Compás music is a type of music that originated in Haiti. Kompá, kompás, compás direct, and kompá dirèk are some of the other names for it. This style of music is closely associated with Haiti, and it is frequently featured at Haitian festivals and events. It is known for its driving beat and adaptability. Compás music and other aspects of Haitian culture are featured at some annual festivals in Haiti and elsewhere. Compás music can also be purchased on CD from record shops that specialize in world music.
Nemours Jean-Baptiste is credited with this work.
Nemours Jean-Baptiste, a Haitian jazz musician who was influenced by Dominican Republic musical styles, is credited with the creation of this genre of music. Traditional Haitian sounds and rhythms were incorporated into a lively musical style with a lot of brass and easily recognized rhythms by Jean-Baptiste. Compás music is almost always accompanied by singing in Haitian Creole. This type of music, like jazz, pays homage to Haitian culture’s African roots, but compás music takes those roots in a completely different direction.
A Wide Range of Building Blocks
With a 1957 album by his group, Ensemble Nemours Jean-Baptiste, Jean-Baptiste introduced compás music to the world, and the genre quickly took off thanks to the popularity of the song De P’ti Piti Kalbass. In the 1960s and 1970s, Compás had a heyday, with a variety of talented musicians expanding it to create their own sound. Compás music, according to Jean-Baptiste, was almost like a building block; in the right hands, it could be taken in any direction, resulting in a very diverse genre. Traditionalists chastised the introduction of compás music because it featured a lot of synthesizers and electronic instruments, which differed significantly from traditional Haitian music. However, the genre is credited with popularizing traditional Haitian music by introducing the sounds of Haiti to a wider audience as the music spread to other countries.
Dancing and Compás
The driving beat, which is common to many Caribbean music styles, is one of the most distinguishing features of compás music. Many people think compás music is simple and enjoyable to dance to because it incorporates musical traditions like Merengue, which propel dancers around the floor with lively, active beats. A visitor to a Haitian immigrant community anywhere in the world might hear the notes of compás music, and where there is compás, dancers are usually not far behind.