I have known about the Hatian sessions of Sidney Bechet for a while now. Indeed, they can be found on Grooveshark and some on Youtube. I was shocked when hearing "Diane" that it was the same as a Haitian meringue recorded by Bechet, a Louisiana Creole with an interest in other forms of music beyond the shores of the US. I never knew that Valdes worked in Haiti as a pianist-arranger, nor that he was such a jazzy and talented pianist with a much better approach to Haitian music than Bechet. That's not too surprising though, I doubt Bechet and Willie the Lion Smith had much first-hand exposure or experiences in Haiti. Anyway, enjoy the different takes on Haitian meringue by Valdes and Bechet! Bechet is too repetitive for my tastes. But I guess it has value in showcasing some early jazz interpretations of Haitian music! Bechet's "Mayotte" ain't bad, though the name has sentimental meaning to me. Bechet recorded "Diane" as "Tropical Mood Rhumba" here, too.
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