Jing ping explained

Jing ping
Cultural Origins:Dominica, West Indies
Instruments:Traditional: Boumboum (boom pipe), syak or gwaj (scraper-rattle), tambal or tanbou (tambourine) and accordion. Contemporary: Drum set, modern Synthesizer, and Electric bass.
Fusiongenres:Cadence-lypso - Bouyon
Other Topics:Music of Dominica

Jing Ping is a kind of folk music originated on the slave plantations of Dominica, also known colloquially as an accordion band. Dominican folk music, jing ping bands accompany a circle dance called the flirtation, as well as the Dominican quadrille.

Origin

The Dominican quadrille generally has four figures, the pastouwèl, lapoul, lété and latrinitez. Some regions of Dominica, such as Petite Savanne, are home to local variants such as the caristo. Many quadrilles are found across Dominica under a wide variety of names. In addition to the standard quadrille, the lancer is also an important Dominican dance.[1]

Accompaniment for the quadrille is provided by a four instrument ensemble called a jing ping band. Jing ping bands are made up of a boumboum (boom pipe), syak or gwaj (scraper-rattle), tambal or tanbou (tambourine) and accordion. The double bass, violin, banjo and guitar are also sometimes used.[2] Bamboo flutes led the jing ping ensembles before the 1940s, when accordions were introduced. The Dominican flute tradition declined as a result, despite their additional use in serenades, until being revived after the National Independence Competitions.[3]

Instruments

The accordion band is the most popular ensemble of folk instruments on the island of Dominica. In recent times, it has been referred to as the Jing Ping band - the name being an onomatopoeia resembling the finely textured sound that is produced by this ensemble:[4]

Jing ping in Contemporary music

Cadence-lypso

See main article: article and cadence-lypso. Cadence-lypso came from calypso from Trinidad and cadence rampa from Haiti, with influences from jing ping, the Dominican traditional music.[5]

Bouyon

See main article: article and Bouyon music. Bouyon legends Windward Caribbean Kulture (WCK) has played an important role in the development of Jing ping, giving credibility to a style that was seen as backward and unsophisticated. They began experimenting a fusion of Cadence-lypso and Jing ping.[6] [7]

Contemporary Jing ping

Contemporary Jing ping is a modernized version of Jing ping, which utilizes modern instruments such as drum set, modern synthesizer, and electric bass. It reflect a continuing trend to explore the jing ping sound and reproducing it using modern musical instruments and technology.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G41fOxMatrc

See also

References

Notes and References

  1. Book: Dominica . Guilbault, Jocelyne . Garland Encyclopedia of World Music . 2 . 0-8153-1865-0 . 1999 . Routledge . 840–844 . https://archive.org/details/garlandencyclope0001unse/page/840 .
  2. http://www.divisionofculture.org/traditionalinstruments.htm Division of Culture
  3. Cardinal, José. La Flûte de Bambou dans Quatres Îsles des Antilles (Martinique, Guadeloupe, Dominique et Sainte-Lucie). Master's thesis. Université de Montréal. cited in Guilbault, pg. 842
  4. Web site: Jing Ping instruments. Division of culture. September 10, 2005.
  5. Book: Zouk: world music in the West Indies-page 92. Jocelyne Guilbault. 15 November 1993. 9780226310411. August 10, 2010 .
  6. Sullivan, Lynne M. (2004) Adventure Guide to Dominica and St. Lucia, p. 49. Hunter Publishing,
  7. Book: Crask, Paul . Dominica . 15 . Bradt Travel Guides . 2008 . 9781841622170.