Compas direct is a modern méringue popularized in 1955 by the Nemours Jean Baptiste, a Haitian sax and guitar player. Nemours Jean-Baptiste presented his orchestra “Ensemble Aux Calebasses” in 1955 (named after the club “Aux Calebasses” located at Carrefour, a western neighborhood of Port-au-Prince; Haiti's capital where the band used to perform on weekends). Compas popularity took off likely due to the genre's ability to improvise and hold the rhythm section steady. Jean-Baptiste incorporated a lot of brass and easily recognized rhythms. Compas music is sung in Creole, English, Spanish, French, Portuguese, etc. Nemours' popularity grew in and out of the country. Its clean horn section was remarkable and the band featured méringue tunes that gained instant popularity.
Cadence rampa (also known as kadans ranpa in creole or simply kadans) is a modern Haitian méringue, popularized by the virtuoso sax player Webert Sicot in the early 60s. Sicot left Nemours Jean-Baptiste compas music band and called his music cadence to differentiate it from konpa especially when he took it abroad, however, either one is the same modern méringue. Only rivalery between Sicot and Nemours created these names.
As early as the late 50s Nemours and the Sicot Brothers from Haiti would frequently tour the Caribbean, especially Dominica and the French Islands of Martinique & Guadeloupe to spread the seed of the méringue-cadence.
Webert Sicot, the originator of cadence recorded three LPs albums with French Antilles producers: two with "Celini disques" in Guadeloupe and one with "Balthazar" in Martinique. In addition to the Sicot brothers, almost all existing Haitian compas bands have toured these Islands that have since adopted the music and the dance of the méringue. For example, in Martinique, several music groups: Ensemble Abricot (bienvenue, festival compas), les djoubap's (Isabelle), combo jazz (electronique compas, pa gadem sou cote), Georges Plonquitte (vini dance compas direct), etc. have all within a year conquered the public with the many tunes or compositions of Nemours. Haitian compas and cadence bands were asked to integrate Antillean musicians. Consequently, the leading "Les Guais troubadours", with influential singer "Louis Lahens" along other bands, played a very important role in the schooling of Antilleans to the méringue compas or kadans music style. Later Nemours became a favorite of Dominican president, Joaquín Balaguer who often contracted the band. This is why hits like "ti Carole", "Chagrin d'amour" featured by known Dominican stars Luis Miguel and others are also sung in Spanish.
The dance-style that accompanied konpa dirèk in the 1950s, was a two step dance called kare (square). As a méringue, a ballroom dance, konpa is danced in pair. Sometimes partners dance holding each other tightly and romantically; in this case often most of the moves are made at the hips.
The mini-jazz movement started in the mid-1960s, small bands called mini-djaz (which grew out of Haiti’s light rock and roll yeye bands of the early 1960s) played konpa featuring paired electric guitars, electric bass, drumset and other percussion, often with a saxophone. This trend, launched by Shleu Shleu after 1965, came to include a number of groups from Port-au-Prince neighbourhoods, especially the suburb of Pétionville. Tabou Combo, Les Difficiles, Les Loups Noirs, Les Frères DéJean, Les Fantaisistes de Carrefour, Bossa Combo and Les Ambassadeurs (among others) formed the core of this middle-class popular music movement.
From 1968 to the 1970s prominent bands like Bossa Combo, Les Shleu Shleu, Les Ambassadeurs, Les Vickings, Les Fantaisistes, Les Loups Noirs, Les Freres Dejean, Les Difficiles, Les Gypsies and mostly the majestic Tabou Combo have exerted a dominance on the Caribbean and many places in Europe and South America musical scene. For example, Tabou Combo has remained on the Paris hit parade for weeks with its "New York City" hit. Tabou did filled New York Central park in the same period. Guitar based mini-jazz like Les Difficiles and Gypsies influenced many flamenco artists. The guitar was the king instrument.
These young Haitian mini-jazz musicians were critical in the creation of new technics that contribute to the fancyness of the style. Although Raymond Guaspard (Nemours) had already started it in the 50s, however, guitar players such as Corvington (Les Corvington), Serge Rosenthal (Shleu Shleu), Ricardo/Tiplum (Les Ambassadeurs), Robert Martineau (Les Difficiles/Gypsies/Scorpio/Topvice...), Dadou Pasket (Tabou combo/Magnum Band), Jean Claude Jean (Tabou Combo/Super Star...), Claude Marcellin (Les Difficiles/D.P. Express/Zèklè...), Police Nozile (Les Frères Déjean/D.P. Express...) and many more have created intricate mostly rhythmic guitar styles that constitute a strong distinguishable feature of the méringue.
The new generation was a moment of experiment with the MIDI technology.[1] In the mid 80s French Antilles Kassav', which music repertoire is 90% compas music was the first in the Caribbean to apply the MIDI technology, already in use in pop and rock bands, to compas. In the late 80's, After pianist/keyboard wizard Robert Charlot Raymonvil came out with Top Vice, young Haitian music groups applied the MIDI technology that reduced the band's size and offered a variety of new sounds. They were called compas nouvelle génération; however, most of them later, along with many other musicians in the world, went back to a full band with live instruments. The new generation was a moment of experiment with the MIDI technology. Popular new generation bands were Zin, Phantom, Lakole, Papash and a few more. Phantom was the first to return to a full band in less than two years while Zin, Lakol and Papash have continued with the MIDI without a live horn section.
In the early 2000, several compas bands such as Carimi, T-Vice, Top Vice, and Zeglen toured the French Antilles as usual with success. The singer Vro who sang in duet with Robert Charlot on her album Softcore and many other Antillean artists have adopted this light compas style, which is more popular in France and the Caribbean. The compas' fine guitar lines with the chorus and other synthesizer effects is being heard now in zouk, the French Antilles compas music. For example, French Antilles singer Tanya St. Val who has collaborated with many great Haitian compas artists like Alan Cavé, Dadou Pasket from the great Magnum Band, etc. is very close to this style. The beauty of this is that these compas lands influence one another with nice chorus, guitar lines, female voices...within the team up of the conga-drum-cowbell.
Cape Verdean, Caribbean and African artists usually feature one another via compas songs. A review of several CDs from African, Cape Verdean, French Antilles and Haitian artists shows many similarities.
Absolute Affirmation
Radio 4 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
On a Saturday
Recent considerations
Sent the world astray
And I can't shake this feeling off
I heard they're selling souls at cost
Hold your head today is tomorrow
All your thoughts take form as sorrow
Genuine things, still I keep coming back
An absolute affirmation
Reassess the situation
Changing my face I keep coming
Sudden Sunday morning
And I can't count to two
Somewhere in downtown Brooklyn
I see them look at you
And it's a tease but it always works
And it's relief but it always seems to work
Hold your head today is tomorrow
All your thoughts take form as sorrow
Genuine things, still I keep coming
An absolute affirmation
Reassess the situation
Changing my things keep coming
And I know
You always know what's better for me
Hold your head today is tomorrow
All your thoughts take form as sorrow
Genuine things, still I keep coming
An absolute affirmation
Reassess the situation
Changing my things keep coming
And I know
The lyrics of Radio 4's song "Absolute Affirmation" convey a sense of displacement and uncertainty, as the singer navigates through a confusing and changing world. The opening lines describe a trip to the 9th Street Station on a Saturday, where recent events have caused the world to go astray. The singer can't shake off a feeling of unease, as they hear rumors about souls being sold at a cost. The next verse describes a sudden Sunday morning in Downtown Brooklyn, where the singer observes someone being looked at by others. It's a tease, but it always works, providing relief but also unsettling the singer in some way.
Throughout the song, the singer tries to find a way to cope with the challenges and disorientation of modern life. They urge themselves to hold their head up and remember that today is tomorrow and all thoughts take form as sorrow. Despite the difficulties, the singer keeps coming back to certain genuine things in life, seeking an absolute affirmation and reassessing their situation. The chorus repeats this theme, suggesting that even when things are changing and uncertain, there is some fundamental truth or comfort to be found.
Overall, the song seems to be about grappling with the complexities of modern life and trying to find meaning and stability in the midst of it all. It suggests that even when things seem confusing or hopeless, there is still some truth or reassurance to be found if we look for it.
Line by Line Meaning
Down the 9th street station
Starting at the 9th street station
On a Saturday
On a specific day of the week
Recent considerations
Recent thoughts or reflections
Sent the world astray
Led the world into confusion or disorder
And I can't shake this feeling off
Unable to get rid of a certain emotion
I heard they're selling souls at cost
Heard rumors that people are willing to give up their values for a low price
Hold your head today is tomorrow
Stay positive and motivated for the future
All your thoughts take form as sorrow
Negative thinking leads to negative emotions
Genuine things, still I keep coming back
Despite obstacles, genuine emotions or actions persist
An absolute affirmation
A complete and unwavering statement of truth
Reassess the situation
Review the current state of affairs and make necessary changes
Changing my face I keep coming
Despite changing appearances, I remain constant
Sudden Sunday morning
Abrupt change to a new day
And I can't count to two
Unable to think clearly
Somewhere in downtown Brooklyn
In a specific location in Brooklyn
I see them look at you
Observing someone's behavior
And it's a tease but it always works
Mischievous behavior that leads to success
And it's relief but it always seems to work
Relieved that it worked, but unsure why it always does
And I know you always know what's better for me
Trusting someone's judgment
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Anthony Roman, GERARD GARONE, Gregory Collins, PATRICK O'CONNOR, Thomas Williams
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@catchinglooks
the chorus of this song popped into my head tonight for some reason and it took like 10 minutes of googling to find it! loved this song/album back in the day.
@javiertrevino5535
this is one of my favorite songs ever.. it's always in my head
@nathanpollard1980
One of the best songs ever, so uplifting.
@glis3834
I have to admit: I have no idea why this album was so criticized at the time. For real
@jeremyocelotl3656
Gianlucca Lisboa gotta agree, is a really good album. It was actually this song that got me to buy it.
@destroythebody
Because apart from that spécific single (though quite too close to New order), the rest is pleasant, but doesn't provide much compared to their previous album.
@rackelizsle
One of the best underrated songs
@Siko5987
This is an excellent song and lots of things about it show that it needs more praise.
@jasielcardosovilla3227
It's a Masterpiece after all
@EM-ol6rb
Underrated classic