Drive to revitalize cadence

Exile One's Gordon Henderson (left) and the late Jeff Joseph helped push cadence on the international stage

One Dominican ambassador has blasted it as a music form that is almost on its last legs, on its way out.

But Cadence-lypso, the Dominican music created by the group Exile One and which influenced the emergence of Zouk in the French Islands and Bouyon here, is attracting powerful friends.

The National Cooperative Credit Union (NCCU) has taken the bull by the horns, and has officially signaled its intention to help make the Cadence a key priority.

The society – an amalgamation of the Roseau, La-Salette, St. Paul, St. David and Vieille Case credit unions, is on a drive to revitalize the Cadence Lypso.

Musicians and singers who love the cadence are being told that they stand a chance to win EC$15,000.00.

That’s the first prize in a competition the NCCU intends staging in October at the Newtown Savannah.

It also carries a second prize of $5,000.00 and a $2,500.00 third prize.

According to the president of NCCU, Dexter Ducreay, there’ll be 15 participants in the competition.

“We have had discussions with the private sector to partner with us…we are encouraged to know that they are enthusiastic about the show and we want to encourage others to come on board,” Ducreay stated.

The thrust to get Cadence-lypso back on track has garnered support from the Dominica government.
Culture Minister Justina Charles, Tourism Minister Ian Douglas and Chief Cultural Officer Raymond Lawrence have all expressed “delight” at the event.

“Cadence has helped to promote Dominica and has also helped in a big way in the life style of the people and now to have a private sector entity come on board and have this initiative is indeed heartening,” Lawrence said.

Culture Minister Charles who labeled the move “brilliant” and applauded the NCCU initiative, was optimistic that other partners will join with the credit union in making “this flagship event” a success.

She also sees it as a way of paying tribute to Cadence giant “Jeff Joe” of Grammacks, who toiled over the years in the promotion of the music.

He died last year.

Tourism Minister Ian Douglas sees the NCCU cadence competition as another opportunity for Dominica to “showcase and package its culture and heritage in other parts of the world.”

“We want to put our seal on this flagship event…it’s huge and we applaud NCCU, we pledge our fullest support for this event and want others to come onboard and make it grow bigger and better over the years,” he stated, looking ahead to the competition becoming an annual affair.

Leroy “Wadico” Charles has been employed by the NCCU to assist in co-coordinating the event.

The long list of popular cadence-lypso hits over the years includes Exile One’s “Nou Travail Pou Anyen”, “Rosita”, “Akiyaka”, “Ve-y Ou La”, “Gade Derrier-ou”, and “Don’t Bite the Hand that Feeds You”.

Grammack’s “Mi Debar”, “Ou Pa Bon”, “Pa Dansay Anbar Coco Sec” are some of the favourites of many, as is Midnight Groovers’ “Coco Sec” and “Milk and Honey”.

Cadence fans have difficulty forgetting too, Billomen’s giant hit “African Music”.

Listen below to the classic cadence “Mi deba.”

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32 Comments

  1. 4progress
    June 22, 2012

    Nostalgia can sometimes get the better of us, but we need to be grownup enough and forward looking to deal with this felling.

    We need to be reminded that Cadence-Lypso is a product in the Music Industry competing with other genre of music which is evolving all the time. Musician, whilst they love playing their instrument, want to know if they can make career our of music they play. I am a musician, so I know what I am talking about. Part of music evolution involves going back to “old school” but also “fusion of the same and others”.

    The most important factor to consider is the market for music. Should we aim for the French or English speaking music market.

    Music production in Dominica is a revenue source for DA if cultivated properly, whilst it will showcase our best talent as well as create jobs.

    So I believe some proper planning should go into this venture first.

    FOOD FOR THOUGHT

  2. king pin
    June 22, 2012

    tisa is jus a wrong move, this $15,000.00 should be invested in a band like midnight groovers to further their hard work they were the only one who stayed and fought the fight when all others ran away.

  3. Ericx
    June 22, 2012

    It’s our thing like Jinping is, but times have to move on. Let’s also encourage musicians to adapt the lirical content of Cadence into Bouyon and we have a winner.

  4. Da Joker
    June 21, 2012

    What all u kno about cadence????????

  5. forreal
    June 21, 2012

    even if cadence is revived,it is going to be cadence with a twist,in order words there is going to be a little infusion of some modern style,if you all getting my drift,this modern times things have changed,the youth of today will not have the same experiencing goals we had,they gonna have there own experience with the beat,but this type of push is long overdue,thumbs up,goooo cadence.

    • November 2, 2012

      Interesting Conversation :-D MY RESPONSE TO THE TOPIC STATEMENT WILL BE AROUND EDUCATION Cadence-lypso has some basics like any other style such as Jazz Classical. For example there are many different rhythmic patterns IN CADENCE MUSIC TAKE THE STRUM OF THE GUITAR YOU CAN GET MANY. No one is talking about Education What needs to be done is Teach the Style and then the twist that Forreal talks about can happen and that will be very interesting because our people have the potential to make things shine but we must have a renascence of the music in education as foundation. Going back to basics.

  6. My2Sense
    June 21, 2012

    Cadence-lypso is destined to die out if young people don’t pick it up. Unfortunately, thus far, Cadence-lypso is still an “ole school” thing.

    Music, like people, changes over time… that’s how it remains culturally relevant. I haven’t seen the same evolution with what was once a brilliant innovation, born right here in Dominica.

    While Bouyon borrowed quite a bit from Cadence-lypso, the genre has been able to evolve over its 25 years. Only time will tell whether Bouyon – with all it’s not-so-positive lyrics, and other “flaws” – will survive another 25 years.

    Cadence on the other hand, needs an injection of life right now.

  7. Truth Seeker
    June 21, 2012

    Ever wondered how movements such as the Cadence craze come about, enthuse and engulf nations in an infectious way without much real planning and focus?

    I remember the halcyon days of the music and still get goose pimples when I hear some of the renditions of the 70s. Just seems like the music was so nice when artistes played for simply THE LOVE OF THE MUSIC.

  8. NCCU Fan
    June 21, 2012

    Good move NCCU. Wadix is not part of the organization, he is only promoting the event, st least so I am told.

  9. CIA on the watch
    June 21, 2012

    On of the best ways ro revitalize cadence music is to get persons like Wadix and the rest of the DJ’s on radio to dedicate a portion of their time on radio playing our local music, on our radio stations the Dj’s are more bent on playing all these hip hop, dance hall music which has transform our society.

  10. June 21, 2012

    cadance is old school,(and that is no a put down.)
    wile it was innoative in it’s time it was great the beat produced a few geat bands, grammacks groovers, exile, and the copycats in the french islands.but what we need now is a new fresh beat a new sound thats where we need to invest, to innovate.bouyon is there.
    hey old school will always have it’s fans including me.BUT LET’S PUSH THINGS FOWARD

  11. Realist
    June 21, 2012

    @ DNO

    Which Ambassador are u writing about??? If you are not willing, convicted or courageous enough to insert the name, then it is absolutely pointless to introduce your article with what amounts to an INNUENDO.

    • Interested
      June 21, 2012

      Yes, I totally agree to disclose the name of the Ambassador. The person comments are negative towards the Cadence music as I disagree with what he or she stated. Cadence music will never die much less to be on its way out.

    • Anonymous
      June 21, 2012

      It’s just bad writing. I don’t think it was deliberate.

  12. Kali
    June 21, 2012

    Wonderful to hear that original music from Dominica is finally being promoted at home on a larger scale. Shame we always seem to wait till someone dies to give them official honor (R.I..P Jeff). As for this article……i respect the choice of song to share, but since Exile One created cadence-lypso, it would have been more fitting to share one of their songs. Honor people while they are alive. Cadence has more impact globally than at home…..for that we should be ashamed

  13. A Voice
    June 21, 2012

    This is one of the best initiatives that has been put forth in a long time.

    This has got to encourage the talented musicians out there to step forward. And it is a big plus to push the country’s culture.

    Big up to NCCU. I hope more partners will step forward and contribute. This competition should be promoted as much as the calypso show.

    Good job Dominica…

  14. Rastafari
    June 21, 2012

    Having a heavy dose of cadence music, YEAH!!!

  15. patriach
    June 21, 2012

    when one boat sink it does’nt prevent another from sailing.very good initiative.the show wadix organised was good except for what happened aside.we support the move

  16. Woodford Hill Girl
    June 21, 2012

    Yes sir save our rich culture,purely Dominican.

  17. PROF. WIKILEAKS
    June 21, 2012

    Cadence needs a little fusion to remain relevant. The toks tow doks drummin is a little outdated.

    Music evolve and we need to evolve to…just as reggae/soca/zouk does, I want the musical genius to do so.

    And please don’t talk about boyoun

    Because 20 Years from now, I still want to be able to hear this music and not just Chubby or Grammack.

    We got to keep out culture moving and alive

    Please don’t make Cadence become a foklore, we hear only at Independence Day

    So the geniuses of Cadence lets help the young ones….PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE

    • observant
      June 21, 2012

      Soca has fallen not evolved.

  18. June 21, 2012

    Great idea. However in as much as I love cadence, am apprehensive. Is it a retro thing? Do we reinvent the wheel? We have progressed to bouyoun, unfortunately many DA “professional ” musicians have shun the music. Thus we have seen ” knuckle head” musicians prostituting and bastardizing the genre.
    We need a drive to support, promote ,teach and produce our music at a higher level. Also better song writing. Bouyon started quite positive and still is good music. Particularly the classics, likewise cadence. We have a wealth of culture so bring it. Good luck.

  19. More Musik
    June 21, 2012

    Did they learn from the “errors” made in the last major attempt, to revive this genre. It is interesting with the death of musical stalwarts like Jeff Joe and Loftus Emmanuel all of a sudden the inspiration to revive cadence has struck again.
    Like their investments in Clico, NCCU better do due diligence when making investments of thier members money.
    The effort is surely COMMENDABLE in principle, is just that this thing better be done right, with prudent financial oversight (by responsible people) otherwise it may be another case of history repeating itself, however this time no one could say they did not know.

  20. Rastafari
    June 21, 2012

    Brilliant!! I have been waiting to hear this for years now. I am a music producer in foreign and was hoping this would happen some day. My hats off to NCUU and the behind the scenes people for making this come to fruition !!!

  21. hmm
    June 21, 2012

    isn’t that the same thing wadix and jeff did some years ago that ended in all that hullabaloo?

    I see he is involved again…hmmm

    • ..
      June 21, 2012

      yes, he involve again, so u know is more hullabaloo!!!

    • Anonymous
      June 21, 2012

      HE IS ONLY THE PROMOTER OF THE SHOW….HE HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE FINANCIAL ASPECTS OF IT

  22. June 21, 2012

    Hats off to the NCCU!! that’s one of the best initiative for the year so far. No music as sweet as cadence. Too much bouyon music with no positive lyrics saturating our young minds now. Again congrats!!!!

  23. June 21, 2012

    NCCU

  24. G
    June 21, 2012

    Great move! The people should come out and support, save your culture. This is our identity

  25. Anonymous
    June 21, 2012

    :) love the cadence lypso music and as a grand bayrian its Groovers all the way.

    • Anonymous
      February 25, 2013

      If you can play calypso, compas, soca, or zouk you can play cadence. It is an easy beat, unlike much of these mention genres.

      Also, this music has a great history.

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