Guide To The Cayman Music Scene

The culture of the Cayman Islands is diverse and timeless, with music playing an important role. Jazz, calypso and reggae are among the most important musical influences, and popular instruments include various types of drums, fiddles, accordions, graters and mouth organs. Locals are known for their love of live performances; many bars and restaurants cater to that desire, and a number of music festivals are held every year. While Cayman musicians are influenced by a wide variety of genres, including folk, jazz, gospel, R&B and pop, they all possess a quality of warmth that is attributed to this little chunk of the Caribbean. Music in the islands is as fascinating to learn about as it is to listen to, which is why we've compiled this guide to the Cayman music scene for both locals and tourists.

Hi Tide

Hi Tide, a popular acoustic duo in Cayman, strives to offer a sound and style that is unique to the beautiful Caribbean islands they call home. Known for offering not only covers of classic songs but also original, Cayman-inspired pop songs, Shane Allenger and Sean Hennings started the band in the early 1990s. Frequently played on Cayman Island radio stations, Hi Tide has released a CD/DVD set alongside 10 studios discs, including albums of covers and originals, as well as Christmas collections and live recordings. Several of their original songs have become popular internationally, with one becoming licensed in England. Hi Tide performs regularly in the Cayman Islands and around the world, including the United States, Canada, Europe, Hawaii and South America.

Barefoot Man

The Barefoot Man, also known as George Nowak, has been playing in the Cayman Islands since he first arrived in 1971. Aptly nicknamed after his tendency to perform without shoes, the Barefoot Man plays a mixture of calypso, reggae and soca music, and is often backed by a band. Born in Bavaria, he has recorded approximately 500 songs, written 2 books and is a household name in the islands. A self-professed beach bum, the Barefoot Man owns a record business and has released a number of albums himself, including the best-of “Hot Hot Hot Collection,” “Scuba Do” and “Scuba Do II,” the latter of which feature diving songs. Widely recognized for his musical accomplishments, he also wrote and recorded a song for popular Paramount Pictures film “The Firm,” which is based on a John Grisham novel that mentions Nowak.

  

Sunny Jim

James White, who goes by the nickname Sunny Jim, first came to the Cayman Islands in 1988 to play a temporary gig. He fell in love with the island lifestyle and, when his bandmates returned to the United States, he became the Hyatt Regency Grand Cayman's resident artist. Sunny Jim gained a dedicated following of tourists and islanders, and went on to release 8 studio albums and 3 live recordings. Playing traditional, light-hearted Caribbean music, this artist's influences include life in Cayman, love and the many interesting people he's met along the way. Sunny Jim's songs are played often on Jimmy Buffett's Radio Margaritaville and in 1998 the station visited Cayman's Seven Mile Beach to broadcast a show live on the Internet. He has won 4 Trop Rock Music awards, including Musician of the Year and Vocalist of the Year, and, like fellow artist the Barefoot Man, also composed and recorded a song that was featured in the film “The Firm.” Sunny Jim left the Cayman Islands for Osprey, Florida in 2000.

  

Los Tropicanos

Los Tropicanos is a popular Cayman Islands band that was founded in 1987. Known for their energetic soca beats, they are led by Burmon Scott, who plays a wide variety of instruments. A trio, Steve Welds, who plays both lead and rhythm guitar, and Andrea Rivera, the lead singer, round out the band. They also play salsa, reggae and disco music, and enjoy performing on the dance, private and wedding party circuits in the islands. Band leader Burmon is a native of Cayman Brac, one of the smaller islands, and he claims to have gotten his start in music when he broke into his church as a teenager to practice on the piano.

Swanky Kitchen Band

Grand Cayman's Swanky Kitchen Band offers a tantalizing blend of folk, Caymanian and Caribbean music. Inspired by artists such as Bob Marley, North Side Kitchen, Julia Hydes and Radley Gurzong, they are a traditional Cayman kitchen band and very popular amongst locals. With members Samuel Rose on the violin, Nicholas Johnson on rhythm guitar, Daniel Augustine on the drums, Paula Scott on the grater and shakers, Stanley Ebanks on percussion, Lammie Seymour on bass, Jonathan Ebanks on lead guitar, Devon Edie on saxophone and KK Alese and Jeffrey Wilson singing, they have a number of very talented musicians in their midst. Playing together for nearly 10 years, the Swanky Kitchen Band is dedicated to preserving kitchen dance music in Cayman. Named after “Swanky,” an island beverage made from lime, water and brown sugar, this talented band takes audiences on a journey, putting a brand new spin on an authentic sound. The Swanky Kitchen Band is a recipient of the Cayman National Cultural Foundation’s Cultural Heritage Award and has performed overseas, opening for a variety of musical acts. They have also released 2 studio albums, “A Swanky Christmas” in 2008 and “Sand Dance” in 2011.

Aunt Julia

Aunt Julia, or Julia Almeria Hydes, is the last living member of Cayman's original group of musicians. The oldest living person in the islands at 104, Aunt Julia was born in 1909 and left school at the age of 15. Encouraged by relative “Duxie” Ebanks, a famous island fiddler, she began playing a homemade drum and soon fell in love with it. Aunt Julia, with no formal training, was soon touring the islands with musicians such as Duxie, Boyd Hydes and Cleveland Ebanks, playing traditional Cayman folk music for events such as weddings and kitchen dances. Shortly after, she began composing her own songs, which featured themes such as island people and events. Aunt Julia won the CNCF Award for her cultural heritage work and, in 1996, the islands' Certificate and Badge of Honour. She still plays music today, and you will often find her singing or drumming at senior citizens events in Cayman.

North Side Kitchen Band

The North Side Kitchen Band was formed by Ned Miller in Cayman in 2002. Ned, alongside his brothers Coburn and Rexford on the guitar and the drums, plays traditional island music, the majority of which was composed by their Caymanian ancestors. Dedicated to preserving and exemplifying kitchen music as it was when the craze first began, the North Side Kitchen Band plays songs that, instead of being written down, have been passed down many generations. These songs, like “Under the Coconut Tree” and “Munzie Boat in the Sound” to name a couple, describe island life as it was many years ago. The band has since expanded, with Freddy Douglas on rhythm guitar, Harvey Whittaker on the maracas and Darwin Ebanks on bass guitar.

Cayman Islands' Folk Singers

The Cayman Islands' Folk Singers were formed in 2009 by the Cayman National Cultural Foundation. A group of amateur musicians, the Folk Singers are dedicated to both preserving and celebrating Caymanian music forms and traditions. They play a wide repertoire of songs, including many by Aunt Julia Hydes and from regions such as Belize and Jamaica. The Cayman Islands' Folk Singers perform at many island events, including art exhibit openings and the annual Camana Bay Christmas Breeze concert.

  

Festivals

The Cayman Islands hold a number of yearly festivals that celebrate traditional and more contemporary music. Jazz on the Green features both Caribbean and contemporary jazz music, alongside delicious food and drink, while CayFest is a month-long showcase of a wide variety of art, including music. The Cayman Islands Winter Music Festival, or CIWMF, brings local and international talent to Grand Cayman to perform at Calico Jacks, a popular beach bar.

The Cayman music scene is incredibly engaging,with loads of  talented artists and groups who call the islands home. From older artists such as Aunt Julia to more contemporary bands with a traditional flare like the Swanky Kitchen Band, there is no shortage of reggae, calypso, kitchen, Caribbean, salsa and gospel music in the islands, all of which is complimented by genres such as pop and rock. If you're planning a visit to the Cayman Islands, taking in a performance at one of the many festivals is an unforgettable experience.