http://caribbeanreviewofbooks.com/2010/08/26/listening-les-loups-noirs/ Bimonthly review of Caribbean literature and art Thu, 07 Nov 2013 03:03:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1 http://caribbeanreviewofbooks.com/2010/08/26/listening-les-loups-noirs/comment-page-1/#comment-236 John Robert Lee Tue, 31 Aug 2010 21:05:57 +0000 http://caribbeanreviewofbooks.com/?p=2622#comment-236 Took me back to the film Biguine, of whom Patrick Chamoiseau was one of the script writers. The film proposes that Biguine, the popular Martinican music that was an international dance hit, began in St. Pierre. The eruption of Mount Pele in 1902, put an end to the creative efforts of the musicians who created Biguine there. That didn't stop it from taking off beyond the shores of Martinique. The clarinet, the lead instrument of Biguine (as I've heard it and understood it, subject to correction by musicians) provides a haunting creole lament, that leads, like so much creole music, to those gentle, flirtatious, courteous dances of women in madras dresses and bow-tied men. Nice old piece, that touches those of us who have known the best spirit of the French Creole culture of our islands (and that beyond race or skin tint.) Took me back to the film Biguine, of whom Patrick Chamoiseau was one of the script writers. The film proposes that Biguine, the popular Martinican music that was an international dance hit, began in St. Pierre. The eruption of Mount Pele in 1902, put an end to the creative efforts of the musicians who created Biguine there. That didn’t stop it from taking off beyond the shores of Martinique. The clarinet, the lead instrument of Biguine (as I’ve heard it and understood it, subject to correction by musicians) provides a haunting creole lament, that leads, like so much creole music, to those gentle, flirtatious, courteous dances of women in madras dresses and bow-tied men. Nice old piece, that touches those of us who have known the best spirit of the French Creole culture of our islands (and that beyond race or skin tint.)

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