La Délaissée et ses soupirs

Haitian students from a Cap-Haitien school of music performing a composition by Occide Jeanty, La Délaissée et ses soupirs. Due to Occide Jeanty's significance in the larger history of Haitian music, it's a shame more of his works are not available online, particularly the méringue.

Les Zizipans

A mereng composed by the head of the Musique du Palais, Occide Jeanty. According to Corvington's history of Port-au-Prince, Zizipans was the Carnival band of Georges, roi du Oual-Ouadi, who came to Port-au-Prince from the countryside at some point in the late 19th century. Thus, the song may represent how carnival musicians in the late 19th century sounded, even if the Musique du Palais was a military band. Indeed, the song does sound sound something like a Carnival band marching through the streets.

Occide Jeanty's Invocation

I need to get my hands on more music of Occide Jeanty, a Haitian composer of immense importance to Haitian music history. His "Invocation" is quite stirring and recommendable. Read this to get more information on his life and see where the stamp above came from. Also, check out this guitar rendition of "La Dessalinienne" that's not bad. If only more music or performances of this guy's music were online...