The Zouk is a Musical genre of the French West Indies (Guadeloupe and Martinique) born towards the beginning of the Années 1980, and popularized in Europe by the group Kassav and the Zouk Machine.

Origin of the word " Zouk"

The dictionary “the Petit Robert” gives the following definition to the word Zouk “music and very rythmée dance originating in the Lesser Antilles (Guadeloupe and Martinique), appeared only in the Eighties”. However percussionnist inhabitant of Martinique Henri Guédon celebrates it, indicates that during the Sixties, the word “Zouk” referred to places of popular dance. The chronicler Michel Thimon goes in the same direction, according to him, the term “Zouk” indicated in the beginning a kind of " room of bal" not very conventional where one found Saturday evening to dance “the lafouka” (a very sensual dance), at the rate/rhythm of popular orchestras. Others advance that the word “Zouk” comes from a contraction of the word “Mazouk” which is not other than the creole Mazurka. The etymological source of the word Zouk remains in charge of mystery still today. one finds another origin with the word zouk, coming from Congo the word " zoka" meaning agitation of the body.

Birth of the Zouk music

It is the Kassav group which gave rise to the music Zouk beginning of the year 80. The history of the Kassav group starts in 1979 when Pierre-Edouard Décimus , musician in a dance band (Vickings of the Guadeloupe) since the Sixties decides with Freddy Marshall, another West-Indian musician, to renew and modernize the music which they always played. Very attached to the popular music of carnival, Décimus seeks to adapt it to the modern musical techniques. The two men recruit also Jacob Desvarieux, guitarist of confirmed studio and Georges Décimus (the brother of the first), bass player, as well as other musicians of studio. The group is formed progressively. This first grinding of the group returns in studio in November and with the beginning of the year following the first album of Kassav appears, heading " Coil and Ka Dance". A new musical genre was born: Zouk . The appearance of new sounds, especially to the level of the low ones, keyboards and coppers gives to this music an air of modernity and especially of festival, a music alive and dancing all in all. There Kassav starts to write the history of the zouk.

Description

It Dance in couple, stick-tight, the Homme holds the Femme by the size and the woman intertwines her arm around the Cou of her rider.

It is at the origin of the Biguine or the rate/rhythm of the Carnaval of the Guadeloupe, the “farmhouse has sinjan” (mask of Midsummer's Day), with the Synthétiseur S of the Funk, the Guitare S of the Rock and the Soukouss, coppers of the Salsa, with also of the influences of the Kompa of Haiti.
Later the zouk appeared coils , slower.

Zouk Coils

Zouk Love is an alternative of the Zouk music characterized by a slower rate/rhythm, softer and sensual. It is about love song for the majority of the pieces. The texts of the songs often speak about love and sentimental problems. Zouk Love is danced to two in way " kolé séré" and lascive. Patrick Saint-Eloi is incontestably the precursor of Zouk Love in the French West Indies. He is the author of the first pieces of Zouk Love to success like " Darling" , " West-Indies" , " Rèv year mwen" and " Zouké". He interpreted in duet with Jocelyne Béroard one of the first tubes of Zouk Love, " Pa bizwen palé". Jean-Philippe Marthély is also one of the pioneers of Zouk Love with his tubes " Beautiful Kréati" , " Pazapa" and " Lanmou Pa djendjen". But it is Jocelyne Béroard with its tube " Kolé Séré" (Gold Disc) which made it possible all France to discover Zouk Love. Today still Zouk Love is the alternative of Zouk which has the most success in the Antilles.

Zouk Concrete or Chiré

Zouk Béton is an alternative of the Zouk music which contrary to Zouk Love is very rate/rhythm, in Creole one qualifies this music of " Vréyé Monté" (which moves much). One finds this rate/rhythm in particular in the songs of carnival. Zouk Béton is generally danced without partner. It is the Kassav group which popularized Zouk Béton during the Eighties. But Zouk Béton vis-a-vis the success of Zouk Love is today in lose speed.

Zouk R' NB or New generation

Today there exists an alternative of Zouk very influenced by R' American NB. It is about a mixture of R' NB and of Zouk Love. This tendency occurred in Paris with artists such as Slaï, Thierry Cham, Jane Fostin, Ali Angel, Medhy Custos, Nichols, Kimberlite Zouk, Warren, Marvin, Kaysha, Elizio, Teeya, Linsha and Soumia etc… But it is incontestably Jean-Michel Rotin which is the precursor of Zouk R' NB or " américanisé " with its tubes " Or lov" , " Sof vou" , " Stop" , " Cigaret" , " Chut I you aime" , " Mwen nor tô" , " And I coils her" and " Ella". This tendency seems to have today the adhesion of the pilot French public the success of Slaï, Thierry Cham, Medhy Custos, the Goddesses and Beads LAMA.

Let us specify that the purists do not like name " Zouk R' NB" and " prefers; New Zouk Génération".

Relationship with the African music

The influence of the African music was fundamental. The outstanding orchestra, towards end of the year 60 in the Antilles, was a group made up of Africans, the Ryco Jazz, whose musical models (urban Rumba Zairean and other rates/rhythms) were going to be used as a basis for the many more or less happy West-Indian copies which followed one another. The slow evolution was initially to be done in rhythmic and melody simplification, then again in rhythmic, melody and so instrumental enrichment, until the orchestral sophistication of the last productions of Kassav'. The Ryco Jazz as their name indicates it held more of the quartet of Jazz than of the full orchestra of variety.

It is amusing to note, that the success of Kassav' in the Nineties caused a return of influence on the popular music in certain African countries.

SOULZOUK - Zouk freestyle or Brazilian Zouk

Created two years ago, the SOULZOUK or zouk " freestyle" is a new way of dancing the zouk come from Brazil. More contemporary, it differs from the traditional Brazilian zouk by a new manner of connecting itself with the music. This way of dancing is not based only on the rate/rhythm, but also the Mélodie of the song, with the result that it can be danced not only on zouk but also on a variety of kinds of music like the Rap or the R' B.

The rider must guide not only its hands and arm, but also with its legs, shoulders and head. This style is diffused only in Brazil and not in the Antilles, creative of the kind.

Artists of Zouk of the years 80-90

Artists of Zouk new generation

  • Alan Undermined
  • Ali Angel
  • Bamboolaz
  • Bruno Bias
  • Chris William
  • Christian Nara
  • Cyrielle
  • Darius Denon
  • Elizio
  • Goldee
  • Guerdy
  • Herve Dachard
  • Imani
  • Jamice
  • Jean-Marie Ragald
  • Jimmy Devarieux
  • Kaysha
  • Kennedy
  • Kimberlite Zouk
  • Marvin
  • Médhy Custos
  • Michael
  • Naïma
  • Nichols
  • Orlane
  • Peggy Bajal
  • Pearl LAMA
  • Princess To coil
  • Shaïna
  • Slaï
  • Soumia
  • Steeve Pierre-Louis
  • Talina
  • Teeyah
  • Thierry Cham
  • Tina
  • Twendy Pastel
  • Virginia Lollia
  • V-ro
  • Warren

See too

External bonds

  • SOULZOUK - Zouk Music downloads radio videos and more

  • History of the zouk on the site ZoukRetro.com
  • History of the zouk on the site of RFO
  • Some biographies and photographs on Zoukfoto.com

Random links:Lemoncourt | Port-death | Colonial history of Cameroun | Thomas Reuben Black | Louvre Abou Dabi

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