Travels With My Trombone: A Caribbean Journey - Softcover

Shukman, Henry

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0006376096 ISBN 13: 9780006376095

Publisher: Flamingo, 1993

Synopsis

From the siesta to fiesta, the lifeblood of the Caribbean is in the rhythms of the salsa, calypso and zouk. The author of this book left London for Trinidad seeking to tap some of this bravura by joining a salsa band - the heart of the islands - and this book tells of his experiences. Caught in the exhilaration of carnival in Port of Spain, jamming with a police band in Grenada, witness to the thunderous drumming in the invocation of the god Shango in Trinidad and learning an unfamiliar style of zouk for a one-night stand in Dominica, Shukman's quest to share the musical roots of the people of the islands uncovered a world of powerful eroticism, ritual and mysticism. And on the mainland, the then travel-hardened Shukman was hurled into another world of carnival in the Colombian salsa capital Cali, sang the vallenato in the plaza of the northern town of La Gloria and was awoken in Cartegena to the nightmare of being falsely arrested as a supsected drug trafficker.

About this title

From the Back Cover:

From the siesta to the fiesta, the lifeblood of the Caribbean is its music, the infectious rhythms of salsa, calypso, zouk, with their mellifluous vocals and brilliant brass. Henry Shukman, who has the rare attributes of being both professional writer and ace trombone-player, left London for Trinidad seeking to tap some of this bravura by joining a calypso band – the very heartbeat of the islands.

'Wish I'd been with them'
LAURIE LEE

'Full of vivid portraits of an enormous cast. His description of the erotic dancing makes one want to leave for the Caribbean at once'
GEORGE MELLY

'Stunning descriptions of the days and nights of playing as he is made dizzy by heat, lack of sleep and erotic dancing'
TODAY

'Literary flourishes, amusing anecdotes... the people he meets are real, the landscape alive, the journey therapeutic'
SUNDAY TIMES

'So vivid that you can feel yourself deafened by the music and pummelled by the sweaty bodies of the dancers... An enthralling travel book, elegantly written and unfailingly entertaining'
DAILY MAIL

'The Bruce Chatwin de ses jours'
PUNCH

About the Author:

Henry Shukman wrote his first book, ‘Sons of the Moon’, at the age of nineteen. Since then he has written for various publications, including ‘Conde Nast Traveller’, ‘GQ’ and the ‘Sunday Times’.

About this edition

• Publisher: Flamingo
• Publication date: 1993
• ISBN 10: 0006376096
• ISBN 13: 9780006376095
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 256