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Zouk beton or simply zouk is a style of rhythmic music originating from the Caribbean islands of Guadeloupe and Martinique, and popularized by the group Kassav in the 1980s. The inspiration for the Zouk style of rhythmic music comes from cadence-lypso - music of Dominica popularized by Grammacks and Exile One.^[3] Actually as featured, the zouk is the French Antilles compas. In Africa, it is popular in francophone and lusophone countries. In Europe, it is particularly popular in France, and in North America in the Canadian province of Quebec.

[edit] Etymology

The word Zouk means "party" or "festival" in the local Antillean Creole of French, although the word originally referred to, and is still used to refer to, a popular dance, based on the Polish dance, the mazurka, that was introduced to the French Caribbean in the 19th Century.^[1] The Creole word "soukwe", "souke", "zouke" from the French verb "secouer" meaning "shake repeatedly" was popularized by Haitian artists who for years have toured these islands with their kompa.

Origins[link]

Zouk origins can be traced back to the West Indies, having come out of the French islands of Guadeloupe and Martinique in the early to mid-1980s. In Jocelyn Guilbault’s seminal book on the subject, “Zouk: World Music in the West Indies,” she states that “Zouk is the creation of black, Creole-speaking Antillean artists,” and puts forth the theory that it is the product of the struggle to form some kind of national identity among the four islands, Martinique, Guadeloupe, Dominica and St. Lucia. All four share a similar colonial past, having been under both French and English rule at various points in their history, and are populated predominantly by blacks, who are the descendants of African slaves. The word “zouk” comes from the Creole word meaning “party,” and is such a part of everyday life that a common phrase heard on the islands is “When you hear zouk, you feel at home.”

Music authors Charles De Ledesma and Gene Scaramuzzo trace zouk's development to the Guadeloupean gwo ka and Martinican bèlè (tambour and ti bwa)^[4] folk traditions. Ethnomusicologist Jocelyn Guilbault, however, describes zouk as a synthesis of Caribbean popular styles, especially Dominica cadence-lypso, Guadeloupean biguine, and Haitian cadence.^[5] Zouk arose in the late 1970s and early 1980s, using elements of previous styles of Antillean music, as well as imported genres.^[6]

Kassav[link]

The leading band to emerge from this period was Kassav', who came from Guadeloupe and Martinique. They gave the style a pan-Caribbean sound by taking elements from compas, reggae, and salsa music, and became one of the most famous bands of the genre in the world. Kassav' was formed in 1979 by Pierre-Edouard Décimus, a long-time professional musician who worked with Freddy Marshall. Together, the two of them decided to take carnival music and make it a more modern and polished style. Their first album, Love and Ka Dance (1980), established the sound of zouk. They continued to grow more popular, both as a group and with several members' solo careers, finally peaking in 1984 with Yélélé, which featured the international hit "Zouk-la-sé Sel Médikaman Nou Ni".

With this hit, zouk rapidly became the most widespread dance craze to hit Latin American in some time, and was wildly popular even as far afield as Europe and Asia. Zouk became known for wildly theatrical concerts featuring special effects spectacles, colorful costumes and outrageous antics.

Zouk influence has been felt in Brazilian lambada and other Caribbean styles like, bouyon, soca and combined rhythm, as well as African styles such as soukous, makossa, Coupe-Decale, mbalax, Gumbe, coladeira, and funana.

Styles[link]

The French Antillean popular music includes two styles: Zouk beton (concrete), the original zouk style with a fast tempo popularized by kassav, and compas called zouk love.

Zouk béton[link]

Zouk béton, the original zouk, is a fast tempo style popularized by the superb group Kassav in the 1980s. Zouk is very rhythmic, in creole it qualifies this music (moving a lot); this particular rhythm are in the songs of carnaval and it is danced usually without a partner. It was a mix of gwo ka, tambour, ti bwa, biguine, cadence-lypso: calypso and mostly cadence or compas. The style was popularized by Kassav during the years, but it has lost ground due to the strong presence of compas, the basic music of the French Antilles.

The rhythms of zouk béton has become a part of kuduro - an uptempo, energetic, and danceable type of music and dance from Angola.

Zouk-love[link]

Zouk Love, the French Antilles compas, is characterized by a slower, softer and sexual rhythm. It has it origins in a slow tempo form of cadence sung by Ophelia Marie of Dominica,^[7] and mostly from slow compas version of Haitian bands such as DP Express and the nouvelle génération. The music is slower, and more dramatic. The music kizomba from Angola and Cabo-love from Cape Verde are also derivatives of zouk which sounds basically the same, although there are notable differences once you become more familiar with these genres.

Popular zouk-love artists include French West Indian artists Edith Lefel and Nichols^{[disambiguation needed ]}, or like Netherlands based Suzanna Lubrano and Gil Semedo, the African artist Kaysha.

Zouk dancing[link]

There are multiple ways to dance to zouk music:

1. Zouk Love (Traditional way, same as compas music)
   1. French Caribbean way (Antilles/Haiti).
   2. French-speaking Africa way.
2. Zouk-Lambada style. A fusion of French Caribbean Zouk and Brazilian styles danced to Zouk rhythmic music.
   1. Brazilian zouk. An evolved Brazilian version of Zouk dancing utilizing French Caribbean, Portuguese Cape Verdean and other Zouk-like rhythmic music.
   2. Lambazouk or Lambada. Lambada dance style (or a variation of it) danced to Zouk music.
3. Angolan Kizomba, and Cape Verdean cola-zouk dance style. The music was developed directly from zouk.

Notable zouk artists and DJ's[link]

• Kassav
• Zouk Machine

See also[link]

• Music of Haiti
• Caribbean music
• Zouk (club)
• World Creole Music Festival

References[link]

• Peter Manuel: Popular Musics of the Non-Western World, Oxford University Press, 1988, p74

External links[link]

• Zouk at the Open Directory Project

Admiral T
Concert of Admiral T in Paris
Background information
Birth name	Christy Campbell
Also known as	Admiral T
Born	(1981-03-29) 29 March 1981 (age 31)
Origin	France (Guadeloupe)
Genres	Reggae-Dancehall
Occupations	Singer-songwriter, DJ, Actor, Designer, Fashion design, Record producer
Years active	1993–present
Labels	Universal Music Group (AZ) Don S Music Entertainment Mozaik Kreyol (MK)
Associated acts	Karukera Sound System • Wyclef Jean • Rohff • Kassav' • Diam's • T.O.K. • Nèg'Marrons • Wyckyd J • Bost & Bim
Website	Official site of Admiral T
Notable instruments
Gwo Ka, Guitar

Admiral T, whose real name is Christy Campbell, is a French singer of reggae-dancehall music.^[1] Besides Francky Vincent, he is one of most popular and successful Guadeloupean singers. He is also a designer and the creator of WOK LINE.

Biography[link]

Admiral T with Wyclef Jean in December 2006.

Born in 1981 on the French island of Guadeloupe, he was one of two children. At the age of 6, he joined the dancehall group Karukera Sound System; he left the group in 1982 to start a solo career; releasing his first album Mozaïk Kréyòl. During the sneak preview of Sean Paul at Bercy in 2004 he outperformed him and drew much attention to himself.^[2] Universal Music Group's delegates who attended this concert decided to sign Admiral T and re-released his album on Universal Records, featuring artists like Wyclef Jean or French rapper Rohff. It became a hit in the West Indies and Europe, especially in France.

In 2005, Admiral T appeared in the film Nèg Maron. The following year he released his second album, Toucher L'Horizon, which also gained commercial success and has been awarded by a Césaire of Music in October 2006. He spent much of 2007 in France, London and the West Indies on his "Fos A Péyi La" Tour (title of his song with Kassav'). Admiral T won a Skyrock Music Award in December 2007 and a Virgin Award in February 2008. He launched his own clothing line WOK LINE and made a new tour in Africa during 2008.^[3] He is also the producer of the newcomer reggae-dancehall singer Wyckyd J. Admiral T performed Summerjam in Germany and World Creole Music Festival in England for 2009. He releases his 3rd album Instinct Admiral on 19 April 2010. There are featuring of Machel Montano, Busy Signal, La Fouine, Médine, Young Chang MC, Lieutenant, Patrick Saint-Éloi, Fanny J and Awa Imani.

Discography[link]

Singles[link]

• Gwadada (2002)
• Dancehall X-Plosion, featuring Pearl (2004)
• Les Mains En L'Air, featuring Diam's (2006)
• Fos a Péyi La, featuring Kassav' (2007)
• Viser La Victoire, featuring La Fouine and Médine (2010)

Mixtapes[link]

• Mek It Happen (2002)
• Killa Session (2002)
• Ti Moun Ghetto (2004)
• Determiné Dèpi Piti (2005)
• Flagada Smokey (2006)
• Dancehall Festival (2006)
• Good To Mixx vol.2 (2006)
• The Big Champion (2006)
• Reyel Champion Soti Gwada (2007)
• Ti Moun Ghetto 2 (2007)
• The King Of The Dancefloor (2007)

Compilations[link]

• Ragga Kolor (2002)
• Dancehall Clash (2002)
• Ragga Dancehall N°1 (2003)
• Groovin Attitude (2004)
• Ragga Masters (2004)
• Génération Rap RnB vol. 2 (2004)
• Exclusif Admiral T (2005)
• Ninety Seven K-Ribbean (2005)
• Unis-Sons (2005)
• Reggae Bashement (2006)
• Total Reggaeton 2 (2006)
• Generation Dancehall (2007)
• Rap & R'n'B Non Stop (2007)
• Coupé Décalé Mania (2007)
• BexXx Cluzif (2008)
• Too Much Gangsta (2008)
• Good Times (2008)
• Mesrine (2008)
• Don's Collector Saison 3 (2008)
• Soprano Riddim (2008) (produced by Bost & Bim)

Contributions[link]

• 1848 of Karukera Sound System (1998)
• Special Request of Karukera Sound System (2000)
• Welcome to Haiti of Wyclef Jean (2004)
• La Fierté Des Notres of Rohff (2004)
• Caribbean Sessions of Karukera Sound System (2005)
• Ma vision of Saël (2005)
• Émancipé of Vibe (2005)
• Dans Tes Rêves of Disiz La Peste (2005)
• Soné Ka-La of Jacques Schwarz-Bart (2006)
• Face A La Réalité of Saik (2007)
• Les Liens Sacrés of Nèg'Marrons (2008)
• In Transit of Ziggi (2008)

Filmography[link]

Films[link]

• Nèg Maron of Jean-Claude Flamand Barny (2005)
• Le Mur du Silence of Jean-Claude Flamand Barny (2009)

Concerts[link]

• Le Grand Méchant Zouk (2006)
• Fos a Péyi La Tour (2007)

Reportages[link]

• Mozaïk Kréyòl (2004)
• Toucher L'Horizon (2006)
• Dancehall Story (2008)

Clips[link]

• Rapide (1998)
• Pas Comme Les Autres, featuring Saël (2000)
• Rendez-Vous, featuring Curtis (2000)
• Youth Attack, featuring Curtis (2001)
• So Strong, Savage Riddim (2002)
• Otantik, Hum Riddim (2002)
• Le Bien Et Le Mal, featuring Tiwony & Curtis (2002)
• Gwadada (2002)
• Lov', featuring Little Espion (2003)
• Rèv An Mwen (2003)
• Move Together, featuring Square One (2003)
• Dancehall X-Plosion, featuring Pearl (2004)
• Ok, featuring Saik (2004)
• Mets Nous A L'Aise, featuring Saël (2005)
• Lanmou Épi Respè (2006)
• Fos A Péyi La, featuring Kassav' (2006)
• Les Mains En L'Air, featuring Diam's (2006)
• Ti Moun Ghetto (2007)
• Pé La, featuring Jacques Schwarz-Bart (2008)

Webography[link]

• (French) Official Site of Admiral T
• (French) Official Skyblog of Admiral T
• (French) Official MySpace of Admiral T
• (French) Official Site of Wok Line
• (French) Official Skyblog of Wok Line
• (French) Official MySpace of Wok Line

References[link]

• Admiral T at Allmusic.com

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