Caribbean Vibes

Covered both by Harry Belafonte and Robert Palmer, "Man Smart, Woman Smarter" is a classic island song that came into the United States via New Orleans, getting a Cajun gloss over a Calypso base. The oft-covered "Guantanamera," originally written by Cuban poet and statesman José Martí, is a must-hear.

What with Shorty, Spoon, Kitchener, Invader, and others, the Caribbean seems to have more "Lords" than Parliament. But the real royalty here might well be bassist Cachaito López, son of Cuban bassist Orestes "Macho" López and nephew of bassist Israel "Cachao" López (who is credited with creating the mambo).

If you ever wondered what calypso and klezmer might sound like together, we recommend Lord Executor's "We Mourn the Loss of Sir Murchison Fletcher." And with musical shout-outs for "Aruba," "St. Thomas," "Grenada," and "Barbados," it's hard to resist the temptation to grab the next available flight to the islands.

America has had a musical love affair with the Caribbean for just about as long as music has been recorded. Whether reggae, salsa, calypso, merengue, mambo, soca, zouk, ska, or some other blend that drifted west from Africa and got filtered through the locals to our southeast, we've made a place for it in our hearts and on our charts. The syncopated rhythms and the complex percussion only help to promote a virtually inescapable musical fiebre.