(Haitian Konpa Group) CaRiMi - "Ayiti (Bang Bang)" with YouTube examples, information & lyrics

Tropic Music, May 26, 2016

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Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post showcases a YouTube song file and YouTube video of the Carimi song "Ayiti Bang Bang".

Information about Carimi is also included in this post along with lyrics for that song.

The content of this post is presented for cultural and entertainment purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to Carimi for their music legacy and thanks to all those who are quoted in this post. Thanks also for the publishers of these examples on YouTube.
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Pancocojams Editor's Note:
I learned about the Haitian music group CaRiMi as a result of reading this Oct. 17, 2022 online article https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/singer-mikaben-dead-41-collapsing-125649322.html about popular Haitian singer Mikaben collapsing and dying on stage in Paris during his performance at a CaRiMi concert . RIP Mikaben. My condolences to his family, friends, and worldwide fans.

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Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/03/five-examples-of-haitian-kompa-music-by.html for a 2013 pancocojams post that presents information about Haitian Konpas (Kompas) music 

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SHOWCASE VIDEO #2

Zycopolis TV, Feb 23, 2016
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INFORMATION ABOUT CARIMI
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carimi
"Carimi (often styled as CaRiMi) was a popular Haitian compas band assembled in New York City in 2001.[1]

[…]

[They] created the name for their band by the taking the first two letters of their first names Carlo Vieux, Richard Cavé and Mikael Guirand; atlas, Carimi was born.[3]

Hours and hours at the studio in the hopes of creating a new sound, one that was uncommon in the music industry at the time, the band found themselves putting on paper some profound, socially shared lyrics that encompassed the disorders of their native land. Haiti Bang, Bang, was released in the summer of 2001. Instantly, Carimi became a household name. They are known as one of the first younger generation digital bands to put out music that reflected upon the political pressures and the deteriorating security of Haiti. They had mass appeal to the Haitian diaspora who fled the country and through their allure lyrically, musically and of course sex appeal for the ladies, Carimi has thrived throughout the years.[4]

In 2016 the singer Mickael Guirand decided to quit the band due to personal issues. The rest of the founding members decided to end their long journey and have gone on separate musical expeditions. In 2022 the band return for a 20th anniversary one day tour in Paris where they'll perform for the first time since the break up in 2016."

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LYRICS - AYITI (BANG BANG)

(composed by Carimi, 2001)

FBI, DEA, me zanmi, me zanmi, me zanmi
Ho, ho
FBI, DEA, me zanmi, me zanmi, me zanmi

Sa fè de zan'm pa wè'l
Peyi mwen change koulè
Sa fè de zan'm kite'l
Figi li make mizè
Nou pito fèmen de je'm
Fè samblan sa va change
Nou pito fèmen de je'm
Di pitit pa nou pap tou

[Chorus]
Me zanmi
A, A, A, A, A, A
Ayiti mwen, o
A, A, A, A, A, A
Sa w pense li ye

Di'm kisa pwal fè
Pou change mantalite moun yo
Peyi'm an dange
Pa gen pèsòn kè deside levon'w pye

Whoa, whoa, whoa

Nou pito fèmen de je'm
Fè samblan sa va change
Nou pito fèmen de je'm
Di pitit pa nou pap tounen

[Chorus]
Me zanmi
A, A, A, A, A, A
Ayiti mwen, o
A, A, A, A, A, A
Sa w pense li ye

Wo, me zanmi, me zanmi, me zanmi
Ho, ho
Carimiiiii

Ou zop polo zopo potolé (x4)
Zo polo pèlo pèlo pèlo po (x4)

Tout nèg ha ha ha
Bang Bang Lucky bang bang Lucky bang

Peyi mwen tounen toukou yon fim koboy
Tout moun se bang bang Lucky Luke
Peyi'm pa yon jwèt sispan jwe avè'l

What's going on
Bang bang Lucky bang
Peyi mwen tounen toukou yon fim koboy
Tout moun se bang bang Lucky Luke

Cow-boy Carimi yo, degene

Yo di ti Carlo Vieux pa même n'an CIA
Sensib a la gachèt (bis)
Yo di Richard Cave pa même n'an CIA
Sensib a la gachèt (bis)
Yo di Mickael Guirand pa même n'an CIA
Sensib a la gachèt (bis)
Fanatik Carimi pa même n'an CiA
Sensib a la gachèt (bis)

What's going on

Bang bang Lucky bang bang Lucky bang

Peyi mwen tounen toukou yon fim koboy
Tout moun se bang bang Lucky Luke
Peyi'm pa yon jwèt sispan jwe avè'l

What's going on

Bang bang Lucky bang bang Lucky bang
Peyi mwen tounen toukou yon fim koboy
Tout moun se bang bang Lucky Luke
Peyi'm pa yon jwèt sispan jwe avè'l

Yo di Richard Douger pa même n'an CIA
Sensib a la gachèt (bis)
Yo di Sereine Cave pa même n'an CIA
Sensib a la gachèt (bis)
Yo di Metrome Jacky pa même n'an CIA
Sensib a la gachèt (bis)
Mè Stéphanie Hyppolite pa même n'an CIA
Sensib a la gachèt (bis)

Sak ap pase, DEA
Yo pran peyi mwen, yo kontwole mwen
Sak gen lakay, FBI
Yo pran peyi mwen, me yo kontwole mwen
Sak ap pase, DEA
Yo pran peyi mwen, me yo kontwole mwen
Sak gen lakay, FBI
Yo pran peyi mwen, me yo kontwole mwen

What's going on

Bang bang Lucky bang bang Lucky bang
Peyi mwen tounen toukou yon fim koboy
Tout moun se bang bang Lucky Luke
Peyi'm pa yon jwèt sispan jwe avè'l

What's going on, what's going on

Bang bang Lucky bang bang Lucky bang
Peyi mwen tounen toukou yon fim koboy
Tout moun se bang bang Lucky Luke
Peyi'm pa yon jwèt sispan jwe avè'l

Sensib a la gachèt (bis)
Sensib a la gachèt (bis)
Sensib a la gachèt (bis)
Sensib a la gachèt (bis)

Online source: https://genius.com/Carimi-ayiti-bang-bang-lyrics

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LYRICS - AYITI (BANG BANG) from Google translate from Haitian Creole to English

(composed by Carimi, 2001)

FBI, DEA, my friend, my friend, my friend

Ho, ho

FBI, DEA, my friend, my friend, my friend

I haven't seen him in two years

My country is changing color

It's been two years since I left him

His face marked misery

We prefer to close my eyes

Pretend that will change

We prefer to close my eyes

Say our children will not either

[Chorus]

May friend

A, A, A, A, A, A

My Haiti, oh

A, A, A, A, A, A

What do you think it is?

Tell me what will be done

To change people's mentality

My country is in danger

No one decides to step on your feet

Whoa, whoa, whoa

We prefer to close my eyes

Pretend that will change

We prefer to close my eyes

Say our children will not come back

[Chorus]

May friend

A, A, A, A, A, A

My Haiti, oh

A, A, A, A, A, A

What do you think it is?

Wo, my friend, my friend, my friend

Ho, ho

Carimiiii

You zop polo zop potolé (x4)

Bone polo hair hair hair hair skin (x4)

All guys ha ha ha

Bang Bang Lucky bang bang Lucky bang

My country is like a cowboy movie

Everyone is bang bang Lucky Luke

My country is not a game to stop playing with him

What's going on

Bang bang Lucky bang

My country is like a cowboy movie

Everyone is bang bang Lucky Luke

Carimi's cowboys, degenerate

They say little Carlo Vieux is not even in the CIA

Trigger sensitive (bus)

They say Richard Cave is not even in the CIA

Trigger sensitive (bus)

They say Mickael Guirand is not even in the CIA

Trigger sensitive (bus)

Carimi fans are not the same in CiA

Trigger sensitive (bus)

What's going on

Bang bang Lucky bang bang Lucky bang

My country is like a cowboy movie

Everyone is bang bang Lucky Luke

My country is not a game to stop playing with him

What's going on

Bang bang Lucky bang bang Lucky bang

My country is like a cowboy movie

Everyone is bang bang Lucky Luke

My country is not a game to stop playing with him

They say Richard Douger is not even in the CIA

Trigger sensitive (bus)

They say Sereine Cave is not even in the CIA

Trigger sensitive (bus)

They say Metrome Jacky is not even in the CIA

Trigger sensitive (bus)

Ms. Stéphanie Hyppolite is not even in the CIA

Trigger sensitive (bus)

What's up, DEA

They took my country, they control me

Everything is at home, FBI

They took my country, but they control me

What's up, DEA

They took my country, but they control me

Everything is at home, FBI

They took my country, but they control me

What's going on

Bang bang Lucky bang bang Lucky bang

My country is like a cowboy movie

Everyone is bang bang Lucky Luke

My country is not a game to stop playing with him

What's going on, what's going on

Bang bang Lucky bang bang Lucky bang

My country is like a cowboy movie

Everyone is bang bang Lucky Luke

My country is not a game to stop playing with him

Trigger sensitive (bus)

Trigger sensitive (bus)

Trigger sensitive (bus)

Trigger sensitive (bus)

-snip-
Additions and corrections to this translation are very welcome.

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Visitor comments are welcome.

Songs For Haitian Loa Papa Elegba (information, YouTube sound files, and comments)

Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post presents information about Haitian Vodoun and an explanation about the term "loa". This post also showcases three YouTube sound files with information about the Haitian loa Papa Legba along with some comments from some of these sound files' discussion threads.

The content of this post is presented for religious, cultural, and aesthetic purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post and all those who contributed to these embedded YouTube sound files. Thanks also to all the publishers of these examples on YouTube.

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INFORMATION ABOUT HAITIAN VODOUN
From https://www.britannica.com/topic/Vodou
"Vodou
HAITIAN RELIGION
Alternative Titles: Vaudou, Vodun, Voodoo, Voudou, vodon
Vodou, also spelled Voodoo, Voudou, Vodun, or French Vaudou, a religion practiced in Haiti. Vodou is a creolized religion forged by descendents of Dahomean, Kongo, Yoruba, and other African ethnic groups who had been enslaved and brought to colonial Saint-Domingue (as Haiti was known then) and Christianized by Roman Catholic missionaries in the 16th and 17th centuries. The word Vodou means “spirit” or “deity” in the Fon language of the African kingdom of Dahomey (now Benin).

Vodou, a traditional Afro-Haitian religion, is a worldview encompassing philosophy, medicine, justice, and religion. Its fundamental principle is that everything is spirit. Humans are spirits who inhabit the visible world. The unseen world is populated by lwa (spirits), mystè (mysteries), anvizib (the invisibles), zanj (angels), and the spirits of ancestors and the recently deceased. All these spirits are believed to live in a mythic land called Ginen, a cosmic “Africa.” The God of the Christian Bible is understood to be the creator of both the universe and the spirits; the spirits were made by God to help him govern humanity and the natural world.”...

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE TERM "LOA"
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loa
"Loa (also spelled lwa) are the spirits of Haitian Vodou and Louisiana Voodoo.[1]:229 They are also referred to as "mystères" and "the invisibles" and are intermediaries between Bondye (from French Bon Dieu, meaning "good God")—the Supreme Creator, who is distant from the world—and humanity. Unlike saints or angels, however, they are not simply prayed to, they are served. They are each distinct beings with their own personal likes and dislikes, distinct sacred rhythms, songs, dances, ritual symbols, and special modes of service. Contrary to popular belief, the loa are not deities in and of themselves; they are intermediaries for, and dependent on, a distant Bondye.[1]:"

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INFORMATION ABOUT PAPA LEGBA
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Papa_Legba
"Papa Legba is a loa in Haitian Vodou, who serves as the intermediary between the loa and humanity. He stands at a spiritual crossroads and gives (or denies) permission to speak with the spirits of Guinee, and is believed to speak all human languages. In Haiti, he is the great elocutioner. Legba facilitates communication, speech, and understanding.

Appearance
He usually appears as an old man on a crutch or with a cane, wearing a broad brimmed straw hat and smoking a pipe, or sparkling water. The dog is sacred to him. Legba is syncretized with Saint Peter, Saint Lazarus,[1] and Saint Anthony.[2]

Alternative views
In Benin, Nigeria and Togo, Legba is viewed as young and virile trickster deity,[3] often horned and phallic, and his shrine is usually located at the gate of the village in the countryside. Alternatively, he is addressed as Legba Atibon, Atibon Legba, or Ati-Gbon Legba.

In popular culture
[...]

In his study of the Delta blues, Robert Palmer discusses the appearance of Legba in blues lyrics and lore. Palmer notes that Legba can be referred to/identified as "the Devil", "Papa Legba", and "The Black Man" throughout the history of the blues.[5] This is also made clear in ethnomusicologist Bruno Blum's text for the CD box set Voodoo in America (scroll for English version),[6] where reference to Papa Legba, deity of roads and crossroads, in Robert Johnson's iconic song "Crossroads" is explained.

[...]

In the 1986 film Crossroads, blues musicians Robert Johnson and Willie Brown sell their souls to a "Mr. Legba" at a Mississippi crossroads. Later in the film Legba takes the name "Scratch".[citation needed] In this movie, however, Legba is mistaken for the Christian devil (or the popular notion of the devil), who takes the main character's soul in exchange for a successful musical career in blues.”...
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Additional information about Papa Legba is found in the YouTube sound file summaries and comments that are given below.

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SHOWCASE YOUTUBE SOUND FILES
Example #1: Papa Legba



Vodouspirit, Published on Feb 18, 2009

In honour of Papa Legba, the great Voodoo spirit who opens the way so that we may pass.

From https://hermitsjourney.wordpress.com/2012/08/22/a-song-for-legba
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Here's the lyrics to the song that is given on that page:
"A song for Legba
Here is an easy song for Legba that anyone can learn, even if you don’t speak Kreyol. It’s pretty repetitive, so once you get it down it’s not difficult to remember. I sing this one regularly when I give him offerings.

Legba nan baye-a
Legba nan baye-a
Legba nan baye-a
se ou ki pote drapo
se ou ki pare soley pou lwas yo

Translation:

Legba in the gate
Legba in the gate
Legba in the gate
it is you who carries the flag
it is you who shades the sun for the lwa
-snip-
Here's one comment about that article:
Velvetbehr, 2012
"Ayibobo Papa Legba!"
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From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ayibobo
Ayibobo is one spelling of a Haitian Creole word that means "amen" or "hallelujah". However, the majority of mainstream Christian Haitians refrain from using the word Ayibobo as it is more commonly used among Vodou practitioners. Therefore, "Amen" and Hallejujah or "Alelouya", in its creole spelling, are used by mainstream Christians and "Ayibobo" are for those that practice Vodou

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Example #2: Papa Legba Haitian Meditation Music ( Very Powerful )



Darklordism, Published on May 26, 2016

Papa Legba Ritual Meditation Music

Papa Legba is a mighty Loa (God) from the New Orleans and Haitian Vodou Traditions. He is seen as an elderly black man with a cane, wearing a straw hat and either smoking a pipe or sprinkling water upon the ground. He is sometimes accompanied by a black dog or a rooster.

His colors are black and red and his number is 3. His day of the week is Monday and he is associated with St. Lazarus and St. Peter. Papa Legba governs over choice and the paths that we all walk. He presents us with opportunities and also tests our progress with challenges as we travel through earth life. This responsibility has given him the title of being the ultimate trickster god. He challenges us to step out of ourselves and to examine the habits and beliefs that we identify with. The choice is to either examine our lives or continue to fail the tests that Papa Legba sends to us over and over again. To Papa Legba, choice is of the utmost
importance for it is choice that displays the maturity of the heart and mind.

Papa Legba is one of the very oldest Loa and has been around since the beginning of time. He has seen everything which is why he is the Master Story Teller and the keeper of man’s history. He is like the Kemetic/Egyptian record keeping God Tehuti in this light for he has an unimaginable amount of data stored in his memory. He is the griot with the tales of heroes and the origins of all things. He can speak these stories to anyone on the planet for he is King of all linguists and therefore knows all languages.

Papa Legba: Keeper of the Crossroads
-snip-
Here are some comments from this sound file's discussion thread (with numbers added for referencing purposes only)
1. Nadime Miller,2016
"I love this lovely song to my father Papa Legba.Since i was a little girl I felt love to the culture ,songs ,dance and Voodoo in Haiti...I used to hear so many lovely songs from the Haitian coconut cutters in the Dominican Republic...I sensed very early how they put down voodoo....I never knew why?...if voodoo to me as a child was a very suiting and pleasant experience.....I grow up respecting Voodoo, even that the nuns in catholic school considered it "witchcraft ".When I arrived toThe United State I encounter Voodoo in my dreams, and since then I fallow my intuition and my heart!!!..This song is "MARAVILLOSA". It brings me to my African Ancestors where I dance in the realm of the Magical world of The Spirits!!!...Thank you !!"

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REPLY
2. Mr LMMO, 2016
"Nadime Miller I think your referring to houdo from Haiti."

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REPLY
3. Nadime Miller, 2016
"Well in Haiti is voodoo???...a very ancient Religion from Dahomey...West Africa ???? HAITI Its the country that preserved all these rituals in the caribbean Haiti is the neighbor of The Dominican Republic.... Thank God for Haiti!!!"

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REPLY
4. Mr LMMO, 2016
"Nadime Miller hatian voodoo isn't houdo? voodoo being the new Orleans style?"

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REPLY
5. Nadime Miller, 2016
"I know...Haitian voodoo is unique in Haiti....new orlean s voodoo is commercial ..i saw many references to hoodoo"

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REPLY
6. Dave Lopes, 2017
"Perry, Hoodoo is black magic from Louisiana. Vaudou is the religion practiced in Haiti. There is no houdo in Haiti."

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REPLY
7. Dave Lopes, 2017
"Also the name is Vaudou or Vaudoun. Voodoo is the American bastardization of the word."

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REPLY
8. IyaEarthseeds, 2017
"Actually it's Vodoun or Vodou or Vodun... No "a"..."

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9. Amen Ra, 2016
"Yall know this is an African spiritual system that's inherited right?"

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REPLY
10. A I, 2016
"Yoruba to be precise. its been spread by trans Atlantic slavery"

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REPLY
11. Reza Z, 2017
"Omo Ogun it's not Yoruba. Yoruba is Santeria religion not Vodou. Vodou spread by West African Fon and Ewe people"
-snip-
"Omo Ogun" was the screen name for another commenter.

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REPLY
12. IyaEarthseeds, 2017
"Young Brotha! Ogun is an Orisa from Yoruba Ancestral/Cultural Tradition and it's actually called IFA. Not Yoruba. Yoruba are the people, a language and culture... IFA is the name of our spiritual/religious and cosmological system.

Santeria, Lucumi, Candomblé, Sango (and many other versions throughout the world) are Diaspora "bi-products" of the IFA. Vodoun has many IFA influences and synchronizations as well as its own very distinct cultural/spiritual elements. Dude, Ogun is an Orisa from IFA — Yorubaland!!!
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"Orisa" ["orisha"] is the same concept as the Haitian "loa"
From https://www.collinsdictionary.com/us/dictionary/english/orisha
"any of the minor gods or spirits of traditional Yoruba religion and its S American and Caribbean offshoots such as Santeria and Candomblé

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REPLY
13. Stanley Dougé, 2017
"Sango is known as Sogbo and Heviosso us Haïtians inherited the vodun from our Gbé ancestors the Adja,mina,Goun,Fon,ewe and also the Nago a Yoruba speaking people were among the people sent to Haïti and of course other tribes as well such as the Igbo,Bakongo,Fulbe,Wolof etc"

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REPLY
14. Stanley Dougé, 2017
"Fun fact Legba is the Fa version of the Ifa Orisha Elegbara."

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REPLY
15. Stanley Dougé, 2017
"Vodun is Fa Orisha is Ifa."

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REPLY
16. Naija guy, 2018
"Let me clear this debate by saying legba is a yoruba diety just as it's fon's."

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REPLY
17. Namie Namie, 2019
"@Stanley Dougé i believe Elegbara is the son of Esu and there are many Esus or papa Legbas."

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REPLY
18. Papa Sèpan, 2019
"Namie Namie they are not the same entity. The Fon/Ewe did not get influenced by the Yoruba. The Yoruba are nomads from those predating tribes. That’s why Isese and Vodun share so many similarities. And the Yoruba people can be traced back to coming from the line of the Fon/Ewe people or the Dahomean kingdom. Also Ifà is an Oracle which is the Vodun Fa and since I’m African Spirituality Animism is a very loud principle. The way the Orisa are like the Vodun of the Land the Yoruba moved to and inherited. Why you think you will see there water spirit is Oshun because they have the oshun River but in Benin they don’t have Oshun they have Azili(Ezili) . But in Ghana in their Vodun they don’t have Azili because they don’t have that River. We have to remember where these spirits manifested as and from on earth. Oshun physical body is her River same for the Azili. No they aren’t the same entity they may manifest from the same energy or similise energies and principle but are not the same . Same with Eshu Elegbara and Elegba and Papa Legba."

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19. D. Roulie, 2016
"that's Haitian Creole they are speaking I'm Haitian"

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REPLY
20. A I, 2016
"D. Roulie sounds similar to Yoruba.

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21. Eloï Jacques-wood, 2017
"The image in the video are so wrong... Thanks anyway"

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22. Susan Sheppard, 2018
"Nice but Legba is not scary looking. He appears as an older men in a straw hat, wearing overalls and smoking a corn cob pipe. People are confusing him with Papa Samedi..."

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REPLY
22. acres homes, 2018
"Ok what makes it wrong?communicate with your people.."

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REPLY
23. subsystem101, 2018
"the images are Baron not Legba and other image are just wrong"

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REPLY
24. yiehom, 2018
"There is no "baron" without naming which one you mean. There is no wrong whithout showing the right."

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REPLY
25. EazyHelper, 2018
"@yiehom baron samedi......as some have already pointed out legba is an elderly man"

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REPLY
26. Stanley Dougé, 2019
"Exactly Baron Samedi isn't Legba but they seem to confuse it in Louisiana though for some reason Vodun Legba doesn't dress like that."

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Example #3: Papa Legba



Blokis Mizik 509, Published on Oct 28, 2016

When one says the word Vodou, the first spirit that comes to mind is Legba. Legba is undoubtedly the most important spirits in the hierarchy of Vodou; he is the guardian of the gates, crossroads, courtyards and all Vodou temples (Peristil). He is the necessary intermediary between the livings and the spiritual world, his powers are absolutely a must for any kind of interaction with the Loas. No Vodou ceremony of any sort can take place without his permission. Because of this important privilege Legba is always the first invoked in all Vodou ceremony.

Although his possession are extremely violent, his caring nature and politeness earned him the affectionate nickname "Papa Legba" He is a small, crooked lovable old man, his body covered with sores and his crutch or cane is always presented to him for support , old age prevents him from standing on his own. He wears a straw hat and carries his djakout (straw bag) full with rare herbs and plants that he uses and, his favorite drink clairin.

During his celebration, either a goat or a grey rooster, with yam and other roots vegetables are prepared for him as offerings, put inside the djakout, then hung on trees. In Haitian Vodou, the image of Saint Lazarus for the crutch that he uses for support or St Peter for the keys that he holds, are used to represent Papa Legba.
If you are a non initiate, you MUST acknowledge Legba and ask for his permission and guidance when addressing other Loa(s), by lighting a yellow candle and place it at the entrance of the door.

Alternatives: Atibon Legba, Alegba, Legba Sanyan, Legba Zankliyan, Legba Mizè ba.

Color: Yellow.
-snip-
Here are some comments from this sound file's discussion thread (with numbers added for referencing purposes only)
1. Cel Middleton, 2017
"Can you put the creole words to the song as well! Please and thank you!!!!"

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REPLY
2. Peace & Love, 2017
"Cel Middleton im Haitian born and raised. Hard to understand the whole thing. A lot of West African stuff in it"

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3. AlexanderMccarthey87, 2017
"Does anyone know the lyrics?"

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REPLY
4. Jah E, 2017
"AlexanderMccarthey87 it is not hard have someone who speaks creyol write them down for u as u play the song..."

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REPLY
5. margine louis, 2018
"@Jah E it involves some old African words that the typical Haitian will not recognize"

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REPLY
6. Jah E, 2018
"@margine louis lol u right ..i dont even understand some of the words sometimes"

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Visitor comments are welcome.

Excerpt From 2009 New Yorker Magazine Article:"Haitian Music: What Does Revolution Sound Like"

Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post provides an excerpt from a 2009 New Yorker magazine article entitled "Roundtable: Haitian Music, Part 2: “What Does Revolution Sound Like?”.

The content of this post is presented for historical, folkloric, cultural and educational purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post.

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EXCERPT: HAITIAN MUSIC, PART 2: "WHAT DOES REVOLUTION SOUND LIKE"
From https://www.newyorker.com/culture/sasha-frere-jones/roundtable-haitian-
music-part-2-what-does-revolution-sound-like
Roundtable: Haitian Music, Part 2: “What Does Revolution Sound Like?”
By Sasha Frere-Jones July 9, 2009
"Three months ago, I posted a roundtable discussion of Haitian music among several remarkable scholars and writers. Happily, they have returned to discuss revolution, “rara,” and other intersections of Haitian politics, daily life, and music. Take it away. (If any participant is unfamiliar to you, refer to the original post.)

Laurent Dubois:

I often think of Haitian music as a kind of remarkable archive, one that keeps traces of the process of deportation, slavery, and revolution that created the nation. The slave trade to the colony of Saint-Domingue in the late eighteenth century brought forty thousand people a year from different parts of Africa, and these different groups met up on plantations and in towns, exchanging ideas, confronting their new situation, and creating new music, religion, and language. And they did so in the midst of a thriving cultural life in the towns of Saint-Domingue (and later—after the revolution—in Haiti). All the significant port towns had theatres with several performances every week, and in the largest, Le Cap, a theatre performed the works of Moliÿre and Voltaire, and several plays written locally in the Creole language, which brought together African and French grammar and vocabulary. Some of the revolutionaries who won independence for Haiti in 1804 were big fans of this eighteenth-century music and theatre—the music for Emperor Dessalines’s coronation was drawn from Rousseau’s blockbuster opera, “Le Devin du Village”—and they reopened the theatres after the revolution, performing the old plays with all-black casts. This was a swirling and complicated cultural world, and it produced a remarkable musical tradition.

But part of what also comes through in much Haitian music is a kind of response to the question “What does revolution sound like?”

Elizabeth McAlister:

Laurent, what a great question; it lets us imagine the political soundscape of public spaces. We may have a clue about the soundtrack for some moments of the Haitian revolution: the French army marched to battle with bands—corps de musiques—featuring snare drums and trumpets, which would follow the commands of the drum major to communicate through the chaos of the battlefield. So this is the music of warfare. Even more interesting, though, as you say, is the music of revolution: maroon armies were also said to move through space while surrounding themselves with big musical sound. A maroon leader in the Port-au-Prince region named Halou, headed an army of two thousand maroons, whose leader “marched preceded by the music of drums, lambis [conch shells], trumpets and sorcerers…”

That seems very possibly a historical source for the parading festival called “rara” (which happens to be the subject of my first book). Rara still lends itself to the feeling of rebellion. During rara season, which is during Lent, musicians and followers sort themselves into what they consider small “battalions” out on musical maneuvers. Nowadays they move about neighborhoods and villages, “taking territories” by dominating musically, competing in aesthetic battles to see which bands can attract the most fans. It feels exhilarating to go out with them and dance for miles through public space in the relative cool of the Haitian night, dancing behind waves of drummers, horn players, percussionists, and singers, with children and market women trailing behind, selling sweets from baskets on their heads. They usually sing religious songs to the spirits in the morning, and stop to pay their respects to their people in the cemeteries. Then, by late afternoon, they’ll “call out” local corruption, singing what little they can about politics in cryptic, poetic songs, often recycled for generations to fit the present crisis (and unfortunately there’s usually a crisis).

Hearing a rara band as it approaches for miles through the mountains is quite thrilling—it must have been electrifying to hear the rebel-army bands during the Haitian revolution. Rara creates a sonic signifier of Haitianness like no other, because of the distinctive bamboo horns that are played by hocketing (one player on one note, with everyone playing on rhythm to get a melody going). You can get a feel for parading rara music on this Web site. The track called “Instrumental Isolations” gives the feeling of a rara band passing by, and the video “Musicians in an Artibonite Rara Walking” presents something similar.

Rara parades are catching on in the Haitian diaspora, too; they’ve been used in celebrations as well as protests in Miami, New York, and Boston. Recently, a rara band from Brooklyn called DjaRara played on the Mall after Obama’s inauguration.

Rara is so unbelievably rich that I could go on forever, so I’d better sign off.

[...]

Ned Sublette:

In trying to understand the music of Haiti, I find myself taking a transnational approach, because, as I keep arguing, the Haitian revolution was a generative explosion for the popular music of the hemisphere. It sent populations up and down the Atlantic coast and the Antilles—and ultimately to New Orleans, where many families from Saint-Domingue were reunited. There are places today where you can connect the dots by listening. Let me, then, make some connections.

To Elizabeth’s evocation of the trumpet and snare drum of the colonial military bands (which ultimately became the basis of the jazz instrumentation in New Orleans), I would add the vocal legacy of the military drill, which evolved into the gruff vocal style of dancehall reggae. The adoption of this vocal style throughout the Antilles echoes the universality of the quadrille in the same territories two centuries ago, when a commandeur barked out the dance steps.

The sound of revolution could easily have the same rhythm it had two centuries ago; it could be heard as recently as January in the street music from the underreported general strike that began in Guadeloupe and spread to Martinique. The rhythm that the L.K.P. (Liyannaj Kont Pwofitasyon, or Collective Against Exploitation) demonstrators are parading to is what was known in different times and places as the habanera, tango, and bamboula. In musical terms, dotted quarter, eighth, quarter, quarter: BOOMP, da DOM DOM. It’s a versatile but very specific rhythm, diffused across a wide geographic area. The scholar Robert Farris Thompson identifies it as the Kongo mbila a makinu, “the call to the dance,” and it was known in Arabic music. It’s the Antillean beat, bouncing around for three hundred years or more. It was the right-hand rhythm of Dominguan-descended Louis Moreau Gottschalk’s “Bamboula” in 1848; it’s the invariable underlying rhythm of reggaetón; and it’s the rhythm underpinning the Guadeloupean demonstrators. Another version of the same L.K.P. anthem, “Gwadloup sé tan nou” (“Guadeloupe is ours”) demonstrates a politicized use of the dancehall/reggaetón style, by now firmly entrenched as the timbre and rhythm of a pan-Antillean sensibility.

There’s also a lexical component to the sound of revolution. There have to be ways to transmit secrets in order to accomplish a revolution, no? The chronicler M.L.E. Moreau de St. Méry gives in a footnote (!) the untranslated text of an anthem from Saint-Domingue—a text corroborated elsewhere, and, more remarkably, which Moreau was able to transcribe without knowing the language (not French, and, very interestingly, not Creole either, but Kikongo), possibly from having heard it repeated many times:

Eh! eh! Bomba, hen! hen! Canga bafio té Canga moune dé lé Canga do ki la Canga li

The anthem translates roughly as:

Eh! eh! Secret, hen! hen! Tie up the abusers Tie up the whites Tie (them) up (with) the action spirit Tie them up

When I think of revolution and music, my first thought is this text.

They had a secret, all right. They were singing out loud what they were going to do. Hey, hey, secret! It was no secret if you understood the song: Bomba! (“Bomba” is a word with a complex of meanings; the art historian and linguist Bárbaro Martínez Ruiz tells me it means “secret.”) Had Moreau de St. Méry known the meaning of the lyrics he transcribed, he could perhaps have seen better the revolution that was coming in 1791.

It’s not a coincidence that bomba is the name of the folkloric Afro-Puerto Rican musical form. I was unaware until recently that this song, which we find in Moreau de St. Méry’s eighteenth-century book, continues to be sung. It has been collected in present-day Puerto Rico by the musicologist Alex Lasalle, leader of the New York-based bomba group Alma Moyó. It’s a bámbula (which in New Orleans was known as bamboula). I would not be surprised to find it somewhere in Cuba. One thing’s for sure: this song was almost certainly sung at Congo Square in New Orleans in the eighteen-teens. This in turn cracks open a mystery: what one component—and not an unimportant one—of Congo Square sounded like. The fabled bamboula is still alive, in the Dominguan diaspora.

Sometimes, as in Haiti, revolution entails dancing. Makandal was recognized and apprehended at a dance. In various parts of the Antilles there are choreographic societies that go to great lengths to perform a memory of the moment of truth of more than two hundred years ago: the last days of plantation slavery in the French Caribbean.

[...]

The unintelligibility of much of hip-hop and reggaetón to outsiders, as well as its relentless code-switching, is another way of getting at that bomba, in the sense of a sung-out secret. One of the remarkable things about the dancehall/reggaetón sound becoming a pan-Antillean and Caribbean style is that through timbre and rhythm it crosses the language divide that keeps adjacent territories from talking to each other now that their African languages have largely, though by no means entirely, vanished.

[...]

Ned Sublette:

“When I was a kid, it struck me that the rara was always demanding respect, both with its loudness and active recruitment as it went along.”

Edwidge, you could be describing a second line in New Orleans, which I am convinced owes much to the rara. Last year around Easter I had the remarkable experience of going on a gagá (the Dominican equivalent of rara) out in the country in the Dominican Republic on Jueves Santo (Holy Thursday) and then going on a second line in New Orleans the following Sunday. Despite all the differences of specifics and style, it felt so similar.

For a different stab at Laurent’s question that involves a uniquely Haitian style of music, I think immediately of the first two albums by Boukman Eksperyans—who Madison brought up in our first discussion—which come out of a tradition of direct political engagement in music (mizik angaje): “Vodou Adjaye” (released in the bicentennial year of the religious leader Boukman’s uprising at Bwa Kayiman, generally considered the start of the Haitian revolution) and “Kalfou Danjere” (Dangerous Crossroads, released after General Raoul Cedras’s September 30, 1991 coup against Aristide; the title song was the subversive hit of Haitian carnival in 1992).

These albums came out on Chris Blackwell’s Mango label in the heyday of “world music” and received international attention; they’re classics, as I’m sure everyone on this panel can attest. Listening to them is like jamming your finger into a wall socket. Drawing on the energy of rara, this style of music called mizik rasin (roots) was built on culturally oriented, politically charged lyrics, choral chants, trance-inducing vodou drumming over a drum-machine pulse, and psychedelic lead guitar. (Those who want to explore further should pick up Gage Averill’s essential “A Day for the Hunter, A Day for the Prey: Popular Music and Power in Haiti.”) There’s still nothing like the music generated by the rasin bands in that early-nineties moment of dangerous crossroads in Haiti—Boukan Ginen, RAM, Zobop, Kanpech, to name some that I recall from that time.

If I want to forgo the pop-music instrumentation and just go into the drum, which is where I most like to be, I go to Azor. Mizik rasin continues today, of course, and now has to confront a vision of Haiti’s future of sweatshop labor and importation of food.

Laurent Dubois:

I’m glad Ned brought us to Guadeloupe, and to the ongoing link between song and revolution, since it’s on that island that I’ve most often had the pleasure of participating in the pan-Caribbean tradition of street music we’ve been talking about. In Guadeloupe the two most famous groups, representing the two sides of the island, are Akiyo and Voukoum, each of them linked in important ways to the politics of protest and cultural revival. Their processions are led by a line of marchers striking long whips against the streets, which sends out a sharp, stunning crack (as you can see Voukoum doing here). Like the whips that are part of many Vodou ceremonies in Haiti, they are both a potent reminder of slavery and also a curious appropriation of slavery’s ultimate symbol for a radically different purpose, that of calling down the lwa or of opening the way for the music.

Their costumes, which parallel those found in New Orleans, Haiti, and Trinidad, tell the story of slavery: participants are sometimes dressed as “Congos” just arrived from Africa, covered in dark black grease, or else dressed as maroons, runaway slaves, as Akiyo is in a January 2009 procession. Akiyo’s anthem retells the history of abolition, declaring that it was not truly the French abolitionist Victor Schoelcher who freed the slaves, but rather the maroons who fought for liberty for generations. (One of the sponsors of the group over the past years has been the now-retired soccer star Lilian Thuram, long a pillar of the French national football team, who was born and grew up in Anse-Bertrand, Guadeloupe.) They evoke these histories in order to call for new kinds of marronage—running away from the plantations—in the present. What is powerful about these groups is that they really highlight the complicated politics of culture, and culture of politics, in the French Antilles.

The nationalist movements that developed there starting in the nineteen-sixties never rallied large majorities in favor of independence from France. But if political nationalism never really took hold, a kind of cultural nationalism that came out of the independence movements most definitely did, changing the way many Martinicans and Guadeloupeans think of themselves, and propelling the creation of groups like Akiyo and Voukoum. This movement, in turn, surrounded and in some ways sustained union activism and other political protest on the island, helping to lay the foundation for the strike that took place in Guadeloupe earlier this year.

As was the case two hundred years ago in Haiti, music and revolution are tightly intertwined, which makes sense, since one of the main tasks of Caribbean music has always been imagining the unimaginable.

I was in Haiti and then in Guadeloupe in late May and saw much of what we have been discussing in motion. In Haiti, on May 18th, Flag Day, there were many people out doing rara, bringing that tradition further into the national celebration. I saw one group led by a man with a large Bob Marley flag. And in Guadeloupe I was able to attend several events organized by the L.K.P., the coalition of groups that organized the strikes earlier this year. Raymond Gama, a historian who is a spokesman for the L.K.P., explained to me that though it was unclear what the next steps of the movement should be, or even what the specific goals should be for Guadeloupe, they felt that their victory was in mobilizing people, in showing them what might be possible in the future if they continue. We were at a nighttime dance driven by gwo-ka drumming, and with an illuminated grin he announced: “Nous sommes déjà demain!”—“We are already tomorrow!”

[...]

Garnette Cadogan:

What does revolution sound like? This begs for a long answer, but consider this shortcut: Bob Marley and, with apologies to Carl Wilson, not Celine Dion. (Some people may smack the wag in me and suggest, with good reason, that the sound of revolution is Louis Armstrong, Charlie Parker, Chuck Berry, Elvis Presley, the Beatles—to name a few. True enough, but Laurent, if I haven’t misunderstood you, you are not so much asking about revolution—dramatic, wide-reaching change—as you are reaching back to Revolution—political revolt that ushers in a new social order.) What, then, does that signal moment in the past—the Haitian revolution—sound like in the funky potpourri of rhythms that is contemporary Haitian music?

Thankfully, Haitian musicians possess a canny pop sensibility: they see no trade-off between being political heralds and pleasing a crowd. They tie their messages of resistance to catchy riffs and vibrant rhythms, producing ambidextrous music that presses the consciousness while shaking the hips and feet. Their songs may be infused with the memory of the revolution, they may make renewed challenges to power, they may weigh in on the heavy matters of the moment—but Haitian musicians never forget that they are entertainers. (This, in part, explains why some rara songs and parades are so ribald.) The music is infectious not merely because of catchy rhythms but also because satire (“pwen,” anyone?) does the heavy lifting, saving musicians—more often than not—from the snare of preachiness. (This is not only good musical sense—it’s common sense: explicit criticism of corrupt powers in Haiti has often invited a beating or worse.) With word, movement, and—uh-huh—sound all in coördinated service, the sound of revolution turns out to be as playful as it is weighty.

Boukman Eksperyans, whose very name advertises their aesthetic—Boukman was a Vodou priest and slave who helped incite the 1791 rebellion that started the Haitian revolution; eskperyans (“experience”) is a nod to Jimi Hendrix —is an excellent example of pop wed to protest.
On Vodou Adjeye, one of the albums Ned praises, traditional Haitian music (Vodou drums) and modern rock (guitar riffs) interweave beneath protest. (On “Wet Chenn” (“Remove the Chains”) they insist, “Get angry, break the chains”; “Ke’-m Pa Sote,” a song credited with precipitating the military junta’s downfall in 1990, wears its resistance in its title: “I Am Not Afraid.”)

But the sound of revolution is much more than the sum of Afro-Caribbean rhythms and political criticism. In Haiti, it also involves coming to terms with Countee Cullen’s question, “What is Africa to me?” In Haitian music, one’s relationship to Africa is central to the “sound of revolution,” and so the celebration of the Afro-Haitian vernacular—language (Creole), tradition (Vodou; kombit dance), religion (Vodou)—is paramount.

It’s no surprise, then, that Vodou Adjeye opens with “Se Kreyol Nou Ye” (“We’re Creole”), which criticizes Haitians who “would rather speak French, English, or Spanish rather than Creole.” The musicians declare “We’re Creole—we’ll never be ashamed of it” … “we’re people of the Kongo, let’s not be ashamed of it” and the galloping Vodou rhythms convince you they mean it. And in “Nou Pap Sa Bliye” (“We Won’t Forget This”) they come to the defense of Vodou: “They’re saying that it’s werewolf music/But we know that it’s a lie.” But so what if you don’t understand Creole?

The warm voices, bright guitar riffs, jittery synthesizer lines, and propulsive drumming will dissolve your regret. (I’m reminded of the many people who happily dance to Bob Marley’s lament “No Woman No Cry” and his protest “Get Up, Stand Up.” A welcome incongruity, if ever there was one. Music scholar Lynn Abbott once made an observation about Marley’s music that aptly applies to much Haitian music: “It reminds me of the Cajun Two-Step [dance style] that chugs merrily along while the guy is singing, ‘I’m condemned to walk down the big lonesome road for the rest of my days.’ ”) Yes, perhaps the revolution—or should I say Revolution?—will get lost in translation, but the sound of joyful defiance, that open secret, will prance right through.”…
-snip-
Some portions of this article were reformatted to enhance reading.

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Klass - Map Marye (Haitian Kompas video with lyrics + English translation)

Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post showcases a video of the 2016 Haitian Kompas song "Map Marye" by Klass.

Information about this music group is included in this post along with lyrics for this song in Haitian Creole and their English translation.

The content of this post is presented for cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owner.

Thanks to Klass for this song and thanks to all those who quoted in this post. Thanks also to the publisher of this video on YouTube.

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SHOWCASE VIDEO: KLASS - Map Marye official music video!



kompagrooves, Published on Aug 5, 2016
-snip-
Here's a comment in English from that video's discussion thread:
Oasisfullfilled, 2016
"One thing I can say about Klass they be talking about real subjects that people go through. This is the perfect song to send to your peeps when they triping. Haitians forget what they went through and put that pressure on their kids, they mean well but sometimes they can be overbearing : ) But I love my Haitian Parents and people. Klass it is baby!!!"

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LYRICS: MAP MARYE

Papi pa di m ou bliye
Mati ou di m ou te pase
Lè ou ak manmanm te fèk rankontre
Se paske w te kenbe jodya m ekziste

[Pre-chorus]
Pouki ou vle pou pitit ou eritye
Mizè ou te andire, se pa sa l ta dwe ye
Se li mwen vle, benediksyon ou konte
Men si w pa aksepte, m ap oblije marye

[Chorus]
M ap marye, oh m ap marye avè l
Li respekte fanmi l, nan li mwen wè lavi m
M ap marye, oh m ap marye avè l
M pa mande pèmisyon, m ap chèche benediksyon

[Verse 2]
Manmi ou di m ou pa vle wè l
Ou di m san w pa ale avè l
Sonje se mwen ki pral viv avèl
Li fè lavi m pi bèl ohh

[Pre-chorus]
Pouki ou vle pou pitit ou eritye
Mizè ou te andire, se pa sa l ta dwe ye
Se li mwen vle, benediksyon ou konte
Men si w pa aksepte, m ap oblije marye

[Chorus]
M ap marye, oh m ap marye avè l
Li respekte fanmi l, nan li mwen wè lavi m
M ap marye, oh m ap marye avè l
M pa mande pèmisyon, m ap chèche benediksyon

[Guitar solo]
Woy, woy konpa
Pipo tout jan tout tan
Woy, woy
Wouch, oh letènèl
Lalalalalala
Eske nelson patisserie plòtonnen

Mamni tande – ya oh
Sa se pitit ou kap pale – ya ya oh
Mwen toujou fè sa w vle men fwa sa ou dwe sipòte m – ya ya oh
Papi tanpri – ya oh
M konnen w pa ta vle m soufri – ya ya oh
Men ou pa ka fè santiman m, se li menm ki tout kè kontan m

Manmi ou se tèt chapo mwen ba ou, fò w mete l
Nou pa ka chwazi pou mwen, je suis plus un garmin
Papi ou se tèt chapo mwen ba ou, fò w mete l
Nou toulède gradye profesyonèl nou ye

Cheri pa enkyete w, m gen kontwòl tout bagay
K L A S S, klass
Konpa, konpa
Sa son w brezo
Woy woy, yo mele
Yaya fly
Woy woy, yo mele
Klass it is baby, yes it is baby
Moskino
Bon nou pral bay on ti apèsu sou bal la wi, tande sa

Gen sa k gen tèt ki pa gen kò
Gen sa k gen kò ki pa gen tèt
Nou menm djaz sa nou gen tèt nou gen kò, depose konpa

Se se se, ay, men konpa

Manmi ou se tèt chapo mwen ba ou, fò w mete l
Si nou konnen nou byen eduke m, pouki nou gen dout sou chwa m ap fè
Papi ou se tèt chapo mwen ba ou, fò w mete l

*** Source : wikimizik***
From https://www.konpaevents.com/new-song-lyrics-sing-with-klass-map-marye-lyrics/

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-snip-
Google translation from Haitian Creole to English:

Papi does not tell me you forgot
Mathew told me you had passed
When you and your mother have just met
It's because you've kept me jody

[Pre-chorus]
Why do you want your children to inherit?
The affair you endured is not what it should be
I want it, your blessing is counted
But if you do not accept, I'll have to get married

[Chorus]
I'm getting married, oh marrying
She respects her family, in her I see my life
I'm getting married, oh marrying
I do not ask permission, I look for blessings

[Verse 2]
Your mommy tells me you do not want to see her
You tell me without going with her
Remember that I am going to live
It makes my life more beautiful ohh

[Pre-chorus]
Why do you want your children to inherit?
The affair you endured is not what it should be
I want it, your blessing is counted
But if you do not accept, I'll have to get married

[Chorus]
I'm getting married, oh marrying
She respects her family, in her I see my life
I'm getting married, oh marrying
I do not ask permission, I look for blessings

[Guitar solo]
Woy, woy compass
Pipo all the way
Woy, woy
Wear, oh let's go
Lalalalalala
Is Nelson patisserie plungned

Mamni heard - ya oh
This is your baby - oh ya
I always do what you want but the time you have to support me - oh ya
Papi please - ya oh
I know you do not want me to suffer - ya oh
But you can not make my feelings, it's all my joy

Your mommy is the head of my hat, give it to you
You can not choose for me, I'm still garmin
Your pope is the head of my hat, give it to you
We are both professional graduates

Cheri does not worry, I have control of everything
K L A S S, class
Compass, compass
That sounds wild
Woy yawn, they are confused
Yaya fly
Woy yawn, they are confused
Class it is baby, yes it is baby
Moskino
Well, we'll give a little insight into the bullet, yes

There are those who do not have bodies
There is no body that has no head
We ourselves have our bodies, our compassions

It is, ay, but compass

Your mommy is the head of my hat, give it to you
If you know me well, why do you have doubts about my choices?
Your pope is the head of my hat, give it to you
-snip-
Additions and corrections for these lyrics are welcome.

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INFORMATION ABOUT KLASS
From http://kompamagazine.com/kompaboard/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=422 KLASS AND THE HAITIAN MUSIC INDUSTRY aka (HMI)?
..."In the entertainment industry, especially music, groups are formed and disbanded afterward for different reasons and that’s how KLASS got into the game on April 18, 2012 with their members as follows:

• Maestro & drummer, Jean Herard Richard aka Richie aka Hitmaker/Superstar maker.
• Lead vocal: Edersse Stanis: aka Pipo, The prophet/The voice.
• Lead guitar: Romny Floristal aka El Pozo the Assassin.
• Bass guitar: Nixon Mesidor aka Sexy Nicky.
• Rhythm Guitar: Kevin Gaippe aka BelKod.
• Percussions: Wid Pierre aka Carlo Cheveux.
• Keyboard: Jean Pierre Francisque aka JP.
• Congas: Sorel Sanon aka Soso Brezo.
• Saxophone: Abdel LaFrance aka Taxman
• Trumpet: Nathan Seth Merlin
• Sound engineer: Lavaud Georges
• Logistic: Serge Enel Jean-Louis aka Sergo.
• Manager: Herve Bastien aka Manager the Best

Today, before KLASS became the envy of the HMI due to their sudden success, Jean Herard Richard the proud founder of the band along with Romny Floristal, Nixon Mesidor Herve Bastien then later on Edersse Stanis, went through stages in his musical career. Jean Herard Richard was born in Port-au-Prince, Haiti in October that makes him a Libra. He grew up in the North of Haiti, Cap Haitian where he attended school. He went from bands to bands like Power-X, 2nd Fashion then made his way to the United States in 1992 where he attended college at BCC in Miami, Florida. Then, he joined Tah-Pajj until 1996. Richie left that group to join Zenglen from 1997 to 2011. At that point, he realized that stability is essential in order to secure a viable future in this shaky industry for himself and his band mates. That’s how the magical group KLASS was born in the HMI on April 18, 2012.

At first, when KLASS released their first single “Bagay Neuf” in early 2012 with a different lead singer, the song was a very hot song but not good enough to create the buzz that the Hitmaker, the superstar maker is known for. So sensibly, Richie closed shop and went back to the studio for months with other Klassmates to create new hit songs like “Priorite, You don’t want me” etc. None of this would have been possible without the Prophet, Pipo, the commanding voice of Konpa Direk of today. Note that Pipo wasn’t part of the group initially. He later joined KLASS after his departure from another reputable group known to most in the HMI. The rest is history in the making since the release of their first CD in 2013. That album sets the bar so high that Klass becomes without any doubt the number one band in the industry and to this date they are still packing clubs wherever they are performing."...

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From http://www.elinefleury.com/single-post/2016/1/25/Klass-Best-Haitian-Entertainer-of-the-Year
Klass " Best Haitian Entertainer of the Year"
January 25, 2016 by Kate Menard
"Since its inception, just under four years ago, Konpa band KLASS has seen quick and tremendous success. This past October, at the 34th Annual International Reggae & World Music Awards, KLASS took home "Best Haitian Entertainer of the Year". Despite its accolades and fame, however, it is apparent that the band remains grounded, dedicated to its music, and dedicated to its fans."

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Ten Examples Of Haitian Kanaval (Carnival) 2014 Songs

Edited by Azizi Powell

This post presents ten videos of songs from the Haitian carnival that was held on March 2, 3, and 4th, 2014. These videos are just a small sample of the numerous Haitian kanaval 2014 songs that were posted on YouTube.

I selected these examples from the Haitian carnival 2014 that I watched* because they met my aesthetic taste for sound, beat, and video content. Unfortunately, I don't speak or read Haitian Creole, the language I think was used for these songs, their titles, the publisher's summaries and most of their viewers' comments. Consequently, I don't know what is being sung. I hope that it's something good. :o)

* I viewed & listened to about 25 videos, but this website that I found listed 65 Haitian carnival 2014 songs: http://haitianmyspace.com/index.php?view=display&id=219&option=com_music. That website also listed the number of times that the songs were downloaded. I didn't do a thorough check to verify that all of the songs featured in this pancocojams post are included in that list, but I assume that they are.

http://www.haitiopen.com/haiti-news/haiti-carnival-2014/ indicates that "Music is one of the most important ingredients of the Haiti Kanaval. Musicians generally engage in a wide range of genres, including Haitian rap, zouk, Compas music, and mizik rasin." [snip] I'm not sure about what the music genres are for the examples that are featured in this post. I would appreciate learning any information about these songs and their performers.

The content of this post is presented for cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to all those who are featured in this post. Thanks also to the publishers of these videos on YouTube.

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FEATURED VIDEOS
These examples are presented in chronological order based on their YouTube posting dates with the oldest examples given first. When two or more videos were posted on the same date, the videos are posted in alphabetical order based on the first letter of their titles. No editorial comments or viewer comments are posted with these examples.

Video #1: Olivier Martelly [Kanaval 2014 Official Video] "kase Le Zo" Ft. Roodboy & Top Adlerman



FredAccess kompa, Published on Feb 1, 2014

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Video #2: Anbyans - Pran Lari A Kanaval 2014 [Official Video]



plezikanaval, Published on Feb 8, 2014

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Video #3: C KANS - MATE LI TET KALE - HAITI KANAVAL 2014



Kale Pwa TV, Published on Feb 8, 2014

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Video #4: Scandal Mizik -'' Perle des Antilles'' (kanaval 2014)



Emmanuel V, Published on Feb 8, 2014

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Video #5: Chalè "Fè Bagay" [Kanaval 2014]



Evens Siméon, Published on Feb 9, 2014

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Video #6: Chachou Boyz - Chachou Refel Anko [Haiti Carnaval 2014 Video]



Kale Pwa, Published on Feb 14, 2014

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Video #7: Vwadezil - N'ap Koupe Yo Fache Kanaval 2014 Official Video



plezikanaval, Published on Feb 20, 2014

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Video #8: Brothers Posse [Kanaval 2014 Haiti] Chochonet



Kale Pwa, Published on Feb 21, 2014

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Video #9: Koudjay & King Kessy [Kanaval 2014] Beton An Pou Nou 2



Kale Pwa, Published on Feb 23, 2014

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Video #10: T-VICE SKANDAL Kanaval 2014 OFFICIAL VIDEO


Roberto Martino, Published on Feb 24, 2014

Produced by: Lux Media & Marketing
DP: Dalex St Juste, Abdias Laguerre
Editor :Oriol Vatelia

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Five Examples Of Haitian Konpa Music By Les Freres Dejean

Edited by Azizi Powell

Latest revision - Oct. 18, 2022

This pancocojams post presents one sound file and four videos  Konpas music of  Les Freres Dejean

Information about Kompas (Compas) music is also included in this post.

The content of this post is presented for historical, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to Les Frères Dejean for their musical legacy. Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post and thanks to the publishers of these examples on YouTube.

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INFORMATION ABOUT KOMPA MUSIC
From http://worldmusic.about.com/od/genres/p/Compas-Music-101.htm
"Because the orthography and spelling of the Haitian Creole language (Kreyol Ayisyen) is not fully standardized, Compas is also known as Kompas, Kompa, Compa, Konpa, and Conpa, and is sometimes called Kompas Direk or Compas Direk. Compas is pronounced like "cohm-PA." The word "Compas" comes from the Spanish, and roughly means "beat" or "downbeat."

Compas is a genre of music from Haiti. Like most genres of Caribbean music, compas has deep roots in African music, and the African influence is clear in the back-beated rhythms that help define the genre. Compas descends from a genre of Haitian music called "meringue," which is related to merengue music, the popular genre from Haiti's fellow Hispaniola island nation, the Dominican Republic.
-snip-
That article continues with information about the history of Compas music.

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From https://sites.google.com/site/afropedia/compa-kompa-music
"Kompa (Compa, Konpa) Music
Kompa, Compa (konpa) music is the number one Haitian pop style, developed by Nemours Jean-Baptiste in 1955. The music was originally referred to as Kompa Direct. Compa or Kompa means beat or rhythm in Spanish.

Form
Kompa is sang in Haitian Creole ("Kreyol"). Unlike other Caribbean styles, it has a slow tempo. Kompa makes use of the tambour and conga extensively. The conga and tambour gives Kompa a uniquely Haitian flavor. Improvisation is a major component of the music.
-snip-
That article continues with information about the history of Kompa music.

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From https://www.haitianmusic.net/popular-haitian-music/kompa/
"Kompa

Kompa is the popular misspelling of ‘Haiti’s national music,’ compas (also known by the French as compas direct and as konpa dirèk [or simply konpa] by Creole speakers. The botched spelling “kompa” is a result of a phonetic misunderstanding between French and Haitian Creole – there are no m-sounding consonants before b’s and p’s in Creole). Often described as a “modern merengue,” compas is wildly popular throughout the entirety of the Caribbean; though because of Nemours Jean Baptiste’s (not to be confused with well-known merengue musician Antoine “Ti Manno” Jean-Baptiste) musical contributions to the genre, compas direct is normally seen as rooted in Haiti."

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FEATURED VIDEOS
(These examples are posted in chronological order based on the date of their posting on YouTube with the oldest date presented first. These dates shouldn't be confused with the order of their recording.)

Example #1: les freres Dejean "malere"



coolfungus, Uploaded on May 7, 2009

Les freres Dejean de Petion ville with one of their biggest hit "malere" . You can see why they are, indeed, the "creme de la creme" of Kompa music

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Example #2: Les Frères Dejean A L'atrium - L'Univers (6-13-2008)



E4Mizik, Uploaded on Aug 3, 2009

This clip features a performance by the legendary Les Frères Dejean, it was recorded at L'Atrium in Martinique in 2008, but was released in 2009.
-snip-
The musicians are listed at this video's link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KujqGT52Rq8

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Example #3: Freres Dejean,LA PRIERE, Atrium ETE 2009(RESIGNAC)



John Fitzgerald Resignac, Uploaded on Sep 17, 2009

Freres Dejean de Petion-Ville, Atrium Summer 2009

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Example #4: Les Freres Dejean en Concert @ Zephyr (French Guiana) July 2009 - Gladia



E4Mizik, Uploaded on Mar 23, 2010
-snip-
The musicians are listed at this video's link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=23xmyZsqt7c

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Example #5: Les Freres Dejean - skah-shah- djet-x et system-band /groupes mythiques haitiens par D'jl prod'



Valentino Abauzit, Published on Jun 18, 2012

Montage vidéo fait par d'jl avec des groupes haïtiens qui grâce a eux cette musique perdure .ils nous ont marqué. J'ai choisi ces quatre groupes parce qu'il me rappelle mon enfance merci d'apprécier et très bonne écoute a vous.Les Freres Dejean - skah-shah- djet x et system band D'jl prod'


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Yanvalou - Songs and Other Musical Interpretations

Edited by Azizi Powell

This is Part 3 of a 3 part series of posts on Yanvalou. Part 3 features selected videos of songs and instrumental music about Yanvalou.

Part 1 provides selected quotes about the Yanvalou dance. Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2012/01/what-is-yanvalou.html for Part 1 of this series.

Part 2 features selected videos of Yanvalou dances.
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2012/01/yanvalou-dance-videos.html for Part 2 of this series.

These posts are presented for their historical, folkloric, educational, and aesthetic values.

My thanks to those whose videos I have reposted and whose comments I have quoted.

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PART 3
Yanvalou Songs and Other Musical Interpretations
(The numbers assigned to these videos have no ranking order or order of preference).

Music Video #1
Netty -Yanvalou



Uploaded by decibelrecords on Aug 12, 2009

Netty ( Renette Desir ) Very talented Haitian Singer
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Music Video #2
Tangente au Yanvalou



Uploaded by jrpviolin1 on Apr 20, 2011

Jean R Perrault (violin) and Jeanne Doty (piano) perform Tangente au Yanvalou by Haitian composer Julio Racine. Originally conceived for flute and piano, this work was adapted for violin by Jean R Perrault, with the permission of the composer. Jean R Perrault and Jeanne Doty are both on the faculty of the University of Minnesota Duluth. This performance took place in Weber Music Hall, on the UMD campus, on February 25, 2008.

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Music Video #3
Haitian Rhythms: Yanvalou by Ricardo Anilus



Uploaded by mawonmawon on Nov 23, 2011

Master Percussionist Ricardo Anilus plays the Haitian Rhythm Yanvalou

ABOUT:
Ricardo Anilus is a master percussionist from Haiti.
Yanvalou, Petro, Ibo, Nago, Wandiale, Arada, Kontredans, Raboday, Congo, Darome, and Mayi, are just a few of the 21 distinct rhythms from Haiti that Ricardo performs and studies. With over 100 variations to the 21 rhythms, there is a constant need to study and practice in order to master what Ricardo has made his life's mission.

In addition to Haitian rhythms, he also has a deep interest in studying the relationship between African rhythms and Haitian rhythms. Latin Rhythms such as: Salsa, Rumba, Cumbia, Samba, Condonble, and Guaguanco, just to name a few are also part of his musical arsenal. Recently, he has embarked on an exploration of reggae, and has added the Peruvian Cajon to his list of percussion instruments.

FOR BOOKINGS AND INFORMATION PLEASE EMAIL: BONGOCODO82@yahoo.ca

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Music Video #5
Jeff pierre - ibo and yanvalou drum solo (haitian)



uploaded by afoutayi on Aug 31, 2011

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Music Video #4
Yanvalou



Espace Caravelle de Meaux
2010

Uploaded by shoublak on Jun 8, 2011

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Music Video #5


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Music Video #6
Amos Coulanges - Nan fon bwa (Yanvalou)



Uploaded by lesprilib1 on Dec 30, 2011

Coulanges interprète la célèbre composition de Frantz Casséus. Science, élégance et assurance !

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Here's a bonus sound file on Haitian music:

Music Video #7
Musique d'Haïti



Uploaded by 3Prophet on Mar 8, 2011

chanson d'Haïti rarement entendue, rare music from Haiti

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