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Carnival Music from Trinidad and Tobago

World music critic Milo Miles says that some of the first recorded black music in the United States was calypso, despite the fact that that the style originated in the Caribbean. Calypso, most often performed during Carnival, was known for being extremely topical -- performers were expected to improvise songs on the spot about current events.

06:56
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Other segments from the episode on July 27, 1990

Fresh Air with Terry Gross, July 27, 1990: Interview with Nicholas Cage; Commentary on calypso music; Interview with Bruno Kirby; Review of the home video release of the film "Harvey."
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24:29

Film Actor Nicholas Cage on "Wild at Heart"

Cage stars in the upcoming David Lynch movie. The actor says he enjoyed Wild at Heart's dreamlike atmosphere, which allowed him to push the boundaries of his performance. He joins Fresh Air to discuss some of his earlier work, and the extremes he's gone to capture a character. Cage is the nephew of Francis Ford Coppola; he changed his name to distinguish himself from his famous family.

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11:25

Film Actor Bruno Kirby

Kirby has had prominent roles in films like Good Morning, America, The Godfather II, and When Harry Met Sally. He stars in a new, mob-themed comedy called The Freshman. His father is fellow movie actor Bruce Kirby.

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Calypso's Evolution into Soca

World music critic Milo Miles returns to Fresh Air to discuss another popular genre from Trinidad and Tobago, called soca, which brought a faster, more danceable feel to calypso.

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Crossing Borders with Neil Bissoondath

The new novelist's book, The Casual Brutality, deals with a man from Trinidad who moves to Canada -- a narrative inspired by Bissoondath's own life. The writer is descended from Indian immigrants, and is the nephew of fellow author V.S. Naipaul.

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A West Indian Poet Navigates Culture and Language

Caribbean writer Derek Walcott divides his time between Trinidad and Boston. While his work often focuses on his West Indian identity; Walcott writes in English--the language of the colonizers who suppressed and diluted is country's indigenous culture.

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