Bingo

The classics. We don't have these anymore...

Orgueil

 

A day for Creole music is today. Djet-X was one of the best in kompa music, with catchy lyrics and horn arrangements.

Les Léopards

Some lovey kadans from the Antilles with delightful saxphone. 

Yvon Louissaint et les Antillais

Some amazing Haitian compas to counteract a cold day. Try to stay warm. 

Débaké

Perfect music for a Friday evening with one of the best in Haitian music.

Ti Jacques

Lovely Haitian music from Ti Jacques and his Tropical Combo. Simple, elegant, sweet, and beautiful.

Yon Bel Ayiti

I think I heard this RAM song at least 5 times in Port-au-Prince. The guesthouse owner loves RAM and plays it quite often, but I heard it elsewhere, too. Haitians of my demographic, just as South Africans I met who were in my generation did not show much interest in earlier forms of popular music. I only met one Haitian person who absolutely loves 1970s konpa, otherwise most of the younger Haitian folks I spoke with loved nouvelle generation konpa, rasin, and hip-hop. Indeed, one young woman in Jacmel played various examples of Haitian hip-hop for me, but most of it sounds too derivative. For that reason, I think older styles of Haitian music and 'distinctly' Haitian forms like RAM are excellent examples of Haitian music. 

My love for older styles of Haitian music probably impressed my uncle and a few other folks I met, but I can get into RAM, too. Still, I prefer older styles with jazz, Cuban, and Caribbean influences, as well as konpa. I suppose I should listen to Zenglen after shaking hands with one of their members in Petionville, but I'll take things one at a time. Oh, and I forgot to mention Wanito. A very kind American woman I met at the guesthouse actually met him through a friend, and showed me a video of him performing. His music reminds me of US pop and R&B (simple, sweet, overproduced), but in Kreyol. Sometimes he has a reggae and acoustic influences (listen, this too) . Read an interview here. 

Randevou Chanpet

There's an infectious quality to Haitian music that makes it irresistible to dancers. And, when accompanied by an older-styled band, the vitality of the rhythms are perfectly complemented by horns. The images of happy people dancing are certainly charming, too. Songs like these exemplify what I love most in Caribbean musics. Perhaps part of my love for the song is a certain similarity in the keyboard with Malavoi's "Jou Ouve," one of my favorite songs? Or maybe it's really "Pousser la Vie" I am thinking of?

Pran Plezi Nou/La Asesina

I think the above DP Express song is the same as "La Asesina" by Bonny Cepeda. Not sure who wrote it first, but DP Express did a better job with it.

Joe Arroyo and Haitian Sounds

Colombian-Haitian musical kinship is beautiful. And without a doubt, Joe Arroyo seems to be the epitome of Colombian salsa eager to embrace its Caribbean roots. Check out "A Mi Dios Todo Le Debo," "Musa Original," "Panama Me tombe," "Lina," "Yo," and "Yuvidu." It seems like Arroyo loved Haitian music, as well as zouk and other genres from the Caribbean and West Africa.

Accolade

I am quite fond of "Accolade," which according to Gage Averill, contained a medley of other hits (including this one), is an infectious kompa hit album that called for unity among musicians and a chance of conscience in a music form tied with Duvalierist Haiti. It's somewhat surprising that Bossa Combo was one of the leading commercial bands to lead to a shift in the kompa music scene politically, given their previous close relationship with Baby Doc. Regardless, they left us some great music.