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Across August 2024, opera singer and vocal coach Abigail Kelly led a series of workshops in Caribbean Folk Singing for our TURNING POINT programme.
The workshops were inspired by rare Caribbean songs featured in our period drama TURNING POINT and Abigail’s extensive knowledge of African and Caribbean song heritage. TURNING POINT’s sound design features our own original interpretation of the unique, scarcely-known and deeply poignant “Barbados Slaves’ Work Song” (c. 1780), which you can listen to on our Resource page.
Abigail is one the UK’s foremost experts in Caribbean folk singing heritage, and classical music of African heritage in Britain since the 18th century. The workshops culminated in a beautiful performance by participants for friends and family at MAC Birmingham in August 2024, where traditional Caribbean folk songs were performed. We have shared them here for those interested in learning more about Caribbean Folk Songs and hearing how they sound.
Below, you can choose to view our movie of the full performance (duration 53-mins). Or a short movie of each song being performed…
Caribbean Folk Singing at MAC Birmingham – full movie
A short movie of each Caribbean Folk Song performed…
“Good Marnin”
“Good Marnin” is from Montserrat. Dr Clarence Barnes taught Abigail Kelly this song while she was in Montserrat herself. Flying into Montserrat on a tiny plane, with smoke billowing from the active volcano on the island, Abigail then performed at Montserrat herself. This song is all about saying good morning to your neighbour.
“Banyan Tree”
“Banyan Tree”, also known as Moon Shine Tonight, is a Jamaican folk song. The original lyrics reference dancing “quadrille”, a stately dance that was done in the 1t8th century, which shows the far back roots of the folk song.
“Long Time Gal”
“Long Time Gal”, is a Jamaican folk song that has been re-composed by the Jamaican composer Peter Ashbourne for operatic soprano, performed here by Abigail Kelly.
“Linstead Market”
“Linstead Market” is a popular Jamaican folk song about a mother going to sell ackee fruit at the market, but finding herself unsuccessful. It is of the ‘mento’ style of Jamaican folk music which was most popular in the 1940s and 1950s, and has influenced many later genres of Jamaican music such as ska and reggae.
“Fi mi love”
“Fi Mi Love”, also known as “Fi Mi Love Have Lion Heart, is another re-composition by Peter Ashbourne of a traditional Jamaican folk song. It is a romantic folk song about unconditional love.
“Nobody’s Business”
“Nobody’s Business”, is another re-composition by Peter Ashbourne. They were originally re-scored by Peter Ashbourne on the insistence of singer Dawn-Marie. Nobody’s Business is one of the first folk songs that he re-composed for Dawn-Marie to perform at a recital in 2001.
“Liza”
“Bell a-ring a yard oh”
