Wabap

Wabap (or simply biguine wabap) is a subgenre of biguine, a Caribbean music style.

Wabap
Stylistic origins	Bebop Afro-Cuban jazz traditional biguine
Cultural origins	Guadeloupe, French Caribbean, c. 1950
Typical instruments	Trombone trumpet saxophone piano bass guitar guitar drums
Fusion genres
Zouk
Audio sample
"Aimer" by Moune de Rivel featuring Al Lirvat et son Orchestre file help

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.^{[citation needed]}