Record the evolution of Cadence – Felix Wilson

An early shot of legendary Cadence group Midnight Groovers

Head of the University of the West Indies Open Campus Dominica, Felix Wilson, has suggested that a chronological recording be made of the events and circumstances that led to the evolution Cadence.

“Cadence, I think evolved, from a fusion of Calypso, Begin and Polka. Then off shoots like zouk and compa sustained existence. Dominica failed to maintain or establish the brand. For example reggae, whose roots is in rock-steady and ska, continues to evolve,” he said at a panel discussion under the topic “Cadence-Lypso music, yesterday, today and tomorrow.”

He is calling for “a cooperative and cohesive approach” for marketing and branding Cadence if it is to be called Dominica’s own indigenous form of music. “Few of you realize that soca was born in Dominica but it is much too late to state our claim. This is the second attempt to regain our heritage,” Wilson argued.

Another panelist Gordon Henderson, who is based in France, gave a presentation via Skype on the ‘evolution of Cadence,’ its birth, where it has been and its rhythm and lyrical content. He lamented the fact that while the art form has been in existence  for “a while” it continues to be one which needs to be further improved.

The panel discussion was held as a National Cooperative Credit Union (NCCU) sponsored Cadence Lypso show draws near. Wilson thanked the institution for its effort in preserving the artform. “UWI wishes to compliment the NCCU in its attempt to preserve cadence, however, we should also secure the brand and establish the rights to call it our own,” he remarked.

The discussion was moderated by Dr. Alwin Bully and panelists included Gordon Henderson, Cornel Phillip, McCarthy Marie, Derrick Peters, Leroy Charles and Michele Henderson-Delsol.

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42 Comments

  1. simply blessed
    October 16, 2012

    PLEASSSSSSSSSSSSE BRING BACK DE MILK AND HONEY. WHERE THOSE MUSIC THERE NA. STUPESSSS

  2. Respect
    October 16, 2012

    Respect?? You don’t see where they put Groovers in the biggest festival to promote just that, our Cadence? They put them dead last. No thanks.

  3. 123
    October 15, 2012

    The current cadence songs sound good. But to me, they would sound even better if a brass section was included in the backup band. There’s a real need for brass instruments(trumpet, sax, trombone), it make the music really come alive. Keyboards can’t bring out that true brass feeling. Just listen to those cadence songs by Belles Combo, Bill-o-men, Black Affairs, Wax Power Vibrations, to name a few because the list is long.

  4. Anonymous
    October 15, 2012

    DNO Felix Wilson is not the head of the UWI open campus. U all always have some silly errors.

    ADMIN: Probably if you did a little research you will realize that UWI made some administrative changes recently. Felix Wilson was appointed acting head of the UWI open campus because Francis Severin, the former head, was appointed Acting Director of the Open Campus Country Sites (OCCS).

    • hmm
      October 15, 2012

      Well if he is Acting Head, why do you say he is head?

      • 123
        October 15, 2012

        Whether de man acting or not, is he that in charge, so in-effect he is de head

    • simply blessed
      October 16, 2012

      acting head is not head, DNO. put your AG. infront of Head. and the change is temprary. WE MISSING YOU MR. SEVERIN. UWI (DOMINICA) IS NOT THE SAME WITHOUT YOU. WE NEED YOUR GENTLENESS AND KINDNESS BACK.

  5. inside job
    October 15, 2012

    respect dominica boy.we create the best in everthing and allow them to die out or migrate. lil do we know dominica has actors overseas, musicians, doctors, lawyers,engineers, technicians,poets,and so much more. u would supprize… we should show case wat we can do to the younger generation so that they would know what they can accomplish, growing up i never knew of jeff joe nor midnight groovers, now learning of them me as a young person feel more proud and now feel a bit more motivated to do something with my life.

  6. Southcityboy
    October 15, 2012

    Why was a member of the Groovers was not part of this discuss? Why do we always leave out the drivers when the car is put in motion. What a disgrace, Groovers more than any other are the experts on Cadence.

    • smh
      October 16, 2012

      Maybe they were informed/invited and they could not attend… (why do we need to be soo pessimistic.. gosh.. stupes)

  7. sphynx
    October 15, 2012

    cadencelypso contributed to martinique,guadeloupe
    ,haiti and trinidad music.when you don’t have your own media and ministry of culture behind you what can you do?how many music stores do we have in Dominica to incite our youth.they fight on their own.people are always scared of investing in music although we know and see the world needs music everyday.who remembers the program Genesis And Beyond on DBS saturday mornings in the late 70’s on Cadence Lypso.it did not last long.Praise to the few who do the Job.Midnight Groovers,Ophelia,and one who is not a musician on stage but a pstalwart defender of our musoc:WADIX

    • sphynx
      October 15, 2012

      should read:stalwart defender of our music.keep the flame burning

  8. Belles combo
    October 15, 2012

    Where’s Bells Combo

  9. PoKeSa
    October 14, 2012

    PUBLIC NOTICE: AN APPEAL TO MR CORNEL ‘FINGERS’ PHILLIP & DERRICK ‘RAH’ PETERS…

    Groovers continues to do their thing and maintain the title of King of Cadence Lypso. However, it’s not enough because no man is an Island.
    All that awaits our “Shores of the Sea” now is a Cornel – Rah collaboration. These two are Dominica’s music icons – with Cornel’s musical mastery and Rah’s lyrics and renditions, oh my God what truly awaits us!

    SO here’s my appeal to you two please put the ‘Politics’ behind you and put D/ca on the Cadence Lypso & Bouyon map again.

    • smh
      October 16, 2012

      Lack of Unity and Huge Egos. Soo sad.

  10. cad
    October 14, 2012

    why a member of midnight groovers was not on the panel?

  11. Konspiracy
    October 14, 2012

    Nothing can beat triple kay

    • simply blessed
      October 16, 2012

      TRIPLE KAY IS FOR PEOPLE THAT CAN UNDERSTAND THEIR LANGUAGE BECAUSE THEIR LYRICS MAKE NO SENSE.

  12. BlueGoat
    October 14, 2012

    We need a proper documentary. Get the film crews ready

  13. BlueGoat
    October 14, 2012

    This has been discussed to death all over the Internet. PLEASE GIVE US THE DATE THAT SHORTY VISITED DOMINICA BEFORE HE COINED SOCA AND “CREATED SOCA” When was the date he saw exile one playing before he created soca this will put that debate to rest. Dominica had an influence on soca development but many people don’t know this

  14. 123
    October 14, 2012

    Somebody have some explaining to do. Why was there No representation from a member of kings of Cadence on this panel?? Isn’t this ironic that we are show a photo of the group but no voice Systematic omissions as we that Grocers has received one of Dominican highest honors.

    • 123
      October 14, 2012

      Somebody have some explaining to do. Why was there No representation from a member of kings of Cadence on this panel?? Isn’t this ironic that we are shown a photo of the group but no voice. DNO this is systemic omissions since we known that Grocers has received one of Dominica’s highest honors. Please get to the button of this ASAP and tell why it is mostly people living in Roseau on the panel?? And what was the criteria ??? inclusion???????

    • kaadance dancer
      October 15, 2012

      Hon. 123, call Chubby and ask him where did he find the Cadence-Lypso that he has been playing? Who influenced Him? Chubby is great but you people must stop being so “bold face” with your nonsense…

      • 123
        October 16, 2012

        @kaadance dancer. It’s you again with your sarcasm but let me tell you something, influence is embedded within one’s social surrounding. Therefore no one thing or person can be attributed to a person influence. Cadence is a manifestation of a particular time, space, place socioeconomic,political,culture,religion…….et.By the way it was the people who called Groovers the Kings of Cadence and as you know the voice of the people is the voice of ….My question is how can you have a discussion on Cadence without the voice of the people who cemented the art from into into the consciousness of the masses??? I will also state that Cadence-lypso is a pop version of Cadence and will forever remain the bastard of this genre not matter what some people say or do. Futhermore, Candence is not just about the music, it is also about the dancing, fashion, food, etc..

  15. skeff
    October 14, 2012

    am old and grey now. two types of music i remember lovin and enjoying were cadence and spooge. i agee. bring back cadence before it disappears like the spooge from B/dos

  16. 101 st
    October 14, 2012

    Jamaica …reggae.Trinidad soca/calypso…usa rap/pop…in Dominica cadence..To me midnight groovers is to Dominica what bob marley and the wailers are to Jamaica.hats off to nccu for organizing such an event…lets all support cadence music..its ours.its our brand of music in dominica.

  17. Tioule
    October 14, 2012

    I agree totally..it is a great music form which has been neglected by ourselves after it had began to gain/ gained international exposure. I have music from a couple of bands from Cape Verde playing Cadencelypso. More importantly, it reflects who we are..our individuality…our ‘Dominican-ness’, just like the Compas for Haiti and Zouk for Martinique/Guadeloupe. I would like to see a definitive origination of Cadencelypso, as I have heard/read different originations from the various musicians who were involved in this music style. Calypso seems to be a common denominator though. An anthology of all Dominican music styles from the traditional to the contemporary would be welcomed.

  18. Ericx
    October 14, 2012

    Yes indeed! On this subject we owe a listening ear to Gordon, he IS the Daddy, the authority on the subject. He was the visionary, first to move his band to Gwada when Cadence (France-Antille style) flourished there and in M’nique. He call the band “Exile One”. He and his boys then added the Lypso component to Cadence accented primarily by the hi-hat style of Frankie Cruixshank, and the keyboard & guitar riddim styles of Fitzroy and Julie. We all followed suite with our own flavors; Most notably Gramacks and Groovers (Chubby/Co & Henry followed that lead the best giving it the Maka flavor that captivated and enhanced the Cadence Lypso beat). Gordon has always been reinventing, advancing and innovating, keeping the level up there with his flavor over the years. Thanks Gordon.

    Side note: As I mentioned in an earlier post, a Haitian Doctor in a clinic I visited once asked where I was from, when I said Dominica he quickly/hapily pulled his iphone and played me ‘Woy Rosita’ by Exile One, and continued to tell me others; and how great this music Cadence-Lypso is. I am positive it can get even bigger and better.

  19. iyetto alkebulan
    October 14, 2012

    We r a nation of muzicians fr since we arived on the shores of Waitukubuli.From the begining of Belle to Qwadrel Mazuk calypso soca & of course our Fusion of Cadence.{Lypso}WE r the most diverse Muzicians in the Karibbean.The problem is we take our Muzikal Icons 4 granted.Most of them r poor & disrespected.Its our responsibility to Xport Their Art Globaly.

  20. Emil Ti Kwen
    October 13, 2012

    You are relatively young and probably you will want to put a claim or claims on a certain genre of music, for Dominica. In order to do this, you must do meticulous research on ‘cadence’ and ‘soca’. You might even find that you could have to face legal consequences from those who may lay claim that they are the originators of each genre.
    As far as I know, cadence began in Haiti. ‘Soca’ was started in Trinidad by a calypsonian named Shorty, who wanted to fuse ‘soul music’ with ‘calypso’. After proper and extensive research you may find that legally you don’t have a leg to stand on, for what you would like to claim. To use a term from business – ‘Caveat Emptor.

    • October 14, 2012

      my dear you are the one who needs to do some serious research. Ask king Solo and lord tokeyo about how they were brought to trinidad to show them the original soca beat. not the soca now of machal montano. As for cadence it was created here in dominica.

    • October 14, 2012

      Count me in! :-D

    • October 14, 2012

      Yes Emil Tikwen. Unfortunately Soca was formed at the Asta Hotel on Victoria St. And yes on Lord Shorty’s visit to Dominica. Isn’t it ironic that the first “Soca” song was in patois. To discredit Gordon Henderson our musical genius in regards to the creation of Cadence is quite dishonorable.
      Folks like you have only the ability to discredit the works of our people.

      • Papa Dom
        October 15, 2012

        Spot on! many people do not realise that socca actually began in Dominica,the first song being played by the good old swinging stars.

    • Ericx
      October 14, 2012

      Sorry Emil Ti kwen, ..’River Street’ is right. Fortunately we can still catch a Toyota bus to Canefield without paying a royalty/usage fee to Toyota, so no need to cry wolf. In fact you are right but it really was Lord Shorty’s good friend Lord Tokyo (known for maybe D/a’s most popular calypso “Tennis Shoe Tongue”) who helped Shorty with the patois and the Dumn dumn, Dumn dumn beat that became katchy in TnT and was the precursor to Soca. Tokyo never sued though, so lighten up pal.

    • sphynx
      October 15, 2012

      sir:you better revise your homework!!!

    • buolay
      October 15, 2012

      talking rubbish emil ou ni moin oui pete shorty first scoa song.haiti music hit airwave only after cadance was est.goscon .give DA it credit.

    • kaadance dancer
      October 15, 2012

      Emile Ti kwen, you seem to know a lot about legal terms but very little about truth and historical analysis. How do you explain the very first recorded soca is in Creole? How do you explain that Shorty spent his entire night standing in front of Exile One performing at the Fort Young Hotel?
      Make any 10 Haitians listen to a Cadence-Lypso and ask them if this is Compas or Cadence-Rampa…

  21. Really n Turly
    October 13, 2012

    our biggest problem in DA is respect,for some reason we doe seems to realise that each one got to teach one,and the more we are together the happier we would be.

    • Rubber on De road
      October 14, 2012

      I must Agree that the biggest problem Is a lack of respect not just for the unique Style of music (cadencelypso) but between the Musician. We can talk about all these styles or genera of music till Papa God come back but until we stop talking to much and actually. Playing again it will be all talk. There are some fundamentally simple areas that need to be considered which has been totally overlooked for years; that is been buried under fake selfish, Greedy people. Notice while cadencelypso music was doing well in the there were lots of Bands and “Groups” So yes We need to stop Talking and SING instead.

  22. jahbah
    October 13, 2012

    from sxm nufflove

  23. jahbah
    October 13, 2012

    that nice we need this in dominica

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