COMMENTARY: A Cadence-Lypso Day message

Gordon Henderson

August 25 is observed in Dominica by some radio stations and Creole music enthusiasts as Cadence-Lypso day.

As strange as it may seem, this year I would like to make a special appeal to a very powerful group of Dominicans because of their zeal and efficacy in promoting a different genre of music, who with a little effort can be of enormous assistance to Dominica in our quest in carving our spot within the global Creole music market.

I am referring here to: THE DOMINICAN REGGAE AMBASSADORS.

These four words may shock or even infuriated some, however, in all intellectual honesty, I am referring to persons be it musicians, radio personalities, politicians, PhDs and many more who are “Dominicans” and for very good reason I am sure, have embraced Reggae music as their music of choice or predilection to the point of defending it in their quotes and in many cases making a lifetime commitment to every Jamaican aspect of the music and lifestyle.

Some Dominican Reggae Ambassadors may be unaware of their status and consequently refuse the title, however after honest consideration they do fit the criteria.

I should hastily confess that many years ago in the seventies, I was myself an ardent Reggae Ambassador, since I recorded many songs so long ago that it was called “Reggay” then, before the Jamaicans realized that the name contained the syllable “gay” and changed it to “gae”. With the group Exile One, we also recorded an entire Reggae album on the Barclay label.

I am making these careful clarifications to say that many of us have been at some time of our lives Reggae Ambassadors.

For my part, I consider myself lucky to still enjoy Reggae music to the fullest but I have found my “niche”. I am a Creole music ambassador. Cadence-Lypso being a part of the Global Creole Music family.

I am not in any way trying to convert anyone to become Cadence-Lypso ambassadors instead, though this would be very good for Dominica and Creole music. My objective is to ask every Dominican Reggae ambassador to make just a little effort in getting a better understanding of Cadence-Lypso as step one.

Why do I think that Cadence is misunderstood? By comparison, some say that they cling to Reggae so tenaciously because of the “conscious lyrics” a marketing term often used to describe Reggae songs.

So! I ask, is it because most Dominicans have diluted our Creole into such a parochial sub-lingua that many confuse the more universal Creole with French? Of my over three hundred songs that I have written and published, there are probably two in French, twenty or so in English and the other two hundred plus in Creole.

Or, is it because the up tempo of the many styles made for dancing has eclipsed the more moderate tempos of Cadence? The paradox remains that Reggae dropped its tempo from Ska and Rock Steady

to catch the world’s attention. Meanwhile, some of the Dominican Reggae Ambassadors reduce the very varied Cadence-lypso to this unidimensional aspect of up tempo and only up-tempo… They ignore everything and blindly attempt to redefine the music to suit their own expectations.

Check it for yourselves! Exile One started the up-tempo as well with tunes like “Ah ta ta”, “réfléchi”, “Cadence-lypso” etc but did not specialize in only up-tempo.

On the issue of “conscious lyrics”, I will not quote any Reggae song to avoid being polemical.

I will on the other hand draw to the attention of the Dominican Reggae Ambassadors that Cadence-Lypso music does have a remarkable list of “bankable lyrics” even as strong as, “ dem belly full”…Smile!

There are numerous Cadence-Lypso hits spanning over four decades treating topics of various matters of extreme “consciousness” that seem to be ignored by the Dominican Reggae Ambassadors.

· The song “Travay pou ayen” speaks of the slave trade from the capture in Africa, the middle passage through slavery and emancipation.

· “Hommage à Frantz Fanon” highlights the works of one of the most significant thinkers of recent times to have influenced so many intellects globally. He hailed from the neighboring island of Martinique.

· “Diamant Kréol” a metaphorical exposé of Creole based solidarity and on the question of musicality offers the most advanced sax solo even to this day.

· “Patriote” a popular cognate speaks of the question of patriotism from the standpoint of the early Cadence-Lypso musician. A translated line laments, “how much tolerance, should we grant to ignorance?”

These are but a few examples.

The Dominican Reggae Ambassadors, we need your help in promoting Creole music!

 

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13 Comments

  1. James Charles
    August 22, 2017

    How come some demonstrate that they are idiots. Can someone point out where in this article that there is a battle between Reggae and Creole music?
    OK, you were born and raised in Dominica but you sorry xxx isn’t satisfied with loving Reggae. You have to diss what you are and copy every aspect of the Jamaican lifestyle.

  2. Nous Meme
    August 22, 2017

    Well said Gordon.

    To all the haters………..what are your contributions and/or promotions of your culture? Whether you may admit it or nor or prefer to keep it personal, Gordon, among others in the arts, have put Dominica on the map. I will recommend you purchase and read his book before you decide to walk a mile in his shoes that are well worn out with the dust of Dominican soil.

    Maybe in my lifetime I will see our artists highlighted at the Jamaican festivals like we highlight and support Jamaican artists at our festivals in Dominica. I LOVE reggae and I love the way Jamaicans promote their artists but I LOVE and SUPPORT my people first!!!!!

    Dominican to the bone.

  3. August 21, 2017

    From the Legend himself, very enlightened! one Love.

  4. August 21, 2017

    NO GORDON, don’t preach division, if the radio stations on the island was playing African music, the people would have been able to judge for themselves the “SOTT” you talking. Creole music is not a Dominican thing, it is music thats being played every day, just like Rhumba,Zuke, Decale and many others that is played in west Africa. REGGAE, a branch off from Calypso,a Nigerian form is the only authentic music beat coming out of slavey, today, Africa is the biggest market, a gift from her children to mother Africa. I respect your over 4 decades of musical contributions, but you are wrong on this one Gordon, “HIT ME WITH MUSIC” a Reggae oriented song pened by FITZROY WILLIAMS in my presence on his hospital bed is still one of the greatest musical hits coming out of Dominica, We Africans create all the musical genre’ we listen to , Creole is no exception.Don’t try to divide, expose our people to all aspects of African music and let them be the judge.Bob D.

    • TheManyFacedGod
      August 22, 2017

      I agree 100%. Also what the hell is cadence-lypso? they want to say its a fusion of cadence and calypso, but all them cadance-lypso songs sounding just like the calypso they making at carnival time. NO DIFFERENCE.

    • James Charles
      August 22, 2017

      You two people must be illiterate. Read slowly and try to understand.

    • James Charles
      August 22, 2017

      So you read the article and your honest intellect understood that Gordon is putting a fight between Creole music and Reggae?
      The man is asking our Reggae Ambassadors to give a hand to Creole music. If you think that Dominica has no right in Creole music because Fitzroy wrote Hit me with music, then take off the frigging mask and change the WCMF to a Reggae festival.
      Before attacking the man, read the article and try to understand. Gordon was once a Reggae Ambassador

  5. James Charles
    August 21, 2017

    Well said. Dominica can use the talent of its own for its own. Jamaica does not need our help.

  6. Emile Dominique
    August 21, 2017

    In trying to gain attention again and making himself relevant this writer wants to blame Regae Ambassadors with his “I” (the mighty i), the first person presentation.
    This “black skin white mask” man forgot that Fanon condemned black people who was playing white to be recognized as social elite during the Plantation system. Those people were “BOSS LA” telling people what choices to make just like the writer, the expert artiste the music inventer. Like Exile One was a one man band featuring himself. Or Bells Combo and Grammacks never existed.
    You cannot tell me wrong things about a type of Caribbean music. Dominicans enjoy all type of music from all countries.
    Why don’t you empower the local media to play Cadance/Lypso every day. Culture is a daily experience and since you never have shows in Dominica and do not have a radio show to promote it why don’t you start to have one from the 25 August. You were a Manager at DBS and you feature on Q95, so you have the…

    • Emile Dominique
      August 21, 2017

      you have the connection.
      When did you last publish a genre of your type of music. What is the name of the songs on this record.
      Where can I buy a collection of your songs on UBS
      How many bands from Dominica have you promoted in France, the Frankaphone countries and in the Caribbean, or even in the USA.
      Every year we have Calypso bands going to the USA or Boiyon bands touring the Caribbean and even England . I hear nothing about Lypso bands. Maybe they are imaginary.

      • James Charles
        August 22, 2017

        You have no idea of what you are saying. The man is talking market and industry and you are talking about government funded trips to make musicians sleep on their cousin’s couches.Read.

    • James Charles
      August 23, 2017

      This is nothing but a personal attack on the writer. Don’t you realize that the man is talking industry and export? What is this crap about promoting export in Dominica. Grow up silly.

  7. jaded
    August 21, 2017

    Thank you, Gordon. I agree 100%.

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