sweet – Captivate your mind,” are lyrics to the song Hot Hot Hot. The Conga Line is yet another invention attributed to the Caribbean, created, essentially, as a compliment to this music’s beat and is, again, so basic that anyone can follow. Just grabbing on to the waist of the person in front of you and, either just walking along to the rhythm or joining in on the alternating ‘kick and step’, can create a dance line that includes virtually everyone in attendance.

The band IRIE TIME performs Caribbean Soca and Reggae music, and has discovered that, once audiences hear the infectious Calypso / Soca beat, it is hard to quit! The band has recorded and released several original CDs, and has been performing live concerts and private events for over a decade. The proficiency of the group’s musicians, too, is so vast, as to allow the band the capability of augmenting their sound to fit just about any event. Often times, for instance with private events, the occasion itself will consist of a number of stages in the duration of the engagement, and the professionals in IRIE TIME are well able and experienced in adjusting the types of songs, volume levels, etc., of the music to optimize and entertain every step of the way.

Visit www.IRIETIME.com to find out how some “Irie” Soca music can help bring your event to life. The band can be reached at the Contact tab on their website or directly at 713-398-3798.

For three years while I was a worship pastor almost every week someone from the congregation would bring up the issue of Hymn’s vs. Choruses. Some members wanted more hymns, some wanted more choruses, some wanted hymns sung like choruses and some wanted less hymns and less “old” chorus songs so that we could do more “new” stuff. It didn’t seem like it was possible to make anyone happy.

In fact, it was difficult to make anyone happy. I would try to adjust the mix of the music and try tried to educate members of my congregation. It just didn’t seem to matter… That was until I figured out that the issue wasn’t really about hymns or choruses (at least for most people). The debate about these two styles of music was simply a way of voicing other thoughts and issues that were weighing on people’s hearts. I came to realize that in almost every case, when people voiced their dissent about hymns or choruses they had another issue that needed to be addressed. Here were the five most common issues that I found…

1. Congregation members wanted to feel that they were valued and that the things that mattered to them mattered to the leadership of the church. They wanted to be heard and they wanted to feel that their opinion, likes, dislikes and feelings were important to someone else. Many of the older members of the congregation didn’t want to feel forgotten while younger members wanted to feel that they had some say in the way that the church worked too.

2. There is an incredible amount of selfishness in the Church. Many church members are looking for a church that will “meet their needs” above all else. This tends to produce a consumeristic mentality that leads individuals to a place of evaluation instead of participation. Often the framework of the hymns vs. choruses debate needs to be reframed so that members realize that it is not “all about me” but instead it is “all about Him”.

3. The debate over the style of music for a church is often more about change and change process than it is about music. Change is painful and almost nobody likes it. Sometimes as church leadership, we forget that most individuals struggle with change, especially if it is rapid. Congregation members want to feel comfortable when they come to church and change can make things comfortable. Often if the issue of hymns vs. choruses is raised as a tangible example of resistance or feelings of uneasiness with change.

4. Although there will always be a few people that love to complain about everything, it is important to remember to give people the benefit of the doubt when they raise concerns about hymns vs. choruses. Often, when people advocate for more of one or other style of music they are genuinely worried about the worship services being relevant and ministering to a specific audience. Amazingly, two people who sit next to each other in the pews can view the target audience of the church as two completely different groups of individuals. A leadership who casts vision well and has a clearly defined target in mind can really help to alleviate this problem. Many individuals who may have a preference for Hymns or choruses are willing to put aside their personal likes and dislikes in order to better minister to a different generation. This is one of the things that makes the body of Christ strong.

5. Sometimes it is not about the music at all but instead is about the theology. It is tough sometimes to tell if this is the real issue for someone or just a way for them to reinforce their point. Either way, both hymns and choruses should be evaluated carefully to ensure that they reflect sound doctrine and fit with the teachings of God’s word. Churches that choose to do less hymns will often need to work harder to ensure that their music is not only doctrinally sound but is also theologically rich.

Leading worship can be a hard job. However, understanding where people are coming from when they bring up this issue can be even harder. These are five things that I noticed when dealing with the issue of hymns vs. choruses at my Church. Perhaps you will see them at your church as well.