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Compas (also known as compas direct in French, or konpa dirèk in Creole or simply konpa) is a modern méringue, the national music genre of Haiti that people have been dancing and singing since the 1800s. Popularized by Haitian sax and guitar player Nemours Jean-Baptiste in 1955, compas is the main music of many countries such as Dominica and the French Antilles, etc. Whether it is incorrectly called zouk where French Antilles artists of Martinique and Guadeloupe have taken it or compas in places where Haitian artists have toured, this méringue style is very influential in the Caribbean, Africa, Cape Verde, Portugal, France, part of Canada, South and North America.

History

Compas direct is a modern méringue popularized in 1955 by the Nemours Jean-Baptiste, a Haitian sax and guitar player. Nemours Jean-Baptiste presented his orchestra “Ensemble Aux Calebasses” in 1955 (named after the club “Aux Calebasses” located at Carrefour, a western neighborhood of Port-au-Prince; Haiti's capital where the band used to perform on weekends). Compas popularity took off likely due to the genre's ability to improvise and hold the rhythm section steady. Jean-Baptiste incorporated a lot of brass and easily recognized rhythms. Compas is sung in Creole, English, Spanish, French, Portuguese, etc. Nemours' popularity grew in and out of the country. Its clean horn section was remarkable and the band featured méringue tunes that gained instant popularity.

Cadence rampa is also known as kadans ranpa.. As early as the late 50s Nemours and the Sicot Brothers from Haiti would frequently tour the Caribbean, especially Dominica and the French Islands of Martinique & Guadeloupe to spread the seed of the méringue-cadence.

Webert Sicot, the originator of cadence recorded three LPs albums with French Antilles producers: two with "Celini disques" in Guadeloupe and one with "Balthazar" in Martinique. In addition to the Sicot brothers, almost all existing Haitian compas bands have toured these Islands that have since adopted the music and the dance of the méringue. For example, in Martinique, several music groups: Ensemble Abricot (bienvenue, festival compas), les djoubap's (Isabelle), combo jazz (electronique compas, pa gadem sou cote), Georges Plonquitte (vini dance compas direct), etc. have all within a year conquered the public with the many tunes or compositions of Nemours. Haitian compas and cadence bands were asked to integrate Antillean musicians.

Consequently, the leading "Les Guais troubadours", with influential singer "Louis Lahens" along other bands, played a very important role in the schooling of Antilleans to the méringue compas or kadans music style. Later Nemours became a favorite of Dominican president, Joaquín Balaguer who often contracted the band. This is why hits like "ti Carole", "Chagrin d'amour" featured by known Dominican stars Luis Miguel and others are also sung in Spanish.

Dance style

The dance-style that accompanied konpa dirèk in the 1950s, was a two step dance called kare (square). As a méringue, a ballroom dance, compas is danced in pair. Sometimes partners dance holding each other tightly and romantically; in this case often most of the moves are made at the hips.

Méringue-compas and its derivatives

Today the méringue-compas, deeply rooted in many countries, has influenced many music styles and been called other names:

Cadence-lypso

Originally the word cadence or kadans was on album covers whether it's Grammacks or Exile One. They featured calypso, reggae and mostly cadence.

The full-horn section kadans band Exile One led by Gordon Henderson was the first to introduce the newly arrived synthesizers to their music that other young cadence or compas bands from the french Antilles emulated in the 1970s.

Zouk

Zouk or zouk-love is the French Antilles cadence or compas.

Coladeira

There is a strong compas influence in Cape Verdean music. Cape Verdeans artists have been exposed to konpa in the USA and France. During the 60s-80s Haitian artists and bands such as Claudette & Ti Pierre, Tabou Combo and mostly Gesner Henry alias Coupe Cloue and the Dominican group Exile One were very popular in Africa. In addition, the French Antilles kassav and other French Antillean musicians, which main music is compas toured Cabo island in various occasions. Many Cape Verdean artists feature compas. Talented Tito Paris "dança mami Criola" 1994, is a good example; this CD featured music close to Haiti Tabou Combo, Caribbean Sextet, Tropicana and French Antilles Kassav, etc. Today the new generation of Cape Verdean artists features a light compas close to Haitian and French Antillean.

Notable Méringue or compas artists

See also

• Cadence rampa
• Cadence-lypso
• Caribbean music
• Haitian Carnival
• Méringue
• Zouk

References

1. Billy "La Voz" Kompalsa
2. Peter Manuel, Caribbean Music from Rumba to Reggae, 2nd edition, Temple University Phila 2006
3. Gage Averill, A day for the Hunter, a day for the Pray, University of Chicago Press, 1997
4. Peter Manuel, Musics of the Non-Western World, University Press 1988, p72-74
5. Haitian, French Antilles, Cape Verde
6. Manuel, Peter with Kenneth Bilby, Michael Largey (2006). Caribbean Currents: Caribbean Music from Rumba to Reggae. p. 161. Retrieved 8 March 2014.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
7. Guilbault, Jocelyne (1993). "Zouk: World Music in the West Indies". p. 111. Retrieved 20 January 2014.
8. Dominique Janvier, introduction in Nemours' Album cover 1980, long vie to Nemours
9. Dominique Janvier, introduction on Nemour' album cover 1980, long vie to Nemours
10. A Day for the Hunter, a Day for the Prey: Popular Music and Power in Haiti. Retrieved 20 March 2014.
11. Peter Manuel, Popular Musics of the Non-Western World, Oxford University Press 1988: (Nemours Jean-Bapstiste adapted the méringue to mambo-style big band instrumentation and rhythmic patterns, coining the term compas direct for his innovation. For his part, Webert Sicot is credited with popularizing the rubric cadence for his similarly modernized meringue)
12. Grammacks: mediba (kadans), banana (sweet kadans), ou pa bon, (kadans), ou pitit (kadans), reggae down, disco live (kadans) this same tune is categorized as zouk retro by Deejay Zak (midlay kadans 11/24/2011) Exile one: akiyaka, gade deye...(Midnight) get ready 1997, etc.
13. Caribbean and Latin America. Introduction of digital technology. Retrieved August 10, 2010.
14. Funkyorgan. Cadence Lypso and the organ. Retrieved August 10, 2010.
15. Peter Manuel, Musics of the Non-Western World, Chicago press University 1988p74
16. In the 1960s the coladeira emerged as a more lively, upbeat counter-part to the morna The coladeira is performed in fast duple meter, accompanying informal pop-style couple dancing. its primary influences appear to be an obscure folk processional music by the same name, Afro-American commercial music, the morna, and most important, modern French Caribbean pop...more often it is played by a modern dance band, that is, with drums, bass, electric guitars, and the like. Peter Manuel, Popular Musics of the Non-Western World,p95. Oxford University Press 1988
17. ...Aculturation has been further promoted by the growth of overseas communities (especially in New England) whose population now exceeds that of Cape Verde itself (around 300,000).Peter Manuel, Popular Musics of the Non-Western World,p95. Oxford University Press 1988

• Manuel, Peter (2006). Caribbean Currents: Caribbean Music from Rumba to Reggae (2nd edition). Philadelphia: Temple University Press. ISBN 1-59213-463-7.
• Experience Haitian music on Mizikpam Internet Radio Accessed May 18, 2010
• Gage Averill (1997). Caribbean Current: A day for the hunter. A day for the prey. Chicago and London: The University of Chicago Press.

• Haitian music
• Caribbean music genres