Is Mento Music the Same as Reggae?
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A lot of people seem to think that mento music and reggae are the same thing. But are they really? We take a look at the similarities and differences between the two genres.
What is Mento Music?
Mento is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the early 19th century. It is a mix of African and European folk music. Mento is also known as Jamaican folk music or Jamaican country music. The lyrics of mento songs are often about love, poverty, and social issues.
Origins of Mento Music
Mento is a style of Jamaican folk music that predates and has greatly influenced ska and reggae music. Mento typically features acoustic instruments, such as acoustic guitar, banjo, hand drums, and the rhumba box—a small drum powered by twine drums which forms the bass line of a mento song. The singer(s) will interactive with the audience, often in call-and-response style.
Origins of Mento Music
Mento is African in origin, and was brought to Jamaica by slaves who came to the island from Ghana, Nigeria, and Congo in the 1600 and 1700s. Mento draws from many different musical traditions, including European ballads (Shenandoah is a well-known example), quadrilles (a French dance), work songs, field hollers, calypsos from Trinidad, and the music of Ewe drummers from Ghana.
Characteristics of Mento Music
Mento is a style of Jamaican folk music that predates and has greatly influenced ska and reggae music. Mento typically features acoustic instruments, such as acoustic guitar, banjo, hand drums, and the rhumba box—a small mento-specific drum played with sticks. The rhumba box carries the bass part of the music. Lord Flea and Count Lasher are two of the most famous mento artists from the 1950s.
One characteristic of mento that distinguishes it from reggae is its use of calypso lyrics. Mento songs often tell stories or make lighthearted and humorous commentaries on everyday life and current events.
What is Reggae?
Reggae is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1960s. The term reggae was first used to describe this new style of music in 1968. The word reggae comes from the Jamaican patois word “regga” which means “rags” or “ragged clothing.”
Origins of Reggae
Reggae is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1960s. The term also denotes the modern popular music of Jamaica and its diaspora. A 1968 single by Toots and the Maytals, “Do the Reggay” was the first popular song to use the word “reggae”, effectively naming the genre and introducing it to a global audience. While sometimes used in a broad sense to refer to most types of popular Jamaican dance music, the term reggae more properly denotes a particular music style that was strongly influenced by traditional mento as well as American jazz and rhythm and blues, especially the New Orleans R&B practiced by Fats Domino and Allen Toussaint. Reggae relates news, social gossip, and political commentary.
Characteristics of Reggae
Reggae is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1960s. The term “reggae” is sometimes used in a broad sense to refer to most types of popular Jamaican dance music, including ska, rocksteady and dub. Reggae developed from earlier forms of Jamaican popular music, such as ska and rocksteady, and is characterized by a distinctly Jamaican sound that combines elements of African Mento, Calypso, Ska, Rocksteady and R&B.
Reggae is played on a 4/4 time signature with a heavy backbeat and typically features instruments such as drums, bass guitar, rhythm guitar, organs and horns. Reggae songs are often about social issues such as poverty, racism and love. The genre was first popularized in the United States by artists such as Bob Marley and The Wailers.
Is Mento Music the Same as Reggae?
Mento is a style of Jamaican folk music that predates and has greatly influenced ska and reggae music. Mento typically features acoustic instruments, such as acoustic guitar, banjo, percussion instruments, brass instruments, and melodica, and is often sung in Jamaican Patois.
Mento Music vs. Reggae: Origins
Mento music is a style of Jamaican folk music that dates back to the 19th century. The music is characterized by its use of African and European musical elements, as well as its focus on social and political commentary. Reggae, on the other hand, is a style of Jamaican popular music that emerged in the late 1960s. While it retains some elements of mento, it also incorporates elements of rocksteady and ska. Reggae is typically more upbeat and positive than mento, and its lyrics often focus on love and peace.
Mento Music vs. Reggae: Characteristics
Mento is a style of Jamaican folk music that predates and has greatly influenced ska and reggae music. Mento typically features acoustic instruments, such as acoustic guitar, banjo, hand drums, and the rhumba box—a large mbira in the shape of a box that can be sat on while played. The rhumba box carries the bass part of the music. Instruments such as the piano and trumpet are also sometimes used.
Reggae is a genre of popular music that originated in Jamaica in the late 1960s. The term also denotes the modern popular music of Jamaica and its diaspora. A 1968 single by Toots and the Maytals, “Do the Reggay” was the first popular song to use the word “reggae”, effectively naming the genre and introducing it to a global audience. While sometimes used in a broad sense to refer to most types of popular Jamaican dance music, the term reggae more properly denotes a particular music style that originated following on the development of ska and rocksteady.
There are several key differences between mento and reggae music:
-Mento is typically performed on acoustic instruments, while reggae is usually performed with electric instruments.
-Mento often features call-and-response singing, while this is not as common in reggae.
-The lyrics of mento songs are often lighthearted or humorous, while those of reggae are usually more serious in tone.
-The rhythm of mento is often jumpy and syncopated, while that of reggae is steadier and more flowing.
