Favorite
Artists
Emeline Michel
Emeline Michel, born in Gonaïves, is a Haitian singer who has been called "The Joni Mitchell of Haiti." Her songs merge native Haitian compas and rara music with jazz, pop, bossa nova, and samba. She is a well accomplished dancer, versatile vocalist, songwriter and producer. She sang a version of Jimmy Cliff's "Many Rivers to Cross" at Hope for Haiti Now: A Global Benefit for Earthquake Relief.
T-Vice
Roberto and Reynaldo Martino, the sons of renowned Haitian lead guitarist Robert Martino of the classic compas band, Top Vice, were musically inspired by them to create music of their own. In 1992, T-Vice was founded as a successor to Top Vice, in which the T- is shortened twice, once from Ti', then ultimately from the word petit, which is French (as well as Creole) for "small" (hence "Small" Vice).[6][7] They soon recruited longtime friends James Cardozo and Gérald Kébreau completing the original quartet and are still known as such today.
T-Vice band is based in Miami, Fl. It was formed in 1991. Musical influences include reggae, merengue, flamenco and rock n’ roll. Unlike most Haitian bands, T-Vice's reach extends outside of Haiti to as far as the US, Caribbean and even Europe. T-Vice collaborates with other popular Haitian bands, most notably, Carimi and even their rival band Djakout Mizik. They have also worked with the famous Haitian rapper Wyclef Jean and Jamaican musician Buju Banton.
D.P. Express
D.P. Express is a Haitian musical group known for their contributions to the Haitian music scene, with notable lead singers like Hervé Bleus and Antoine "Ti Manno" Jean-Baptiste.
D.P. Express played a significant role in shaping the contemporary musical landscape of Haiti, contributing to the genesis of today's vibrant scene.
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
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.
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.