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“These songs are mostly slave songs taken from the Vodou cult. They speak of the quotidian, of the suffering of exile, and the desire of Africa, not as a geographical place but as a mythical land of freedom. They express their resistance and their refusal: resistance to the colonizer, refusal of his politics, of his religion, of his culture, of his language.”
So begins Toto Bissainthe’s statement on the rear of Chante Haïti, her 1977 collaboration with a small combo of Antillean folk and French jazz musicians: vocalists Marie-Claude Benoît and Mariann Mathéus; percussionists Akonio Dolo and Mino Cinélu (Miles Davis, Weather Report, Gong); Patrice Cinélu on acoustic guitar; and Beb Guérin on the double bass. The songs indeed fuse the Vodou ritual of her native Haiti with the European avant garde sounds of her adopted milieu of Paris, where she had moved to pursue acting and found herself a de facto exile due to the political situation back home. Bissainthe had become a prominent figure in the French theatre, performing in new plays by Beckett and Genet and co-founding Les Griots, France’s first Black theatre company; by the late ‘70s, she was an acclaimed recording artist to boot. Her accomplishments made her a prominent figure in the Haitian diaspora and her activist streak is apparent throughout Chante Haïti, explicitly linking the grief and yearning for liberation in these traditional ceremonials with the country’s contemporary struggles.
Like many songs on the album, the Creole words of opener “Soley danmbalab” mourn the people's estrangement from Mother Africa, a crossing which can neither be reversed or repeated. It begins like a field recording, Bissainthe’s soulful, Miriam Makeba-esque voice set to a chorus of rattles and bells and gurgling masculine whispers. As the song develops, her melody wends like a stream through the dense jungle of percussion, dissonant bass, and counterpoint chanting. Eventually, Mino Cinélu’s arrangement becomes more free, the male chorus imploring the Oungan (a male Vodou priest) to intercede with the creator on the people’s behalf as the tune breaks down into an increasingly abstract bass and drum interplay, while the three female singers exchange birdlike vocal improvisations.
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“Ibo Ogoun (Variations)” is even wilder, evoking a trance ritual, the spirits speaking in many tongues through the celebrants as they seek to summon Ogun, God of Iron and War, to lead the battle of liberation. One of the male percussionists times his tanbou beat so that it hits just as he sings certain notes, creating the illusion that he voice has suddenly lurched down an octave for a moment, almost like a DJ freaking a vocal sample. Bissainthe, Mathéus, and Benoît match the intense drumming with some crazy syncopations, sometimes talking, sometimes hissing and whispering, sometimes wailing and ululating.
Most of the album takes on a more meditative tact, anchored by Guérin’s plangent double bass. On the smoky “Papadanbalab,” an entreaty to the serpent creator Damballa to bear witness to the penury of his people, Bissainthe sways over a slinky jazz bass line, Patrice Cinélu adding mellow acoustic fusion licks. The song seems like a brief stopover in a Parisian club. But even the less overtly intense tracks pack plenty of musical interest. “Lamize pa dous” has this hypnotic rhythm that sounds exactly like a micro house beat—in fact, the first thing it made me think of was Ricardo Villalobos’ Alcachofa, or Animal Collective at their campfire ravingest. The song is about the moment of surrender to death, the winnowing of time represented by water encroaching on all sides, the realization too late that “we spend our lives trying to fill the sea with stones.”
Listening to a record like this, especially in light of Bissainthe’s note on the back excoriating the colonialist ethnographer who reduces Haitian folklore to “excitement and violence,” requires at least a smidgen of awareness from the white listener that Chante Haïti is not intended for them. The traditions it engages with are of deep spiritual significance to many Haitians, both in the ‘70s and today. But for those inside and outside the culture who are willing to approach it with respect, Chante Haïti is a fascinating fusion of Antillean and European musics, and a peek into a profound and secret history.
Okay, I gotta talk about this boy. Because gods, I love him so much.
While Castlevania has once again done it (meaning: I basically like all the important characters, with the exception of Erzsebet), Edouard is really my favorite. And I am gonna explain to you why.
First, of course, my inner bard is very happy about this boy singing all the time. I already talked about the importance of music and, fuck yeah, I am very much here for it.
But no, the reason why I love this boy so much is, that he so clearly goes against the grain to do what is right.
He is a free Black. For those who have not read my earlier blog about the Haitian Revolution: In Haiti they had three classes of people. Whites, Free Blacks and slaves. Free Blacks were often the kids (or grandkids) of the white owning class, and often were ery wealthy. Both things we see in Edouard.
But here is the thing: Most free Blacks were against the Revolution, where against abolition. Because their riches also depended on the slaves doing free work.
And here we have Edouard, who most certainly also profits in one way or another from slavery being a thing. And he not only helps slaves escape, but he also helps to organize and finance the revolution. He even is there in the fight, even though he is a fucking opera singer. He is no fighter. And still he is there. And when Annette gets send to Europe though Cecil's vision, he is just there by her side, even though he does not need to. Even though he has what appears to be a lover waiting for him.
And when he gets turned into a night creature he is just such a pure soul, that he does not loose himself. In fact, he finds out that he can bring some of the other creatures back. And when Annette in the end tries to free him, he stays, for the other night creatures.
Several African American blues singers and musicians composed songs about the culture of Hoodoo, including W.C. Handy, Bessie Smith, Robert Johnson, Big Lucky Carter, and Al Williams. African American blues performers were influenced by the culture of Hoodoo and wrote songs about mojo bags, love workings, and spirits. Their songs brought awareness of Hoodoo practices to the American mainstream population.
Several blues songs describe love charms or other folk magic. In her "Louisiana Hoodoo Blues" Gertrude Ma Rainey sang about a Hoodoo work to keep a man faithful: ""Take some of you hair, boil it in a pot, Take some of your clothes, tie them in a knot, Put them in a snuff can, bury them under the step…." Bessie Smith's song "Red Mountain Blues" tells of a fortune teller who recommends that a woman get some snakeroot and a High John the Conqueror root, chew them, place them in her boot and pocket to make her man love her. Several other Bessie Smith songs also mention Hoodoo. The song "Got My Mojo Working," written by Preston "Red" Foster in 1956 and popularized by Muddy Waters throughout his career, addresses a woman who is able to resist the power of the singer's Hoodoo amulets.
Hoodoo practitioner Aunt Caroline Dye was born enslaved in Spartanburg, South Carolina and sold to New Port, Arkansas as a child, where she became known for soothsaying and divination with playing cards. She is mentioned by name in the Memphis Jug Band's "Aunt Caroline Dye Blues" (1930) and in Johnny Temple's song "Hoodoo Woman" (1937).
Blues singer Robert Johnson is known for his song about going "down to the crossroads" to sell his soul to the devil to become a better musician. Some authors suggest that the song invokes a Hoodoo belief in crossroads spirits, a belief that originated in Central Africa among the Kongo people. However, the devil figure in Johnson's song, a black man with a cane who haunts crossroads, closely resembles Papa Legba, a spirit associated with Louisiana Voodoo and Haitian Vodou
Creative, Hot headed, Music Lover, Dance Machine, vegetarian
Likes - color black, jazz music, family oriented, animals - especially cats, boho & polished fashion, small talk & deep thoughts, dancing, music, wellness, spirited sims
Dislikes: ambitionless sims, color red, ranch music, Pink or green Hair, Gossip & Pranks
Sid is the daughter of a Puerto Rican mother and a Haitian father, who also happened to be one of the biggest Gang leaders in the last 20 years. That was until his family was targeted leaving Sid's older sister dead and her face permanently altered after a car bombing. Her father is in WITSEC and she hasn't seen him in since she was 5 years old. Sid and her mom have moved around over the years in an attempt to distance themselves from the life. Her familys past has been kept a secret from the world and hopefully that skeleton will remain deep in her closet. Both Her and her Mom currently are living in San Myshuno in the spice district. Sid is a self taught musician and can play piano and guitar in addition to sing. Sid sings at several of the local clubs in SanMy several times a week and has headlined the last 3 years at the local festivals. Family is big to Sid considering her background and secretly hopes one day her father will be back in their lives. Like her dad she is a creative genius but has a quick temper luckily, well at least for the most part Sid has found a way to channel that energy into her music. But something is missing, Sid wants what her parents had, and so now she is looking to love someone just as much as her music.
** @therichantsim damn my work life, well I did complete but not in time here was my submission for becoming mrs blackburn 2
I have a question about Black History Month? What do people even do?
Do they learn about specific countries from Africa instead of lumping the whole continent as ''where Black Americans'' are from?
Do they learn Zulu, Swahili, etc.?
Do they watch movies about Africa or made by Africans or about Africa?
Do they learn about some overlooked Black historical figures (And I mean real ones and not Black Cleopatra. Also bonus points for those who aren't musicians, singers, sports stars, or activists.)?
Or is it just a talk about slavery in America and MLK for the 100th time that is all year round anyway?
You know the cartoon story about how somebody wishes there was Christmas every day but it gets boring and less special because it's all the time and you need to actually do other stuff? It feels like Black Month and Pride Month are all year round in the US.
So, when I was in school we never did anything. This was in New York in the 90s and 2000s, though, so I don't know what happens now. I know most people outside of a school setting just use it to be racist to white people and perpetuate victim narratives. Which is sad, because there's a lot of "black history" that's really interesting to learn about. The integration of baseball, Harriet Tubman, Bass Reeves, The Haitian Revolution (most successful slave revolt in history), the history of Motown, the racist origins of gun control, Aunt Jemimah; these are just some of the fascinating people and histories that you could dedicate time to learning about during a Black History Month. Instead it's filled with hate and racism and people demanding free shit as recompense for slavery and oppression they never experienced, from people who never oppressed them.
All these months do, as they currently are, is further separate us and pack us into faceless groups based on the least important parts of who we are. I hate these months and days. I despise them. And I truly hope one day society heals itself enough so that the majority of people view them with the same contempt I do.
took a bit for me to figure out how to put an image in the askbox but here she is! this is Renee Chancon and her stand [Electric Blue]. she's based on Regine Chassagne, one of the lead singers of Arcade Fire and her stand is based on an Arcade Fire song. she's also Haitian like Regine Chassagne is. her stand is mostly useful in a crowd, since its power casts an illusion that makes everyone in a crowd look just like her, so she can easily hide from anyone pursuing her. this only works on one to three people at a time and if the person she's targeting with her stand touches anyone with the illusion on them it reveals their true appearance.
her stand has also evolved as she changed as a person and became more comfortable with people seeing the real her. at first it looked like a nudibranch, specifically this one:
its powers were different at first too, rather than projecting an illusion of herself outward it let her become invisible. I feel like her and Koichi and Lucy Steel would get along and bond over having stands that evolve because of personal growth.
WAZAHHH SORRY IT TOOK ME SO LOGN TO GET TO THIS
BUT THIS IS SOOOO CUTE I LOOOVE THAT STAND DESIGNNN OPUIGHH THE PHREAKIN CREATUREESSS
hope you dont mind i drew them, they are so fun :3
Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Day No. 2, Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, Sept. 30, 2023
Leyla McCalla controls the weather.
An overcast day in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park suddenly turned sun-soaked when the former Carolina Chocolate Drop sang: My face to the sun as she performed Our Native Daughters’ “I Knew I Could Fly” during her Sept. 30 Hardly Strictly Bluegrass set on the Towers of Gold Stage.
“That’s awesome,” she said mid-verse as the Earth’s star emerged from the afternoon clouds.
Following the electric and steel guitar instrumentals of Hermanos Gutiérrez on the adjacent Swan stage and playing cello, banjo and electric guitar, backed with rhythm section and electric guitar, McCalla covered Kendrick Lamar’s “Crown” and offered a gumbo of New Orleanian, Haitian and American music delivered in English and Haitian Creole while showcasing her the Capitalist Blues and Breaking the Thermometer LPs.
The Sound Biteses’ day had begun in the pre-noon fog with the down-in-the-holler, old-time string music of Dry Branch Fire Squad playing the songs of Gillian Welch, Doc Watson and Bill Monroe on the Banjo stage. Later, it was gospel from the McCrary Sisters, who sung Stevie Wonder’s “Higher Ground,” “Amazing Grace” and other numbers backed by a full band during short, five- to 15-minute sets on the Rooster stage, where Brennan Leigh offered a lunchtime menu of traditional country music.
It was also on the Rooster that Emmylou Harris previewed her Sunday appearance by guesting with Shawn Camp and Verlon Thompson and closing their Doc Watson tribute set with Guy Clark’s “Old Friends.”
Shortly afterward, Bettye LaVette sauntered onstage to deliver her grinding version of Bob Dylan’s “Things Have Changed.” From here, it was an impassioned reading of songs from the Randall Bramblett-written LaVette! album as the singer prowled the stage and proved her 77 years have cost her nothing in vocal prowess and stage presence.
“If I could write, this is what I would have said,” LaVette said in introducing the new songs, which worked better on stage than on wax.
Rickie Lee Jones attracted a ginormous crowd to Banjo - “I haven’t seen so many people in front of me for so long,” she said, soaking it in - and their enthusiasm rubbed off. Jones, whose band included Vilray on guitar and vocals, plus accordion and bass, was animated as she danced around the stage and crooned like a lounge singer when she wasn’t playing guitar, banjo or piano.
Opening with a radically rearranged “Danny’s All-Star Joint” more suited for the streets of New Orleans than the fields of Golden Gate, Jones went on to perform “I Won’t Grow Up” - for the first time, she said - “Last Chance Texaco,” “We Belong Together” and a sinewy rendition of Steely Dan’s “Show Biz Kids” that found Jones lifting her orange sweater to sing of the Rickie Lee T-shirt beneath.
Give RLJ the MVP for turning in HSB No. 2’s No. 1 gig.
Faced with the quintessential festivalgoers’ dilemma, Mr. and Mrs. Sound Bites split the last hour between Steve Earle’s uncharacteristically sleepy solo-acoustic set on the Banjo and Irma Thomas’ barnburner R&B/soul revival at the Rooster.
At 82, Thomas played the day’s most rambunctious set, ripping into “Time is on My Side” and getting the audience bouncing and waving their handkerchiefs on her mashup of “I Done Got Over It” -> “Iko Iko” -> “Hey Pocky Way” -> “I Done Got Over It.” That one might be ringing through Golden Gate’s trees along with the birdsong for some time to come.
Some of my favorite pictures of Renowned Haitian Singer, Songwriter, and Producer, Michaël Benjamin (More commoly referred to as “Mika Ben” by fans, friends, and family alike). Sadly, Benjamin passed away early Sunday morning (16/10/2022) while exiting stage after his performance alongside Carimi at the Accor Arena in Paris, France. He spent his final moments sharing his talent with a crowd of approx. 20,000 (His largest crowd to date). Mika put his heart, his soul, and his love for Haiti, his fans, and his fellow artists and long time friends into his final performance. I can only hope he knew how loved and revered he is (not was) in our eyes. Rest in Peace, Mika. 🤍🇭🇹
One evening, when Ran was returning home after finishing his Roppongi trip, something he did daily in order to maintain his reputation, he went to take a shower. As he took off his clothes, he noticed his spare clothes were missing, so he wrapped a towel around his waist. Crossing the corridor leading to his bedroom, he took his clothes and went to the bathroom while hearing the apartment door slam, warning of Rindou's arrival at the house.
As usual, he didn't care to disturb his brother and put on his playlist to keep busy in the shower. Guided to the rhythm of the music, he began to dance as the drops of water trickled down his body. Well, if you could call it a dance, he was mostly waddling around, imagining he was a star.
As if that weren't enough, when one of his favorite songs started, he began to sing lyrics in the air, not knowing the verses very well. However, as soon as the chorus came, he took the shower head in his right hand and placed it in front of his mouth, mimicking a microphone. From there, it was impossible to stop him, Ran was a very big shower singer and he shouted misunderstood words every time he bathed, under Rindou's lamentations, just wanting silence.
- Ran shut your fucking mouth! yells his brother behind the door, having moved to ask him to be quiet.
He hears a vague "no" as an answer before re-hearing his brother's voice singing ever louder, ever more out of tune.
- Fine, but you'll regret it.
Ignoring his words, the Haitian elder finishes his shower while continuing to sing. Once his bathrobe was on, he took his toilet bag to make masks and beautify his skin.
Leaving the bathroom, he joined the living room to land in front of the television, only, as he left the corridor, he saw two heads protruding from the sofa.
- Finally you stop singing. Launches his brother, seeing him approach. We have a guest by the way. He adds a nod to the one sitting next to him.
Ran's face crumbles in front of the person sitting in her usual spot. There, on his sofa, was a 1m92 teenager with more or less questionable tattoos.
That day, Ran told himself that he had made the most serious mistake of his life, a mistake he will remember in the afterlife, a mistake that will never let him in peace. That day, Ran sang in front of Shuji Hanma.
- Nice bathrobe Miss Ran. He said smirking.
- !! What the hell are you doing here? he shouts in his direction.
-I was just passing through~ By the way, the blushes give you a charm Miss Ran, just like your singing skills, gosh, the great Haitani Ran, king of Roppongi and one of the four of Tenjiku who sings under the shower ! he laughs.
No longer able to hear his mockery and blushed with shame, the eldest takes him by the arm and takes him out of his apartment. Once the intruder is thrown out, Ran hastily turns to her little brother.
- Why didn't you tell me he was here? He'll haunt me with this forever! He exclaims, moving his hands.
- I warned you, and that will teach you to sing like a madman every night. Otherwise he was there to inform us of a change for the next meeting. He continued as Ran slammed the door to his bedroom, already at the other side of the apartment.