Surinam Golden Gate Boys - Peroen Peroen Mi Patron Philips LP

The Original Golden Gate Boys where immensely popular back home in Suriname and inspired many groups.
One of them is todays group who started singing somewhere in the sixties.

This song is a traditional dating from slavery times probably around 1700.
In the song a "patron" (slave being the foreman) is being made ridiculous by other slaves after foreign pirates/army's have raided their lumber plantations and took all wood with them.

He's being asked why he did not stop them, how much beating he has received and why he's trying to hide he's in pain.
A rare opportunity to get back at him.

The Golden gate Boys are E.Banket, D.Berenstein, E.Vabrie and W.Bergtop.

Peroen Peroen Mi Patron SURINAM GOLDEN GATE BOYS

Orchestra Washboard lead Lieve Hugo - Langa Bere Emi CD '90

Orchestra Washboard to me is one of the best traditional bands ever from Suriname. It consisted of some of the best musicians Suriname had to offer.
This group was immensely popular and they did not know how to stop when they got started and the party was going, that's how this song came to life, improvised just to keep the party going and it kept evolving every time, consisting of traditional Suriname songs from way back passed on by earlier music generation.

Washboard mostly played at house parties in the early years. I cherries the memories I have regarding this band in connection with my grandmothers 70th birthday (Nov 1969), they played like crazy that night and I've never heard "Langa Bere" played better then they did that night.
"Langa Bere" is a saying we use in Suriname for something that keeps on going and going. It can also mean boring, but listening you'll know it's not the case with this song.

This music style is called "Bigie-Pokoe" meaning "Big/Large/Grand - Music/Rhythm/Cadance".
This sound started somewhere in the 1930's under the influence of marching bands, military brass and jazz bands, that's why the horns are so prominent. Don't you just love the sax player.

This version was recorded in 1970 during the Holland tour. You can hear the mix of Winti and Kawina elements which where already there in the '30. Listening to the horns answering the sax in some parts as the backing vocals traditionally do in winti/kawina which is also the case in this song.

The group broke up in the mid 70's if I remember well and most of the members started there own groups ( 5 or 6) mostly in The Netherlands, both lead singers started a solo career with there own band and really made it.

Washboard sometimes played for hours and hours, they had spare musicians that took over when one was tired, just needed to go to the bathroom, maybe saw someone at the party he had not seen for a while or just wanted to dance which frequently occurred during ballads, when they had there eye on one of the partying ladies.

Some of the musicians played several instruments, so after an hour you could see the drummer playing bass or some other instrument.
It was great just watching them.
The rapid swelling of the rhythm and the constant changing you hear at the end sometimes went on for 15 minutes.
But enough of my walk down memory lane.
Enjoy 15 minutes of dancing pleasure.

ORCHESTRA WASHBOARD – LANGA BERE

Sonora Paramarera - Teki Wan Gon

This group from the late 60's is still going strong, although the members have been changing constantly the last 10 to 15 years.
Paramarera consisted mostly of Suriname musicians mixed with those from the Dutch Antilles, Holland and some other South American countries.

They mainly play/played Kaseko, which is a Suriname dance rhythm, but other Caribbean styles where/are also among their repertoire like reggae, salsa and calypso.
Read more about Kaseko Music
The song is a traditional, rearranged by on of the group members. The story is about 2 people having a quarrel, one is very angry with the other who says "Well If You're Angry With Me Then Take A Gun And Shoot Me"
This comment was, and to some extend still is, being used in Suriname to stop a debate or argument about something that was/is going nowhere.

Kaseko is a very joyful rhythm just listen and feel how it brightens your day.

KASEKO song by Sonora Paramarera