May 9, 2019

RhoDeo 1918 Roots

Hello, .


Today's artists proved that you could still make great music with a history of wars, revolutions, kings, psychotic dictators and deadly hurricanes, ah yes the human spirit . .......N'Joy

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Haitian Vodou is a syncretic mixture of Roman Catholic rituals developed during the French colonial period, based on traditional African beliefs, with roots in Dahomey, Kongo and Yoruba traditions, and folkloric influence from the indigenous Taino peoples of Haiti. The Loa, or spirits with whom Vodouisants work and practice, are not gods but servants of the Supreme Creator Bondye (pronounced Bon Dieu). In keeping with the French-Catholic influence of the faith, vodousaints are for the most part monotheists, believing that the Loa are great and powerful forces in the world with whom humans interact and vice versa, resulting in a symbiotic relationship intended to bring both humans and the Loa back to Bondye. "Vodou is a religious practice, a faith that points toward an intimate knowledge of God, and offers its practitioners a means to come into communion with the Divine, through an ever evolving paradigm of dance, song and prayers."

Vodou rites are done to call upon spirits, called Loas (or Lwas), for their aid, instruction, special powers and strengths. Loas are ancestral spirits who have become abstracted through the generations to become embodiments of certain principles or characteristics. A great feast is often prepared to entice the Loas to attend. Practitioners of the religion wear white clothes and are assisted by Ougan and Manbo (male and female Vodou priests, respectively) to become "possessed" by the loas. Through singing, dancing, and particularly the music of the drums, spirits come to "ride" their mortal hosts. The analogy of someone riding, and thereby controlling, a horse is given as an explanation of this phenomenon. The word Chwal (from the French cheval) is used to describe one who is "being ridden". Spirits impart wisdom and direction through their chwals for the servants of the faith.

The loas are divided up into several nanchons (from the French nations), families of spirits from the same ethnic group and/or serving a similar function. The most prominent nanchons are Rada, Nago, Djouba, Petwo (also written Petro), Kongo, Ibo, and Gède. Traditionally each one of these nanchons would have had particular rites, rhythms and adherents. They even would have had their own drums that were unique to that nanchon to call upon its loas. These drum sets are known as batterie (from the French for "set of drums"). Today, due to economic constrictions and social and geographic changes, the drums from the Rada batterie are the most common, with the Petwo drums also extant.

Below is an overview of the several nanchons, the qualities and origins of their laws, and the rhythms and dances associated with their rites.

Rada - The loas of this nanchon are strong, but benevolent, balanced in their treatment of their servants. These are the most revered spirits, and many Vodou rituals begin with adulations for them. They originate from the Fon people of Dahomey (present day Benin). In Fact, the word Vodou comes from the Fon word for "God". There are many loas in this group. To name a few: Papa Legba – Guardian of the Crossroads; Marassa – twin spirits who represent childhood; Dambala – the serpent spirit who represents energy and life; Ezili Freda – spirit of love and femininity; Lasirèn – mistress of the sea and music. Rhythm and dance styles played for the Rada nanchon include: Yanvalou, Parigol, Zepol, Mahi, Fla Voudou and Daomé.

Nago - The loas of this nanchon represent power. Its members embody attributes of warriors and leaders. They originate from the Yoruba people of south-western Nigeria and are closely associated with Ogun (sometimes written Ogou), the Yoruba Blacksmith-God. The loas in this group have names starting with Ogun, like Ogun Fèray and Ogun Badagri. As such, they are represented by steel and fire. The Nago rites are replete with military imagery. These spirits give masculine, fatherly council and support. The rhythm and dance style associated with these rites is also called Nago.

Djouba - The loas of this nanchon are connected to cultivation and farming. They personify peasants, both in appearance and manner. It is surmised that this nanchon comes from the island of Martinique. The principal loa for this group is Azaka. The rhythms and dance styles associated with this nanchon are Djouba (Matinik) and Abitan.

Petwo - The loas of this nanchon are aggressive, demanding, quick and protective. The origins of this nanchon are unclear, but many believe them to be the spirits of the original slaves and Haiti’s indigenous people (The Taino – almost completely wiped out after European contact), a sort of "home-grown" family of spirits. These spirits were called upon during the slave revolts beginning in 1791 which ultimately lead to the defeat of Napoleons troops in 1803 and independence in 1804. The name might be derived from a slave priest of mixed African and Spanish Blood name Don Pedro who was one of the rebellion’s leaders. One of the loas in this nanchon bears his name (Jean Petwo). Another, Ezili Danto - sister to Ezili Freda in the Rada nanchon - is a spirit of love, but with a penchant for violence or revenge. The rhythm and dance styles associate with Petwo include Petwo, Makiya, Bumba, Makanda, and Kita.

Kongo - The loas of this nanchon are ancestors of the Bantu people of the Congo river basin. These spirits are gracious, and enjoy song and dance. In fact, music played for the Kongo nanchon is unique in that it is also popular in secular settings. In vodou worship houses called tanp (from the French temple) dolls representing these spirits are displayed adorned in brightly coloured clothing. Sprits include Kongo Zando and Rwa Wangol. The rhythm and dance style associated with this nanchon goes by the same name.

Ibo – The loas of this nanchon are from the Ibo people in south-eastern Nigeria. Their chief attributes are pride, to the point of arrogance, and are difficult to satisfy. These spirits preside over sacred items called Kanari, clay pots in which the soul of the initiate is said to reside during ritual possession. The best known loa of this group is Ibo Lélé (the chatterer). The rhythm and dance style associated with this nanchon also goes by the same name.

Gède - The loas of this nanchon are the spirits eroticism and death. More accurately they control the cycle of death and life. They are represented by figures in black with white faces. They are also tricksters. The most famous loa of this nanchon is Baron Samedi. He is macabre, obscene and lives in cemeteries. Other loas include Gède Nibo, Baron Lakwa and Gède Zarien. The Vodou ceremony almost always ends with the rites for Gède nanchon. The rhythm and dance style associated with this nanchon is called Banda.

While these seven nanchons all have their distinct attributes, in a more general way the nanchons are divided into two branches, each of which takes its name from one of the nanchons within it. While there is no consensus on this point, it can generally be argued that the Rada branch includes Rada, Nago and Djouba, and the Petwo branch includes Petwo, Kongo, Ibo and Gède. Some people place Djouba under the Petwo Branch, and some others consider the Kongo branch its own entity. For the purposes of drumming, we will use the two-branch differentiation, as rhythms most rhythms being played in non traditional contexts today use either the Rada or Petro batterie.

The Rada batterie and The Petwo batterie display as much contrast as the loas of the nanchon branches for which they play.


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Kompa direct, was the pop music of Haiti as it incorporated more effective American- and French-style pop structures spawned mini-jazz bands that became perhaps the first fully Haitian form of pure pop. It was on late 1965 when a group of students from Bas Peu-de-Shose an area in P-au-P created one of the most successful mini jazz band called Les Shleu-Shleu.The original members were Smith Jean Baptiste (drum),Garry Cassagnol (guitar),Hugues Djackaman (singer) and Edouard Crévecoeur (accordion). Les Shleu-Shleu recorded and released several great albums.

Accordions wheeze and bass guitars lope along in a two-step; clarinets and soprano saxes ebb & flow merrily on a tide of joie de vivre. There's good drumming and vocals, : they share a mood, invoking those tropical open-air clubs. On the surface it sounds like a dance, but one at the edge of desperation, clinging to wistful jazz melodies half-remembered, sudden tempo swings from upbeat to lethargic and back, desperate to forget your troubles and live in the moment. The title track of translates as "Bald Head in New York," probably a lot more common today than when this was recorded. Despite the ugly cover, Tete Chauve jaunts off swingingly, but then we really catch a fire with "Ceremonie Loa." Saxophonist Georges Loubert Chancy is the star, in my estimation.



Les Shleu-Shleu - Tête Chauve    (flac  281mb)

01 Tête Chauve a New York 3:48
02 Timidite 5:09
03 Mambo Instrumental 5:12
04 Cocoyer 5:22
05 Coeu Map Kimbe 4:33
06 Saint Valentin 5:47
07 Ceremonie Loa 6:44
08 Machan Yo 6:23

Les Shleu-Shleu - Tête Chauve    (ogg    118mb)

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TiCorn (Creole for “petite Cornelia” - Cornelia Schütt) was born 1953 to a German family, rooted in Haiti for several generations in the trading and shipping business. At the age of 12 she started playing the guitar and singing the songs that surrounded her. She spent her childhood in Cap Haitian, then was sent to Germany for further education. She has lived most of her life between the Caribbean and Europe and continues to travel to many countries. Haïti Cherie is a rare and timeless album, classic in its authenticity. TiCorn, interprets these particularly evocative forms of creole songs. From the famous traditional melodies to popular voodoo songs, her unique vocal timbre transports us to the very heart of this Caribbean island, which is as colorful as its native painting, as magic and mysterious as its folklore.



 TiCorn - Haiti Cherie [Creole Favorites - Trad. & Voodoo Songs]    (flac  302mb)

01 Haiti Cherie 2:40
02 Nan Fond Bois 2:07
03 Papa Damballah 2:10
04 Feuilles Yo 2:22
05 Ministre Azacca 2:30
06 L'Artibonito 2:11
07 Agohe 2:17
08 Carenage 2:58
09 Choucoune 3:37
10 Ce Pa Vre 3:11
11 Nan Guinin 3:22
12 Sous Le Ciel D'haiti 2:39
13 Ma Pralle 4:20
14 Invocation Sole 5:42
15 Temps Longtemps 5:17

TiCorn - Haiti Cherie [Creole Favorites - Trad. & Voodoo Songs]  (ogg  124mb)

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In 1981, Haiti's Boukman Eksperyans's irresistible new rasin music mixed the traditional rhythms of vodou worship with the beats of the country's spring festivals; the band's raucous celebratory concerts drew worldwide support for Haiti's struggle for democracy. Their debut, Vodou Adjae, was a celebration of Haiti's rich history and a manifesto of resistance and political defiance. Libete Pran Pou Pran'l! coming four years later, found the rage abated somewhat, tempered by calls for strength and courage in the face of the rich minority's continuing rape of the island. The sound is still based on Haitian political and religious syncretism, Afro-pop instrumental and percussive profluence, and American guitar riffs, but the production is slicker and busier than on their last album. This album is a study in contrasts, much like Haiti itself: A tough shell protects a big heart and a conquering tenderness. And the music the contradictions produce both enrages and enraptures. The title track, "Sa'm Pedi" "What I've Lost" and "Peye Pou Peye" "You Must Pay" call for revolution, but such tracks as "Ganga," a prayer to the spirit of mayhem, and "Zili," a beautiful ballad for the Mother of God, caress the ears even while resistance fires the lyrics.



 Boukman Eksperyans - Libete    (flac  325mb)

01 Legba 1:44
02 Sa'm Pèdi 3:46
03 Libète (Pran Pou Pran'l!) 4:45
04 Ganga 4:16
05 Peye Pou Peye 7:05
06 Zan'J Yo 4:38
07 Zili 3:37
08 Ki Moun 4:04
09 Rara Ti Celia 4:23
10 Konbit Zaka 4:22
11 Jou Malè 7:05

Boukman Eksperyans - Libete    (ogg  132mb)

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This album features the music of Calypso in its many styles. Included is music from its birthplace - the island of Trinidad - as well as a number of other Caribbean islands (including Jamaica and the Bahamas) and its subsequent onwards journey (Britain, Panama and the United States), recorded during the years 1955-69. Calypso is one of the most exciting and enduring forms of musical expression to emerge from the beginning of the 20th century - swinging, persuasive rhythm, brilliantly expressive melodies and lyrics of great humour and wisdom.

Calypsonians songs play out a role in society similar to the storytelling Griots of West Africa (and the corresponding music of Kaiso); with their own tales about popular and incredible news items, modern life, local politics all mixed up with sexual innuendo, one-upmanship, comedy and more. At its source, Calypso is intricately and inextricably bound to the social history of Trinidad and its myriad of traditions, beliefs, folklore and fables. As the music spread around the world, both from the diaspora of many of its performers, as well as its commercial success, the subjects of songs similarly took on local topics.

The most notable singer of Calypso in England was the Trinidadian Lord Kitchener (Aldwyn Roberts), who came to Britain in 1948 on HMS Empire Windrush  (along with fellow Calypsonians Lord Beginner and Lord Woodbine). Here on this album you will also find other members of Calypso’s aristocracy & royalty – including Lord Cobra, Lord Hummingbird, Lord Growler, King Fighter, Lord Byron, The Mighty Viper, Lord Ivanhoe & more. The songs vividly capture the popular news stories and fashions of the era - the first Man on the Moon, James Bond’s Pussy Galore, bed bugs, Voodoo, love in cemeteries, West Indians in England, Bossa Nova, the Iron Curtain, and a story of a white man who had a black heart transplant operation. This album celebrates a criminally unsung and under-documented art form.



 Calypso, Musical Poetry in the Caribbean 1955-69    (flac  205mb)

01 Lord Cobra Y Los Pana Afros - Man On The Moon 2:52
02 Young Growler - Pussy Galore 2:32
03 Lord Hummingbird - Teenage Bossa Nova Girl 2:43
04 Lord Byron & Orquesta Nueva Alegria - Yes ParssIn 2:59
05 Cyril Diaz & Orchestra - Voodoo 3:51
06 Lord Flea & His Calypsonians - Out De Fire 2:12
07 Brownie  - The Bed Bug Song 2:25
08 Count Zebra & The Seasiders - Cat-O-Nine 2:07
09 Carlos Malcolm & His Afro Jamaican Rhythm - Elena 2:21
10 Azie Lawrence* And The Carib Serenaders - West Indians In England 2:13
11 Lord Cobra Y Los Pana Afros - Negro Heart 3:02
12 Lord Kitchener - Love In The Cemetery 3:30
13 Charlie Binger & His Quartet - Jamaica Is The Place To Go 2:49
14 Mighty Dougla - Exchange No Robbery 4:08
15 Viper - Dog Better Than Man 3:06
16 Lord Kitchener - amaican Woman 2:27
17 JB Williams Band - Gee Bongo Lay 3:19
18 Lord Ivanhoe & His Caribbean Knights - ift The Iron Curtain 2:37
19 King Fighter - People Will Talk 3:58

Calypso, Musical Poetry in the Caribbean 1955-69    (ogg  132mb)

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1 comment:

Anonymous said...

It is just remarkable! I'm thinking of that Shleu-Shleu album. I got it decades ago, recorded it on tape with others, then transformed these recordings into mp3s with the technology available and its facilities, at the time.
And I'm here, in 2019, hearing for the first time in my life "Tête Chauve" with a fucking decent sound!!!
Frankly, Haïtians should ask themselves questions about their way to handle the outside world.

For people appreciating "Tête Chauve", I can just recommend to think a little far away and go, with the same orchestra, for albums like "Cé La Ou Yé" or the magnificent "6th Anniversaire". Then, you're a step away to Mini-Jazz bands that, in my opinion, are a delight.

Thanks a lot for that funny (for personal reasons) post. Good God, this is the first time I get an Haïtian album on the net.