Ronald Snijders studied ethnomusicology at University of Amsterdam (between 1986 and 1991). He is a doctorandus (drs). The subject of his paper is Surinam kaseko music.

Kaseko music, a short introduction.

By drs. Ronald Snijders

Kaseko is the most known music from Surinam.  The history of it began around 1900 in the capital Paramaribo with small ensembles of  Creole street musicians.  Later, between the years twenty and forty influences from the New Orléans jazz led to simultaneously improvised Surinam music on brass instruments. The snaredrum rhythm was contrasted by blows on the basdrum.  This music named bigi poku was also played by members of the Military Band outside service.  After the Second world War this music was strongly influenced by Latin American music and calypso, what resulted in a new Surinamese music kind that was named  kaseko and became popular .  This word kaseko, a corruption of the french verb "casser le corps" (shaking the body), was originating of the neighboring country French Guyana.  The call and answer structure of songs was also clear influenced through the older African-Surinamese kawina music and  by winti music.  Many kaseko songs originate from these styles and folksongs.  The influence of rock ‘n’roll and rock music increased the use of  electric guitar, bassguitar and electric organ.  In the seventies popular kaseko was also performed by ex-Marroons (descendants of walked away slavs) exported.  They sang in their own Creole languages which differs from Sranantongo, the lingua franca from Surinam.  Many Surinamers (including musicians) emigrated in the seventies to the Netherlands where numerous LP’s  with kaseko music were released.  The bassdrum, now named that skratjie, was introduced again.  In the years eighty arose there between kawina - that then also was popular - and kaseko a new style named kaskawi.  But the slower, old  bigi poku music - also called kopro- still was played.  Another genre is grootbazuin, a mix between Christian songs and kaseko.  Surinamese jazz musicians mixed kaseko and bigi poku with jazz and mainly African Caribbean world music to new styles like paramaribob and kasekojazz.