Hello little Hummingbird,

Today, direction Haiti Darling !!! And how can you not be interested after seeing James' passionate portrait (you haven't seen it? You're missing out...it's

this way!). It definitely made me move Haiti up my list of imminent destinations. And talking about Haiti not to mention compass, it's like talking about buttered bread without talking about communion chocolate 😁 (if you want the reference, click here !). The Compass is definitely one of the musical genres that rocked my childhood (my father being a musician himself).

THE Konpa Dirèk, or Compas is a musical genre originating from Haiti invented by Haitian saxophonist and guitarist Nemours Jean-Baptiste in 1957. Compas derives from the family of the Haitian meringue and is close to the quadrille, itself derived from the French contradance.

The History of Konpa

In the mid-1950s, Haiti's cities, particularly Port-au-Prince, are home to a thriving music scene concentrated in hotels and nightclubs. Many touring Caribbean musicians regularly pass through Haiti, as well as a number of American jazzmen. In the Dominican Republic, the meringue (cousin of the Haitian meringue) achieved unprecedented popularity thanks, in part, to the support of President Rafael Trujillo. Many Haitian musicians grew up listening to the meringue cibaeño (oldest form of merengue). But it was with the 1954 tour of Viloria and his group Tipico Cibaeño that Haiti really succumbed to the merengue wave. The genre was particularly popular among Dominican prostitutes in Haiti who taught Haitian men how to dance it, in dance halls concentrated for many in the commune of Carrefour.

In 1955, Nemours Jean-Baptiste forms with his partner, the saxophone virtuoso Webert Sicot, the Conjunto International with the help of promoter and nightclub owner Jean Lumarc. On July 26 of the same year, at Place Sainte Anne, Port-au-Prince, the orchestra gave its first concert.

At first, the main rhythms that Nemours Jean Baptiste and his musicians played were based on the popular genre Grenn Siwèl/Twoubadou. In 1957, Nemours Jean-Baptiste (with the assistance of the Duroseau brothers -Kreudzer and Richard), gradually invented the Direct Compass based on the Grenn Siwèl having its source in the Haitian VodouIt was the birth of a whole genre and a whole musical culture.

The presence of the wind instruments like the saxophone, the trumpet, the trombone to name just these instruments, and the very composition of the first groups which could have around fifteen musicians (percussion, pianist, bassist and later with the advent of mini-jazz with the group the Shleu Shleu, lead guitarist and secondary guitarist) illustrate the link between Compas and jazz. With the Kwaze le 8 contradance from the south of Haiti, compas participates in the Haitian culture. During the 1970s and 1980s, it enjoyed great success in the Caribbean and gave birth to zouk in the French Antilles.

Characteristics of the Konpa Dirèk

This “square” rhythmic pulse that characterizes the konpa is reinforced by the “one-two” rhythm of the double bass, on which the drum plays a variant of the Dominican merengue (traditionally played on the drum bi-membranophone). The accordion plays chords and arpeggios (motifs played on the notes of the chord) as well as some melodic passages. Saxophones and trumpets play the main melodic lines in response.

From Konpa Dirèk to the digital compass

Towards the end of the 80s, the musical style began to lose steam, which provided the perfect opportunity for Robert-Charlot Raymonvil to introduce a new concept that will become a phenomenon: the Digital compassl or “new generation” compass.

Following in the footsteps of the ancients, Robert-Charlot and his group Top-Vice sound like aliens but are unanimously acclaimed for bringing a new sound: a new style of rhythm, based on a repetitive and rhythmic presence of the guitar with effects, a real groove that the Haitians quickly baptize " the kite'l maché » (“Let it turn”), so much so that we forget the absence of real percussionists (drums, congas, campana) replaced by a drum machine, a synthesizer replaces the traditional brass section…

In short, a revolution in the genre which had the merit of renewing the fan base by attracting a young audience who were no longer interested in it at all.

Today's compass

The compass remains the most popular musical genre in Haiti, and this is not new. Balls and festivals always have a large turnout. The virtual shows that are becoming commonplace always have an exceptional audience. Despite this interest, Compas is not today the favorite music of the majority of young people in the country who prefer Creole Rap, Rabòday, variety or simply foreign music.

The singer of T-Vice, Roberto Martino, thinks he knows the origin of the compas's decline. "In my opinion, there is a problem at the root. The State and the media are not playing their role properly. The State must take measures to promote compas in the territory. As for the media, they broadcast foreign music excessively to the detriment of ours. It is unacceptable! the compass is our rhythm, it should be the favorite of Haitians.»

Another observation is that today, the Compas is considered a luxury product. The majority of young people in Haiti live in financial insecurity. Admission, often expensive, to compas shows is out of their price range.

For once, I'm leaving you with some short music videos. The first one is from an old-generation compass, and the second one is from a digital compass.

Konpa dirèk: Tabou Combo – Mabouya

Vayb – Lanmou Fasil

Which one do you prefer? Did you know about the compass? Don't hesitate to tell me all about it in the comments, and of course, share 😉!

Lina

📚 :

Peter Manuel, Musics of the Non-Western World, p. 74, Chicago University Press, 1984.

The New York Times, Haiti, 07-27-2020

http://www.lameca.org/publications-numeriques/dossiers-et-articles/konpa-la-musique-populaire-en-haiti/4-les-origines-du-konpa-et-de-la-kadan/

https://ayibopost.com/pourquoi-le-compas-nest-pas-la-musique-preferee-des-jeunes-en