Dossier Laméca

VODOU MUSIC IN HAITI

Musical examples (extracts)

"Papa Legba plante’i poto" (1951) by an oungan and master drummer Coyote
Rhythms of rapture (Smithsonians/Folkways, 1995)

This aural panorama captures the ambient sounds of a lakou (rural Vodou compound); the intimate performance of a oungan and the late master drummer Coyote for the gatekeeper Legba (zepòl rhythm); and the full performance of soloist, chorus, and drum ensemble in situ for Loko, the patron of priests (yanvalou rhythm). Hear the drummers’ kase (break) as they shift into the final song (around 2 min, 50 sec into the track), and note the way the oungan uses the ason (rattle).
Recorded by Maya Deren in 1951.
(see 1. Backdrop)

"Rele Ountò" by La Troupe Makandal
Prepare (La Troupe makandal, 2004)

Vodouists salute Ountò, the spirit of the drums and drummers, near the beginning of a dance because he provides its vital force­—the heartbeat. This recording features a song for Ountò, in the yanvalou rhythm. It includes the three principal drums (maman, segon, boula), bass drum (bas), and iron bell (ogan). The soloist opens with "Ayibobo," a cry of joy heard throughout Rada rites.
Recorded by master drummer Frisner Augustin and Makandal in New York in 2004.
(see 2. The musicians of Vodou)

"Vye gran o prete mwen chwal la" (1993)
Rhythms of rapture (Smithsonians/Folkways, 1995)

"Grandam, Lend Me the Horse" evokes Grann Èzili, the grandmother of the spirits, who complains of backache. In this excerpt from a Vodou dance, Grann possesses an initiate and metaphorically rides her. The drummers mark the onset of possession with a long kase (beginning at 28 sec). Three drums (maman, segon, boula) play the zepòl rhythm along with the rattle (ason) of the priest.
Recorded by Elizabeth McAlister in Port-au-Prince in 1993.
(see 2. The musicians of Vodou)

"Legba nan barye a" (1992)
Angels in the mirror (Ellipsis, 1997)

This a cappella recording of a song for Legba presents the opportunity to focus on the structure of Vodou song style. One hears the first phrase (a) in repetition before the contrasting concluding phrase (b). Here, a repeats in ascending sequence along a pentatonic scale. The soloist (oundjenikon) sends ( voye) the whole song, and the chorus responds (reponn) in full before the cycle begins again.
Recorded by Elizabeth McAlister near Port-au-Prince in 1992.
(see 2. The musicians of Vodou)

"Yanvalou/Mayi" (1992) by master drummer Frisner Augustin
Drums of Vodou (White Cliffs Media, 1994)

One hears the staggered entrances of the instruments very clearly in this example: third drum (boula, 0 sec), iron bell (ogan, 2 sec), rattle (ason, 6 sec), frame drum (bas, 11 sec), lead drum (maman, 13 sec), and second drum (segon, 16 sec). The ensemble executes a short kase (31 sec), then a longer one (1 min), and it makes the transition to the mayi rhythm near the end of the selection (3 min, 6 sec).
Recorded by Master Drummer Frisner Augustin in New York in 1992.
(see 3. The Guinea room)

"Nago/Zepòl" (1992) by master drummer Frisner Augustin
Drums of Vodou (White Cliffs Media, 1994)

After the supporting instruments (boula, ogan, ason, bas) announce the nago rhythm together, the second drum joins them (segon, 8 sec), then the lead drum (maman, 13 sec). Note the ample use of the stick (bagèt) by the lead drum, as if to emphasize the militancy of nago, and his frequent use of triple against duple meter. The shift to the zepòl rhythm comes near the end of the example (3 min, 19 sec).
Recorded by Master Drummer Frisner Augustin in New York in 1992.
(see 3. The Guinea room)

"Djouba" (1992) by master drummer Frisner Augustin
Drums of Vodou (White Cliffs Media, 1994)

Only third drum (boula) and iron bell (ogan) function in this example as support for the entrance of second drum (segon, 10 sec) and lead drum (maman, 18 sec), the latter played with hands alone. The example features three kase (1 min, 0 sec; 1 min, 33 sec; and 3 min, 10 sec). Note the intricate fent (feint) that precedes each kase (e.g., at 1 min, 27 sec) and tells the dancer to perform equally intricate footwork.
Recorded by Master Drummer Frisner Augustin in New York in 1992.
(see 3. The Guinea room)

"Ibo" (1992) by master drummer Frisner Augustin
Drums of Vodou (White Cliffs Media, 1994)

The third drum begins (boula, 0 sec), followed by iron bell (ogan, 3 sec), second drum (segon, 8 sec), and lead drum (maman, 8 sec). One can hear three occurrences of the kase (33 sec; 1 min, 54 sec; and 3 min, 22 sec), plus a truncated version (3 min, 40 sec). The lead drummer strikes the side of his instrument in a basic pattern of two dotted quarter notes plus one quarter, while accentuation varies the simple boula.
Recorded by Master Drummer Frisner Augustin in New York in 1992.
(see 3. The Guinea room)

"Brav Guede Banda" (1995) by  Jacques "Wawa" Fortère
Rhythms of rapture (Smithsonians/Folkways, 1995)

Like other contemporary groups, this one adds two bass drums (bas) to the three requisite drums (maman, segon, boula) and iron bell (ogan). One hears two kase (59 sec, and 2 min, 25 sec) in this performance of banda for Gede. The soloist who takes over halfway through (1 min, 40 sec) exaggerates his tremolo in characteristic Vodou style. Cries and shouts in imitation of Gede lend authenticity to this studio piece.
Recorded by Wawa (Jacques Fortère) in Port-au-Prince.
(see 3. The Guinea room)

"Petwo" (1992) by master drummer Frisner Augustin
Drums of Vodou (White Cliffs Media, 1994)

One plays the first and second Petwo drums with hands only and the third with two sticks. This example begins with the third drum, or kata , a name for both the drum and its well-known five-stroke pattern: quarter¬ / eighth / quarter (or two tied eighths) / eighth / quarter. The bell (fè) enters close behind the kata (2 sec), then the second drum ( segon, 8 sec), and the first (maman, 15 sec). Note the liberal use of slaps, that is, hand strokes mimicking the crack of a whip.
Recorded by Frisner Augustin in New York, 1992.
(see 4. The Kongo/Petwo room)

"Kongo payèt" (1992) by master drummer Frisner Augustin
Drums of Vodou (White Cliffs Media, 1994)

This rendition of the payèt variant of the dance kongo follows the convention of playing second and third drums with hands alone. The second drum (from 7 sec) shows off the flirtatious siye, a portamento accomplished with a slide of the fingertips across the drumhead. The lead drummer (maman, 17 sec) plays the double-headed timbal with two sticks. Listen to the kase of the timbal (30-39 sec), which cues the dancers to execute a full turn.
Recorded by Frisner Augustin in New York, 1992.
(see 4. The Kongo/Petwo room)

"Swa Kongo" (2004) by La Troupe Makandal
Prepare (La Troupe makandal, 2004)

The sound of kongo generates an air of gaiety and celebration in a Vodou ritual, and one frequently hears songs of a more profane than sacred nature. This text expresses affection for one's mother, who is, among other things, one's country. The order of entries: third drum (0 sec), second drum (5 sec), timbal (7 sec), and fè (20 sec). The siye described in the preceding example supports the heavily syncopated lead part.
Recorded by La Troupe Makandal in New York, 2004.
(see 4. The Kongo/Petwo room)

"Kontredans"
Râ-Râ. Folklore d'Haïti (Macaya Records, 1972)

Three drums (maman, segon, boula) and iron bell (fè) support a single flute’s variations on an 8-measure phrase in this adaptation of the European contredanse (also, quadrille or country dance). Note the playful siye (a portamento effect achieved by sliding the fingertips across the drumhead) in the second drum. The vocalist, or leader (menè) calls directions to the dancers, for example, “Kwaze lewit,” meaning “Cross the eight” when four couples are dancing.
Recorded by Folklore d’Haiti, date and place unknown.
(see 5. Work and celebrate : Konbit, carnival, and rara)

"Carnaval" (circa 1947)

Maya Deren, maker of the classic film Divine Horsemen: The Living Gods of Haiti, used this performance of a live Carnival band on her soundtrack. Listen carefully through the raucous ambient sound for the band’s chorus (10 sec). The klewon, a tinplate trumpet with a flaring bell, monopolizes the foreground with a motif made from its upper harmonics (from 15 sec).
Recorded by Maya Deren in Port-au-Prince between 1947 and 1951.
(see 5. Work and celebrate : Konbit, carnival, and rara)

"Potpourri" by Tallon rara band (1978)
Caribbean revels (Smithsonians/Folkways, 1991)

A potpourri of instruments enriches the texture of this example from a Rara band named Tallon. A saxophone leads off with drums and percussion, and a modern trumpet, 5 vaksin (bamboo trumpets), and 5 klewon (tinplate trumpets) join in. Among the drums and percussion, one hears a Petwo drum, kès (a small double-headed drum played with stick), fè (iron bell), and graj (scraper). All instruments play lively ostinatos.
Recorded by Verna Gillis in Croix des Bouquets, 1978.
(see 5. Work and celebrate : Konbit, carnival, and rara)

"M'pap mache a tè anye" (circa 1992) by Rara La Bel Fraicheur de l’Anglade
Angels in the mirror (Ellipsis, 1997)

This example highlights the queens of Rara La Bel Fraicheur de l’Anglade, a band that is figuratively an airplane, according to its song. One hears the characteristic underlying figure of two dotted quarters plus quarter both in the beating against the sides of the vaksin (bamboo trumpets) from the start (3 sec) and in the first vaksin ostinato (23 sec). Note the use of two stacked major thirds that is characteristic of Rara vaksin ensembles, especially evident at 35 sec.
Recorded by Elizabeth McAlister near Kenskoff, 1992 or 1993.
(see 5. Work and celebrate : Konbit, carnival, and rara)

"Bawon"
Revolisyon (Boukman Eksperyans, 1998)

This song title evokes the spirit who governs the cemetery, and the lyrics warn that one cannot serve in the lakou (the Vodou courtyard) if one does not clean it first. The metaphoric use of lakou for leta (the State) is clear. In this example a bass line and a synthesized pulse support the traditional Vodou drum ensemble. A synthesizer follows the outline of the melody, as carried by the whole chorus in unison. Recorded by Boukman Eksperyans in New Jersey, 1998.
(see 6. Vodou Music in Neo-traditional Contexts: Folklore and Roots Music)

"Imamou lele"
Revolisyon (Boukman Eksperyans, 1998)

In this example by Haiti's most prominent mizik rasin group, the lead singer mourns her country's wasted resources, and the chorus responds with a phrase from a Vodou chant: "Imamou, kouman nou ye?" ("Imamou, how are you?"). Scholars debate the meaning of Imamou, but one hears this word most often in songs for Agwe, the male spirit of the sea, and it appears inscribed on the side of his boat in visual images. This is one of the least "electrified" songs by this group, but note the use of triadic harmony in the vocals. Recorded by Boukman Eksperyans in New Jersey, 1998.
(see 6. Vodou Music in Neo-traditional Contexts: Folklore and Roots Music)

Simbi Dlo (1984) by La Troupe Makandal
Rhythms of rapture (Smithsonians/Folkways, 1995)

This Vodou-jazz arrangement of a song for Simbi Dlo (Simbi of the Waters), a spirit from the Congo who shares traits of the Rada Danbala, features trombone and bass guitar. The trombone assumes the role of leader in the call-and-response design, stating the melody without adornment against a subtly playful bass line and a traditional drum and percussion foundation. The song uses the Rada rhythm yanvalou because both Rada and Kongo/Petwo branches serve Simbi. Recorded by La Troupe Makandal in New York, 1984.
(see 6. Vodou Music in Neo-traditional Contexts: Folklore and Roots Music)

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SUMMARY
1. Backdrop
2. The musicians of Vodou
3. The Guinea room
4. The Kongo/Petwo room
5. Work and celebrate: konbit, carnival, and rara
6. Vodou music in neo-traditional contexts: folklore and roots music
Bibliography / Discography
Musical examples

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by Dr Lois Wilcken

© Médiathèque Caraïbe / Conseil Général de la Guadeloupe, 2005