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Artists
Michel Martelly
Michel Joseph Martelly[1] (French pronunciation: [miʃɛl ʒɔzɛf maʁteli]; born 12 February 1961[2]) is a Haitian singer and former politician who went on to serve as the President of Haiti from May 2011 until February 2016. He is from Côte-de-fer, a commune located in the South East region of Haiti. Martelly was one of Haiti's best-known musicians for over a decade, going by the stage name Sweet Micky. For business and musical reasons, Martelly has moved a number of times between the United States and Haiti. When travelling to the United States, Martelly mostly stays in Florida. After his presidency, Martelly returned to his former band (Sweet Micky) and sung a carnival meringue entitled Bal Bannan nan (Give her the banana), a message as a response to Liliane Pierre Paul, a famous Haitian female journalist in Port-au-prince
Sweet Micky
Michel Joseph Martelly[1] (French pronunciation: [miʃɛl ʒɔzɛf maʁteli]; born 12 February 1961[2]) is a Haitian singer and former politician who went on to serve as the President of Haiti from May 2011 until February 2016. He is from Côte-de-fer, a commune located in the South East region of Haiti. Martelly was one of Haiti's best-known musicians for over a decade, going by the stage name Sweet Micky. For business and musical reasons, Martelly has moved a number of times between the United States and Haiti. When travelling to the United States, Martelly mostly stays in Florida. After his presidency, Martelly returned to his former band (Sweet Micky) and sung a carnival meringue entitled Bal Bannan nan (Give her the banana), a message as a response to Liliane Pierre Paul, a famous Haitian female journalist in Port-au-prince
Eddy Francois
Born in Cap-Haitian, Eddy François is influenced by 80s music and begins his music career as a guitarist and bassist in a choir. In 1988, he joins the Kompa band Superstar Music machine and that following year joins the famous band Boukman Eksperyans that offers a new sound combining traditional rhythms with rock and pop. Eddy François's voice electrifies the band which enjoys phenomenal national and international success with hits like ‘Kèm Pa Sote’, ‘Pwazon Rat’or ‘Se Kreyol Nou Ye’. In 1992, Eddy François is considered ‘Best singer’ in the Caribbean by Rolling Stone magazine.That same year, Boukman Eksperyans got nominated for a Grammy Award. A few years later, Eddy creates his own band Boukan Ginen (Feu d’Afrique) which enjoyed immediate success and received the RFI ‘Prix Découverte’in 1994 for its album ‘Jou a Rive’, then goes on to be on the cover of the New York Times following his performance in Central Park. In the early 00s, Eddy François starts a solo Career and releases an album titled ‘Zinga’ a fusion of soul, blues and traditional music with thoughtful texts. He released a second album ‘Djohu’ in 2008. Ever since, Eddy has kept on pursuing his music career and performed all around the world. Today, he still has an extraordinary stage presence with a powerful voice that carries you down the péristyle. François was a founding member of Boukman Eksperyans.[2] In 1990, he left the band, with two other members to become a front-man of a new band called, Boukan Ginen.[3]
Manno Charlemagne
Joseph Emmanuel "Manno" Charlemagne (April 14, 1948[2] – December 10, 2017)[3] was a Haitian political folk singer, songwriter and acoustic guitarist, political activist and politician. He recorded his political chansons in both French and in Creole. He lived abroad in exile twice, both during the 1980s and again during the years 1991–1994, when the country was ruled by a military junta led by Raoul Cédras.
Coupé cloué
Jean Gesner Henry (10 May 1925 – 29 January 1998), known professionally as Coupé Cloué, was a Haitian footballer, singer, guitarist, and bandleader. He was known for defining a style of Haitian compas music he called kompa mamba, and for the sometimes bawdy innuendo used in his songs. During his career, he was one of Haiti's most prominent musicians, and found much success in West Africa as well.
As a young man, he received a classical music education and worked as a cabinetmaker before becoming a professional football player. It was from football, playing defense for the Port-au-Prince club Aigles Noirs, that he acquired his nickname, "Coupé Cloué" or "cut and nailed".
He began performing on guitar in 1951, and in 1957 he formed the band Trio Crystal, which he later renamed Trio Select, along with another guitar player and a maraca player. Their first album, one of the dozens Henry released during his career, was released in the late 1960s. In the early 1970s the group expanded from its original three, and renamed itself Ensemble Select. That decade also saw an increase in his use of racy spoken preaching and storytelling in addition to singing during songs; this became one of his trademarks.
In 1978 Coupé Cloué toured extensively in Africa, greatly increasing his international prominence. His popularity in West Africa was especially boosted by similarities between the rhythms and sounds of Henry's music an African soukous music. It was there that Henry earned the nickname, Roi Coupé (or "King Coupé"). During the 1980s and early 1990s, Henry continued to perform and record prolifically.
Henry died of diabetes in January 1998, having only retired from performing the previous month. He was mourned in Port-au-Prince by a day-long outdoor funeral celebration, attended by thousands of people, including the interim Minister of Culture.
Tabou Combo
Tabou Combo is a Haitian compas band that was founded in 1968 in Pétion-Ville, a suburb of Port-au-Prince.[1] The orchestra has performed throughout the world (North America, South America, Europe, Africa, Asia, and especially in the Caribbean). Tabou Combo was the first Haitian band to perform in Japan, Ivory Coast, Senegal among others, and were named the "Official Panamanian Band" in Panama due to their popularity, while also becoming the first Caribbean band to have a number one single in the French Hit Parade. They dynamically sung their songs in both English, French, Spanish and in Haitian Creole. Tabou Combo refer to themselves as the "ambassadors of konpa."
In 1968, band founders Albert Jr. Chancy and Herman Nau, performed their first concert. At first they named themselves, Los Incognitos because they were virtually unknown, but soon changed it in to "Tabou Combo" the following year to better fit Haitian culture. That year, the band won "Best Musical Group of the Year" in a televised talent contest, gaining a national reputation in Haiti and the sight of a promising international career.
Tabou Combo's musical repertoire, is a mixture of vodou ceremonial rara drums, Haiti's French colonial kontradans and quadrilles, African soukous and funk from the American soul era, while commanding a dominant presence of compas.
Languichatte & Orchestre Septentrional
Théodore Beaubrun was born on 26 December 1918 in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. He was an actor and writer, known for Languichatte in the 20th Century (1978), The New Adventures of Languichatte (1988) and Fournérailles (1985). He died on 30 June 1998 in Port-au-Prince, Haiti.
RAM
RAM is a mizik rasin band based in the city of Port-au-Prince, Haiti. The band derives its name from the initials of its founder, songwriter, and lead male vocalist, Richard A. Morse. The band's music has been described by Morse as "Vodou rock 'n' roots", and has been one of the prominent bands in the mizik rasin musical movement in Haiti. RAM began performing together in 1990, and recorded their first album in 1996. The band's music incorporates traditional Vodou lyrics and instruments, such as rara horns and petro drums, into modern rock and roll. The band's songs include lyrics in Haitian Creole, French, and English.
RAM is famous for its regular Thursday night performances at the Hotel Oloffson in downtown Port-au-Prince, attended by hotel guests and a wide spectrum of the country's political and racial groups. During the years of the military junta of Raoul Cédras, one of the band's singles, "Fèy", was banned nationwide by the military authorities who perceived it to be a song of support for the exiled President Jean-Bertrand Aristide. The band continued to play weekly concerts in defiance of death threats from the regime until Morse only narrowly escaped a kidnapping from the hotel in 1994. The band began recording albums in 1996, after United States military intervention restored Aristide to power. In 1998, the band clashed with the newly elected mayor of Port-au-Prince, a supporter of Aristide, and survived an assassination attempt during their Carnival performance. Through its song lyrics, RAM continues to provoke the antagonism of both the supporters of Aristide and former military regimes.
Lumane Casimir
Lumane Casimir was born in 1920, in Gonaïves, Haiti. Her known history began at the age of 13 when a pianist discovered her talents. At 14, she moved to Port-au-Prince with nothing but a guitar, questing her dreams.
It didn't take long for her to sing with some of the famous bands in Haiti. In 1949 she was chosen as the honorary singer to sing at the country's 145th years Independence Celebration in front of thousands of spectators from all over the world.
In 1951, Lumane mysteriously withdrew herself completely from the public's eyes at the height of her career. She went on to live in a tiny room in Port-au-Prince in poverty until she died a couple of years later at the age of only 35 from tuberculosis.
Her repertoire includes some of the most well known patriotic and cultural songs of Haiti, such as "Panama Mwen Tonbe" and "Papa Gede Bèl Gason.”
Lumane Casimir wrote almost all of her songs. Nowadays it is extremely rare to find copies of Lumane Casimir work. Her musics are mostly collected by lover and connoisseurs of classical Haitian Music.
Ti-Coca
Masters of Haiti's twoubadou (troubadour) tradition, Ti-Coca and his band, Wanga-Nègès perform with a straightforward and utterly committed joy. The band moves through Haiti's African, Caribbean, and Latin acoustic sounds with the high-energy determination and lightness of the group's namesake, the hummingbird. Nimble banjo and shimmering accordion pair up with earthy percussion, the rollicking manoumba (traditional double bass), and Ti-Coca's tcha-tcha, a simple gourd percussion instrument he coaxes into virtuosity. Led by his gritty, warm voice and unflagging charisma, Ti-Coca and his group make a mixture designed to elevate and seduce.
System band
System Band was formed in 1980, by Isnard Douby and Harold Joseph, former members of “Les frères Dejean”. They surrounded themselves with musicians who became the core of the band. Since its creation, the band has become a major player of the Kompa music industry. Led by Isnard Douby, System Band has released a great number of hits, which has come to be classics of the Haitian and Caribbean musical repertoire.
“Complainte” was the first hit of System Band, written by Isnard Douby and Harold Joseph, the song was from the album “Bam Passé” in 1980. In 1982, they released the love song “Chagrin d’amour”, by the same duet Douby-Harold. This year was also the beginning of the collaboration with Marc Chevalier, the band manager.
In 1983, the song “Vacances” made a splash and became a summer holiday hit, today synonymous of fun and amusement. “Pa Pile” from the same album and written by Isnard douby was the song in which System Band introduced for the first time the groove sound “Kitel maché” in the Kompa Music industry.
Webert Sicot
Webert Sicot (1930 – February 1985) was a Haitian saxophone player, composer and band leader. He is recognized as one of the creators of compas also known as compas direct, a style of Haitian music born in the 1950s that he named cadence rampa after he left Nemours' band to differentiate himself in 1962 in the spirit of competition.
Sicot was born in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, in 1930. He took his first musical lessons from Augustin Bruno. He made his debut as professional with Claudin Toussaint's Jazz Capois. He also worked with the groups Jazz des Jeunes and the Saieh Orchestra, in the second half or the 1950s.
He founded with Nemours Jean-Baptiste the Conjunto Internacional and took part in the Citadelle orchestra and Casino Internacional Band. With Jean-Baptiste, he created the compas direct, a variation of the Haitian méringue. In 1961 he commenced a solo career and became one of the pioneers of cadence rampa. He played several instruments as trumpet, bass, piano and drums. Because of his frequent Caribbean tours with his brother Raymond in the Caribbean, cadence became very popular in Dominica and the French Antilles of Guadeloupe and Martinique.
Sicot died in February 1985 and is considered as one of the most influentials band leaders in Haitian popular music.
Nemours Jean-Baptiste
Nemours Jean-Baptiste (February 2, 1918 – May 18, 1985) was a Haitian saxophonist, writer, and band leader. He is credited with being the inventor of compas, also known as compas direct, a style of Haitian music.
Nemours nicknamed "maestro" married Marie-Félicité Olivier with whom he had two daughters, Yvrose, Marie-Denise and a son, Yves-Nemours. Nemours dedicated many songs to his friends and fans. The 1967 composition "Ti Carole", dedicated to his fan Kouri, became famous and is still a favorite.
In the early sixties, many of the Group Compas Direct's compositions were in praise of women and healthy relationships "Ti Carole" was one of the famous hit that remains amongst the Top ten list for over a year. Nemours and the Group performed at several New York night club in the early seventies.
Tafa Mi-Soleil
Evenie Rose Thafaïna Saint-Louis, better known by her stage name Tafa Mi-Soleil, was born in 1998, in Fort Jacques, Haiti. She is a rising star in Haitian music, with a unique voice and a deep commitment to promoting women's and minority rights. In addition to her music, Mi-Soleil involved in theater and painting.
Guy Durosier
Guy Durosier, a versatile Haitian singer and organist whom Edith Piaf once called ''the living breath of Haiti,'' died on Thursday at his home in Bothell, a suburb of Seattle. He was 68.
The cause was complications from pulmonary cancer, said his son Robert.
In a career more than 50 years long, Mr. Durosier also played the saxophone and composed music. Like most Haitian musicians, he had an eclectic style, ranging from big band sounds to Cuban music of the 50's.
His genre reached even those who left Haiti too young to have known his music firsthand and those who were born in the United States to Haitian parents. His cross-generational appeal was evident when Mr. Durosier received a standing ovation after performing at Lincoln Center in June 1998 during a fund-raiser for the Haitian-American Alliance, a community group based in Brooklyn. Reviewers said Mr. Durosier outshone younger and more popular Haitian musicians like the singer Emeline Michel and the guitarist Beethova Oba.
Born in Port-au-Prince, the capital, Mr. Durosier started performing at age 14. In 1947 he began playing the clarinet with the school band at St. Louis de Gonzague School in Port-au-Prince. A few years later, he began to play professionally when he caught the attention of Issa Saieh, the maestro of the most famous orchestra in Haiti.
Issa el Saieh
Issa El Saieh was born in Petit Goave on February 22, 1919, into a family of Palestinian immigrants becoming a Haitian citizen at the age of twenty-one. He developed a commercial activity as an art dealer in the Haitian capital from 1954.
His band became popular in Port-au-Prince in the forties and fifties. His music reflects a mixture of elements of Cuban music and jazz harmonies without losing its Creole essence. Musicians such as Ti Ro Ro and the singer Guy Durosier participated in it.
In 1957 he recorded a selection of his songs in Havana. The notes for that album were written by Bebo Valdés.
Issa was one of the five Haitian musicians honored at the Lincoln Center on June 27, 1998.
Jazz des jeunes
René St. Aude (music director, saxophone), Gérard Dupervil (vocals), Antalcidas Oreux Murat (cornet), Emmanuel Auguste (vocals), Serge Lahens (vocals), Jean-Claude Felix (vocals), Alex Volcy (vocals), Gerard Claude St. Aude (saxophone), Alphonse Jean-Louis (saxophone), Eddy Dorlette (saxophone), Avin Valdermar (trumpet), Walter Frederic (trumpet), Wilner Guillaume (trumpet), Yvon Pompilus (vocals), Noe Mathurin (guitar), Jean-Robert Felix (bass), Jean-Arnold Delma (percussion, music director), Farelus Delice (drums), Gerard Osias (keyboards), Richard Duroseau (keyboards), Ronald H. Loussaint (saxophone), Jean Philome Desilus (vocals), Dios Joachim (vocals), Eddy Payoute (guitar), Jean-Robert Roger (guitar), Wilner Pierre (bass), Nicolas Rogers (bass), Pierre Voltaire (bass), Yvens Keslin (drums), Willy Frederique Jr. (congas), Manes Surpris (percussion), Wins Delma (keyboards)
Orchestre Tropicana d'Haïti
L'Orchestre Tropicana d'Haïti est issu de l'Orchestre Caraïbes qui avait pris naissance dans le nord du pays à la fin des années 1950. C'est en mars 1963 lors d'une réunion à laquelle assistèrent quelques musiciens et fans de Caraïbes au Yanvalou Night Club qu'est venu l'idée à Bazile Cobty de rebaptiser le groupe Orchestre Tropicana d'Haïti, nom tiré d'un night club à Cuba que Cobty avait l'habitude de fréquenter.
La première répétition de l'Orchestre nouvellement formé a eu lieu le 24 mars 1963 dans une maison appartenant à Cobty. À cette époque, la musique française et la musique latine étaient très populaires en Haïti, et déjà dans le Nord il y avait un autre groupe très influent, l'Orchestre Septentrional.
Sept ans après sa formation soit en 1970, l'Orchestre Tropicana d'Haïti a produit son premier disque où on retrouve des titres comme Zoklo et Ti Zo chanté par Giordany Joseph sous la commande du maestro Emmanuel Turenne.