Dance For Haiti

History, stuck on bad loop, repeated itself, with the back to back double whammy of a violent political coup (the assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moïse on July 7th by foreign mercenaries, whose investigation is still unresolved and which left the country’s institutions paralysed and unable to deliver their most basic functions), followed by the catastrophic 7.2 magnitude earthquake that affected the entire Southern Peninsula of Haiti on the 14th of August 2021, I decided to put together a four part mix series with some of my favourite Haitian artists, with the aim to raise funds towards the country’s road to recovery.

One of the most culturally and musically rich countries in the world needs our help urgently!!

As reflected in these four mixes, totalling nearly seven hours of extremely deep and varied music (and yet barely scratching the surface), from traditional and modern 𝘳𝘢𝘳𝘢 to 𝘯𝘰𝘶𝘷𝘦𝘭 𝘫𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘺𝘰𝘯, via 𝘬𝘰𝘯𝘱𝘢 𝘥𝘪𝘳𝘦𝘬, 𝘮𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘨𝘶𝘦, 𝘊𝘳𝘦𝘰𝘭𝘦 𝘴𝘰𝘶𝘭, 𝘈𝘧𝘳𝘰 𝘱𝘰𝘱, 𝘮𝘪𝘻𝘪𝘬 𝘳𝘢𝘴𝘪𝘯, 𝘪𝘴𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘧𝘶𝘯𝘬, 𝘷𝘰𝘥𝘰𝘶 and 𝘊𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘣𝘣𝘦𝘢𝘯 𝘫𝘢𝘻𝘻, Haiti is, without a doubt, one of the most culturally and musically rich countries in the world – and it needs our help urgently.

Read more about the earthquake here:

• After the Earthquake, a Mayor in Haiti Struggles to Console His Town
• Séisme à Haïti : ce que j’ai vu dans le Sud
• Séisme du 14 août 2021: agir pour Haïti

If you like what you hear (and even if you don’t!), please consider 𝐃𝐎𝐍𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐁𝐄𝐋𝐎𝐖. These two ONG are 100% sure and trusted:

– 𝐅𝐎𝐊𝐀𝐋 (Fondasyon Konesans Ak Libète or Foundation for Knowledge and Liberty) is a Haitian foundation established in 1995 which supports smallholder farmers associations, grassroots women’s organizations and small local ethical enterprises that are true first responders on the ground as well as the best agents to strengthen grassroots network, self-care communities, local advocacy and economic recovery. Read more and 𝐃𝐎𝐍𝐀𝐓𝐄 here: https://ademen.org/fokal-haiti-relief-fund/

– 𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐑𝐄 𝐒𝐎𝐋𝐈𝐃𝐀𝐈𝐑𝐄 (read more and 𝐃𝐎𝐍𝐀𝐓𝐄 here: https://ccfd-terresolidaire.org/)

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• MUST READ (in French): ‘Les Villages de Dieu‘ d’Emmelie Prophète‘ , both for the strength of the book as a roman reportage and to have a better grasp of life in a country a country almost entirely controlled by gangs:

• MUST WATCH: the great 1987 documentary Haiti Dreams of Democracy directed by Jonathan Demme. The film captures a key moment in the country’s history, as its people celebrate the fall of dictator Jean-Claude Duvalier regime and express cautious hope for a democratic future. Music is the film’s beating heart, which includes notable performances from street drummers, Les Frères Parents, and the legendary protest singer Manno Charlemagne.

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May music continue to be one of the weapons of resistance!

•♫•♬• •♫•♬• •♫•♬• •♫•♬• •♫•♬• •♫•♬•

• Part I (La Sirène):

•♫•♬• 𝙏𝙍𝘼𝘾𝙆𝙇𝙄𝙎𝙏 •♬•♫•

– Coupé Cloué – Message
– Anderson Cameau – Mr. Trumpet
– Pie 1 – M’ Rinmin Musik
– Exile One – Funky Crookie
– Volo Volo – Do It
– Scorpio Universel – Tande (Nouvelle Version)
– Dadou Pasquet et le Magnum Band – Ça’n Pense de Ça
– Clifford Sylvain – Rara Machine
– Raoul Denis Jr – Ti Gason (Fe Respew’)
– Fedia Laguerre – Division
– Albert Chancy – Master Mind
– Claudette et Ti Pierre – Roulé Ron’ N
– Gardner Lalanne et les Loups Noirs – La Sirène
– Masterful D’Haiti – Ama Ghedon
– Safari Combo – Carida
– Gemini All Stars – Neg Kont Neg
– Compas Express – Faux Prophète
– Farah Juste – Mole St Nicolas

•♫•♬• •♫•♬• •♫•♬• •♫•♬• •♫•♬• •♫•♬•

• Part II (Tèt Colé):

•♫•♬• 𝙏𝙍𝘼𝘾𝙆𝙇𝙄𝙎𝙏 •♬•♫•

– Georges Loubert Chancy – Be Ready
– Farah Juste – Haïti Demain
– Caribbean Sextet – La Peson’n
– Simon Jurad & Freres Dejean – Telephono
– Anderson Cameau et son Groupe Kalalou – Mon Cadeau
– Tuco Bouzi et le Dixie Band – Tuco’s Salsa
– Les Frères Dejean – Yoyo
– Les Ambassadeurs – Homenaje A Los Ambajadores
– Digital Express – Makey Makaw
– Deutz – Vie d’Artiste
– Macho Band – Old Fashion
– Orchestre Tropicana D’Haiti – Espoir
– J.B.Nemours – Compas-A
– Les Gypsies de Pétion-ville – Reproche
– Les Difficiles de Pétion-ville – Ce La Vie
– Pie 1 – Tèt Colé

•♫•♬• •♫•♬• •♫•♬• •♫•♬• •♫•♬• •♫•♬•

• Part III (Tribulations):

•♫•♬• 𝙏𝙍𝘼𝘾𝙆𝙇𝙄𝙎𝙏 •♬•♫•

– Toto Bissainthe – Nous Gouvernerons La Rosée
– Farah Juste – Histoire D’Haiti
– Boukan Ginen – Ede M Chante
– Boukman Eksperyans – Se Kreyo’l Nou Ye
– Magic Connection Music Stars – Rara Magic (Tribulations)
– Boukman Eksperyans – Pwazon Rat
– Jean-Baptiste Bonga – Kolé Legba
– Dixie Band – Africa
– Exile One – Which One Is Me Home?
– Les Vikings D’Haïti – Vikings En Joie
– Les Fantaisistes D’Haiti – Panno Caye Nan Bois Chêne
– Trio Select avec Gesner Henry – Plein Caille
– Toto Necessite – Cail La Mandé Rousé
– Universel Channel 10 – L’Humanité
– Jan Klo’ Wenodo – Universel Compas
– Anderson Cameau – Ou Lan Magouye
– Reginald Policard – Mwen Pa Sou Biof
– Caribbean Sextet – Mete Gacon Sou Ou
– Bossa Combo – Courage

•♫•♬• •♫•♬• •♫•♬• •♫•♬• •♫•♬• •♫•♬•

• Part IV (Pil Ou Fas):

•♫•♬• 𝙏𝙍𝘼𝘾𝙆𝙇𝙄𝙎𝙏 •♬•♫•

– Jephté Guillaume – Pitit Soley (daughter of the sun)
– Manno Charlemagne– Ayiti Pa Fore (Haiti Is Not A Forest)
– Jephte Guillaume – Kote Moun Yo
– Boukan Ginen – Neg Anwo
– Emeline Michel – Plezi Mize
– Toto Bissainthe – Souflè Van
– Farah Juste – Solé
– Solèy Lévé – Ansanm Ansanm
– Claudette et Ti Pierre – Gaçon Ce Coq
– Raoul Denis Jr – Sunshine Rythm
– Scorpio Universel – Baby I Love Your Way
– Les Freres Parents And The Neville Brothers– Konbit (Working Together)
– Masterful D’Haiti – I Am Sorry
– Skah Shah – Vinn Danse
– Trio Select & Coupe Cloue – Cribiche
– Super Choucoune Soleil D’Haiti – La Vie Aux Antilles
– Les Pachas Du Canapé Vert – Patience
– Les Loups Noirs – Pile Ou Face
– Zèklè – Pil Ou Fas
– D.P. Express – David
– Farah Juste – Gonayiv Oh
– Randy Kerber & Jowee Omicil – La Gonave

•♫•♬• •♫•♬• •♫•♬• •♫•♬• •♫•♬• •♫•♬•

And here’s an ever growing Dance For Haiti playlist featuring all of the above songs and many more.

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Frustrating but Necessary Chat about [𝐂𝐨𝐩𝐲𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐦]

Looking to reach a wider audience, I also uploaded those mixes on YouTube, which I don’t usually do (mixcloud and soundcloud are more suitable platforms for that). Within a few  weeks the first three parts of the series had been blocked by the lovely folks at CD Baby, who represent some of these artists’ copyrights, and who, rather unbelievably, prefer blocking and preventing the music from being heard instead of monetising the video and transferring the ad revenues to the relevant artists.

Read below (or head to FB) for the full lowdown of what happened and how incredibly backwards and outdated those copyright laws are: