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Zouk

World Music in the West Indies

With its irresistible dance beat, strong bass line, and straightforward harmonies and lyrics, zouk has become wildly popular in the Caribbean, Africa, and Europe. This book—complete with a compact disc and numerous illustrations and musical examples—provides a thorough introduction to the sound, lyrics, choreography, and social milieu of this vibrant and infectious new music.

"This invigorating reference work and companion CD of the Antilles’ sexy zouk dance sound will lift readers out of their easy chairs and their complacency about the nonreggae aspects of Caribbean pop. . . . [Zouk] is a landmark achievement."—Timothy White, Billboard

306 pages | 22 halftones, 22 music examples, 1 map, 1 line drawing, 4 tables, 1 compact disc | 6 x 9 | © 1993

Chicago Studies in Ethnomusicology

Anthropology: Cultural and Social Anthropology

Black Studies

Culture Studies

Music: Ethnomusicology

Table of Contents

List of the Musical Excerpts on the Compact Disc
Acknowledgments
Introduction
Technical Notes
1: Zouk and the Isles of the Caribees
2: "Zouk-la Se Sel Medikaman Nou Ni"
3: On Zouk and Family Resemblance: Biguine, Compas Direct, and Cadence-Lypso
4: Biguine: Popular Music of Guadeloupe (1940-1960)
Edouard Benoit
5: "Toujou Sou Konpa": Issues of Change and Interchange in Haitian Popular Dance Music
Gage Averill
6: Cadence: The Dominican Experience
Gregory Rabess
7: Three Constructions of Zouk: An Interpretation
8: Zouk in the Eighties
9: Zouk and the Local Music industries
10: Zouk as a World Music in the Lesser Antilles
A gallery of photographs follows page
Appendixes
Discography
Notes
References
Index

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