On listening to a discussion on what makes a song Cadence

Steinberg Henry
Steinberg Henry

I try as far as possible to understand why certain statements are made these days on any cultural practice in my country of birth conscious of the fact that they are spoken by men and women with all their senses in tact. Ha-Ha. It is a profound choice to listen.

Every now and then I hear a matter being distorted or, in the context of culture and love discourses, I should say, a matter needs be informed further.

I seek to enhance a discourse, shifting it a bit from its accustomed box or room. This is even more urgent given that that conversation on Cadence was being held at the Open Campus of the University of the West Indies, Dominica.

The panelists were Gordon Henderson )who was supposed to have connected by Skype from France), Gregory Rabess, Ophelia Olivacee-Marie, Michele Henderson and Ian Jackson. The August 17, 2016 panel was moderated by Tim Durand.

A few statements made by Gregory Rabess need unpacking. It is my hope that if others care to respond, a further dialogue could be spawned and once for all time we can come as close as possible to the truth touching origin and flow-patterns of Cadence-Lypso.

Rabess gave the impression that Gordon Henderson was the founder of Cadence-Lypso. This might’ve been said for too long. Truly, could one man have founded a musical genre?

This invites consideration and, on August 25, 2016 when DBS Radio celebrates Cadence Day, Gordon Henderson should lead us into that conversation given his pure recollections as recorded in “Zoukland.” He knows meticulously, the history of Cadence-Lypso and those who accompanied him on that great musical journey, know another way of telling it.

In stillness or confusion, one man or woman hears, feels or is struck by elements of a genre in embryo. He or her may move to a musical instrument to refine its early stages. Some men and women say they have the whole song, lyrics, melody and arrangements in one swoop.

When he or she presents that song with all its formative elements to his or her band, it never changes? It never shifts from its given form? There is no improvisation? No other musician discovers or uncovers another ‘figure’ in that composition that is added to the arrangement?

Ian Jackson kept trying to draw this to the panel’s attention, but the collective nature of Cadence-Lypso drifted to ground.

Second. Moderator Tim Durand asked Rabess to provide a brief history of Cadence-Lypso. He began to emerge by way of Trinidad’s French Creole and Haitian Compa. Then he said this was “the only history.”

As I said, I try not to enter a discussion on any cultural practice in Dominica these days, but when these are being held in a university context, I find myself move to dialogue too. When was a “history” the “only” one?

I’ll be placing my e address at the bottom of this article and whenever anyone in this world finds an “only history” please let me know.

The next matter had to do with Rabess’ borrowing from Trinidad: his talk about the “engine room.” This “room” he said was the place of the percussion etcetera.

Even if Trinidad chooses “engine” does Cadence-Lypso — formed in Guadeloupe, Martinique and France as panelists insist — have to be an “engine.”

Why the “machine” concept in the case of Dominica’s eco-capacity discovery?

Why is it a “room” given the nature of the island’s rivers, its rock or just its geothermal or geologic capacity?

Could it be “fluid and catastrophic” to cite Guyanese poet Martin Carter?

Point I’m making is that we were in a 21st Century Caribbean university campus environment, but concepts used were not citing anyone, neither were they being deepened or even broadened given Dominica’s historic non-mechanical culture.

The name Africa was not heard in the discussion. Yet in 1987 when Exile One launched “L’Hivenage” better known as “TchwéYo,” Rabess described it then as a “lapokabwit” song. That was Cadence-Lypso riveting with Bèlè.

When King Hurricane sang “TiwéYo” in 1994 (?), a song which Rabess wrote, he described it as a “lapokabwit” song again.

Should I say or conclude definitely that “lapokabwit” informed the drum element in both Calypso and Cadence-Lypso?

Did that drum influence come from Trinidad’s French Creole or Haiti’s Compa to inform Dominican peasants?

What happened to the chante mas which ‘happened’ long before Trinidad’s Calypso arrived in Dominica? Where did Kassav’s bassline begin?

Indeed, while Henderson was counselling us that we should not confuse traditional with contemporary music, Rabess was reminding us that Julie Mourillon strummed as if he were playing the gwaj!

What am I to conclude on the matter? There’s another loving discourse,another conversation that needs be held before we ‘royalty’ the product in all its fullness.

The fecund story leading to its formation may itself require protection.

?The intellectual tradition which accompanied its formation a la Negritude may have to be revisited.

We may find a prime essence and meaningfulness in Ophelia’s “marchÉ

Antillais” and who knows, I&I  from my diasporic perch may follow Michele Henderson’s advice to listen and find my way home!

  • Steinberg Henry is author of “Calypso Drift” (2014). He may be reached at [email protected]

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9 Comments

  1. TBM
    August 24, 2016

    @Steinberg Henry;
    I enjoyed reading your comments and contribution to the discussion on ‘What Makes a Song Cadence?’. Was the objective of the discussion fulfilled?

    It may be important to some to identify the roots, history and creator(s) of Cadence Music but genre was only created in the 1970’s within a predominantly Afro-Caribbean culture of Creole heritage. It must be accepted that other genres of music exposed to that group at that time and preceding, influenced Cadence Music then. Cadence has evolved much since and will continue to.

    The attempt to preserve a genre of music as it continues to evolve may be a difficult if not an impossible task but worthy nonetheless, in my opinion.

    I commend the NCCU annual Cadence Lypso Show and the discussion effort and hope we can move past the important but distraction of historical accuracy & embrace the evolution to the next level: The resurgence of musical groups within the Creole Afro-Caribbean culture contributing to…

  2. UHURU
    August 23, 2016

    Interesting observations there stein!

  3. joe hy
    August 23, 2016

    The language use in the development and production of cadence lypso music is creole ,but every time there is a discussion on the music in Dominica the language used is english. Maybe stien could give an explanation for that pratice,i am only requesting.

    • CD
      August 23, 2016

      Kadans bands were known to sing in English and kweyol even in the French Antilles. It was never exclusively kweyol. And for discussion purposes, more people understand English.

  4. Odin
    August 23, 2016

    This interesting article would benefit greatly from a good editor.

    • Plato
      August 23, 2016

      You know you all are annoying right now. An intelligent person considers all angles before they comment. The article is excellent and I looked past the slight mechanical errors knowing that it comes from a visually impaired man. You are not worthy to do this man’s laces.

  5. Dat I say!
    August 23, 2016

    Great read Stein! :wink:

  6. Shaka Zulu
    August 23, 2016

    One word to describe this observation. Excellent! !!!! They need to check troubadou, our old folk songs and old folk songs from guada and Martinique. I hear the sounds of our African ancestors. These are the roots of Cadance, compa(hatian salsa) zouk.

  7. Shaka Zulu
    August 23, 2016

    One word to describe this observation. Excellent! !!!! They need to check troubadou, our old folk songs and old folk songs from guada and Martinique.

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