By Michael Ambrosino
Christmas within the Caribbean is greater than twinkling lights and festive feasts—it’s a vibrant celebration of household, neighborhood, and music. Steelpan artist Pleasure Lapps and her husband, drummer Larnell Lewis, are capturing this essence of their new album “The Caribbean Christmas Mixtape, Vol. 1,” which was launched on November 15, 2024.
This venture is extra than simply one other assortment of vacation classics. As a substitute, the duo reimagines beloved Christmas songs by the lens of Afro-Caribbean musical traditions. The mixtape embodies the creativity and cultural depth of the Caribbean diaspora whereas providing a heartfelt tribute to household, religion, and neighborhood.
Roots in neighborhood and tradition
Lapps, whose mother and father hail from Antigua and St. Kitts, grew up in Toronto surrounded by the wealthy musical heritage of the Caribbean. Her father John, a widely known occasion DJ, launched her early to genres like soca, calypso, and zouk. Although she’s deeply rooted in steelpan custom, Pleasure has made it her mission to increase the instrument’s versatility. “Folks typically suppose steelpan is proscribed to calypso, however I wish to present the world its full potential,” she stated.
Larnell Lewis, who grew up in a multi-instrumentalist household in Toronto, shares the same journey. His musical upbringing was closely influenced by his father’s position as a church music director. From gospel and R&B to Caribbean beats like spouge and reggae, Larnell developed a broad rhythmic palette. Greatest generally known as one of many drummers for the Grammy-winning group Snarky Pet, Larnell brings his encyclopedic information of rhythm to the venture.
“Rising up in church taught me use music to form the collective spirit of a neighborhood,” Larnell defined. “And Christmas music was all the time an enormous a part of that.”
An impressed vacation venture
The thought for “The Caribbean Christmas Mixtape, Vol. 1” took form throughout stay performances for Toronto’s JAZZ.FM91 annual Christmas live performance collection. After receiving an enthusiastic response from the town’s Caribbean neighborhood, Pleasure and Larnell determined to document the album. Their objective was to create danceable, rhythmic music whereas honoring the sophistication of Caribbean musical traditions.
The mixtape opens with “Soca Sleigh Trip,” an lively mix of soca rhythms and vacation cheer. Different standout tracks embody “Santa Claus is Coming to City,” which Larnell humorously organized to mirror a relative who forgot to deliver the jerk rooster, and “Petite Papa Noël,” that includes Pleasure and her sister Subria Lapps singing in English and French over a delicate zouk association.
Their rendition of “Edelweiss,” popularized by The Sound of Music, options hovering vocals by Justin Bacchus and Subria Lapps, superbly supported by steelpan and Jeremy Ledbetter on piano. Larnell’s association of “O Little City of Bethlehem” blends jazz with a refined dancehall beat, highlighting Pleasure’s impeccable pan abilities.
Different tracks embody a reggae-infused “Carol of the Bells” and a gospel-Afrobeat fusion of “Little Drummer Boy.” The album closes with a heartfelt model of “Silent Night time,” that includes Pleasure, Larnell, and pianist Courtenay Frazer.
A musical love letter
For Pleasure and Larnell, the mixtape is deeply private. “That is what Christmas gave the impression of when my household gathered to play music, sing, and dance,” Larnell mirrored. Pleasure added, “Music is how we join, have a good time, and heal. This venture is about sharing that pleasure with the world.”
“The Caribbean Christmas Mixtape, Vol. 1” is a soundtrack for the season, honoring custom whereas embracing innovation. It’s a vacation present brimming with rhythm, heat, and the unmistakable spirit of the Caribbean.
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