cuban rhythms in french carabbean music

[pacou]

Hello guys,

I play with a band which plays french carribbean music. I try to introduce rhythms like pachanga, guaguanco and often they fit very well.
Has anybody got an experience or other ideas about this mix of these 2 cultures ( cuban and french island)?

See you

[zaragemca]

Which one of the french island are you talking about?

[dannydrumperc]

I play with a guy from Guadalupe and we play mainly Compas and Zouks.

When I first started playing with him I brought a Bomba-like approach to the music, because the cuá/palito pattern is identical. But then he told me it was not correct and though me the correct pattern (the Compa conga pattern).

There are lots of resemblances among afro-caribbean rhythms and the combinations are endless, but we need to start from the roots/origins of the musical styles to understand them. Then we can start adding our own spice. :;):



Edited By dannydrumperc on 1106600384

[zaragemca]

Saludos,the reason of the resemblances is that they come from the Arara-Ewe roots,in Africa.

[yoni]

Saludos,the reason of the resemblances is that they come from the Arara-Ewe roots,in Africa.

Yes, looks like most all the Caribbean rhythms, and more, have African roots.

I notice similarity between the Latin Merengue and French Caribbean Zouk (or the older form known as Cadence).

I was lucky and honored to live 3 years in Saint Lucia, where the main spoken language is Creole. There are some rhythms such as "LaComet" which are endemic to that island alone, but I guess these rhythms also have African roots.

Yoni

[zaragemca]

Those specifically are rooted back since the time of the Rome Empire when Guinean Empire was covering the whole west coast of Africa, from the actual Guinea Bissaou to the Ecuatorial Guinea,(on top of where Angola started to the north.



Edited By zaragemca on 1106680770

[akdom]

hi everyone

I am looking for info on guadeloupean rhythms (cheval bois, grandjambel, etc)
Please contact me at bigb@plapata.com
this is for a website.

thanks in advance.

B

[dannydrumperc]

hi everyone

I am looking for info on guadeloupean rhythms (cheval bois, grandjambel, etc)
Please contact me at bigb@plapata.com
this is for a website.

thanks in advance.

B

Contact this friend of mine:

guadajosh@hotmail.com

Feel free to contact him in French, English or Spanish. Tell him that Daniel Roldan told you about him.

I attended to a Dominc Cocco concert a few months ago at the UPR, Río Piedras (PR). Whao, these guys really know how to put the audience on their feet! And their drummer is awesome; the percussionist is very talented too.

My band openned for them and it was a great experience.



Edited By dannydrumperc on 1106853539

[dannydrumperc]

This is the basic pattern that I used to play in my band (now playing drums ) - sory for the poor transcription :p :

Conga: oo-f s--f s-hf oooo / oo-f s--f s-hf sfoo : |
Tumba: ---- --o- ---- ---- / ---- --o- ---- ---- : |
B. bell: +--+ +--- +-+- +--- / +--+ +--- +-+- +--- : |

legend:
o = open, f = finger tips, s = slap, h = heel or palm, - = silence, + = cowbell

It is very similar to a "caballo" pattern. I used to play the bell with a pedal.

[pacou]

Hello
thanks for your replies.
Here's a rhythm i try to play in french carribean music:

1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + |1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
conga s h f o h s
tumba o o o o o o

o: for open
s: for slap
h: for palm
f for finger

Comments?

pliss foss

[Obi]

I just got a copy Musique du Monde's "Musique du Vaudun" (Music of Haitian Vodoun)

This has several versions of Yanvalou which sound strikingly similar to Rumba Abierta. (they are played slightly faster than other recordings of Yanvalou that I have) Now after comparing I see that Abierta & Yanvalou are essentially the same rhythmically
they seem to be set apart by the drums used and personal asthetics.....

Any thoughts? :O

I know if we listen to enough styles & genre's we are sure to find the similarities. Just thought this would apply to this board.

Obi

[pacou]

Hello Obi,
You talked about rumba abierta. I don't this kind of rumba. Where could I find this rhythm or classical patterns?

Thanks in advance

[dannydrumperc]

Hi pacou!

The pattern you wrote is the Compa conga pattern (very similar to the one I wrote, but different voicings). An excellet band that plays this genre is Tabou Combo.

Right now I'll start gigging (again) with a band that plays this music, but now on drum set.

Your pattern is the skeleton of the rhythm. Now is up to you to embellish the rhythm with different voicings, cowbell/blocks polyrhythms and/or fills in your quinto/bongo/djembe.

Have fun!

[pacou]

hi dannydrumperc,

Thanks for advices. I will try to embellish the rhythm.

See you

[akdom]

thanks for the info.
thanks also for the transcription, but there is no name to these rhythms.

See ya soon


Big B