| Wabap | |
|---|---|
| Stylistic origins | |
| Cultural origins | Guadeloupe, French Caribbean, c. 1950 |
| Typical instruments |
|
| Fusion genres | |
| Zouk | |
| Audio sample | |
"Aimer" by Moune de Rivel featuring Al Lirvat et son Orchestre | |
Wabap (or simply biguine wabap) is a subgenre of biguine, a Caribbean music style.
Etymology
The name derives from the traditional refrain wiz-zap wabap sung by sugarcane cutters.1
History
According to Al Lirvat, the term was coined by Nelly Lunflas, a revue leader at La Canne à Sucre.2 The first wabap recordings were made in 1952 by Al Lirvat and Robert Mavounzy. In 1954, a piece by Lirvat sung by Moune de Rivel was titled "Biguine Wabap".3
Musical characteristics
Wabap incorporates into biguine a number of assonances and dissonances, altered chords, and complex rhythms in five, six, and seven beats.4 Banjo disappeared in wabap and it was replaced by guitar.
References
References
- Jean-Michel Terrine (ill.), Lionel Arnaud, La politique des tambours, Éditions Karthala, 2020, p. 40, ISBN 9782811128470
- Frédéric Négrit, Musique et immigration dans la société antillaise : en France métropolitaine de 1960 à nos jours (L'Harmattan, 2004), p.119
- "Available on the Médiathèque Caraïbe website". Archived from the original on 2013-06-02. Retrieved 2025-06-08.
- Jacques Denis, in Vibrations, reproduced on the Frémeaux & Associés website