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Cruz La

Mon, 30 Jul 2012 01:01:58 -0500

CRUZ- LA is a Haitian kompas music band that is based in Brooklyn, New York. The group was created by longtime friends Josue Baptist and Serge Sainthilaire Jr. Josue had thought of the idea of creating a group after seeing Serge play Allan Cave hit song "Sepa Pout Dat" on a little Casio keyboard. Soon after, with the help of good friends (Jamey Jasmin, Fintelow Sainthilaire, and Alfredo Dorcely) and years of work and dedications CRUZ- LA was form in 2009. Longtime friends Samuel Casseus, and Pierre Richard Jean Claude were soon part of the group thus completing the band.

Harmonik's Problem

Thu, 19 Jul 2012 01:15:49 -0500

This band has a lot of talents but lack leadership. The guys need to get it together, because time is passing them by. They shoould fire their marketing team. I remember once, someone from the Harmonik camp stated on kompamagazine.com that they will not play with Gabel because that's not their audience. I must of die laughing that day.

When you are a new band, everbody should be your potencial fans. You need to build a fan base not alienated people from your band. The person said that Harmonik will only play with Carimi and T-vice. I was like: is Harmonik a band or a tribute band to Carimi and T-vice.

Harmonik has 3 studio albums and the band is in a major slump. Harmonik can't even pack a club in their own city by themselves. Rodney noel is to blame, he has a firm grip on the boys and he needs to let them loose. For once hire someone who knows what they are doing. What's their objectif? No one knows. I blame Rodney for the Roosevelt fiasco. Roosevelt would of brought leadership and Identity to the group, but they droove him out because he did not had the boy band look.

Nicky, you need to put on your big boy pants and take control over your band. It's time for you to lead. Too much talents in the band, ya'll should of been miles ahaed.

What makes great Kompa Music?

Wed, 18 Jul 2012 01:03:19 -0500

For me great Kompa music is made with great patience. I'm not a Kompa musician, I have what is probably comparable to a 1st grader's knowledge and ability of playing a piano, but from my life long pursuit of attentively listening and analyzing Haitian music, I've found the best Haitian musicians use a lot of patience in their music (Ti Mannon, Arly, Alan Cave and Daan Junior). They don't rush the pieces, they let it build, slowly and powerfully, so that you feel the full magnitude of their expression.

We have a lot of new bands that tend to rush an album. Take your time and polish your skills. Music is meant to savour.

To me, this seems to be what separates the good and great from the timeless and unforgettable. Like the emotion you hear when Ti Manno or Gracia Delva sings, or the provoking thought you feel from Coupe Cloue's lyrics. I feel like I can hear the patience put into that. It isn't rushed, care has been taken.

Our music, our heritage and culture is what we have left to share with the world. Please, let's do an a great job by producing master piece.

Gabel Gon Jan Pou Ye album Review

Tue, 17 Jul 2012 17:17:08 -0500

I have a lot of respect for Gabel, and I knew they would come out with something good after I heard the fanm sa marew song.

Anyways , yes, I would say this Gabel LP has been one of the most influential Kompa albums this year. Boasting an orchestral sound to young kompa fans normally tuned Drums and Bass. The multi layered beats and flows rise and fall from unique half time drum patterns and 16th note high hats.

The main song, "Gon Jan Pou Ye" has just such a solid ground of melodic guitar and keyboard, and then combined so elegantly with a very rhythmic sub bass line and awesome drum beat. Gabel does such a good job of disguising the beat, while maintaining such a clear melodic structure , weaving between the vocals , keyboard, and upper stringed instruments. The lower half is sooo enjoyable as well, combining a very smooth oscillating sub bass with the lower drum tones that just so simply back the very off beat melody.

I don't want to get into the next few songs, just to leave it to you to listen to :) All the rest of the tracks have amazing beats and melodies and are a real treat, please listen.

To sum it up, all of Gabel tunes blends together in terms of simple, forward melodies that are heavily supported by very cool drum tracks and interesting rhythms.

If you are a true Kompa fans, please go grab your copie of Gabel new Album, You'll be in for a great treat. Muziklakay.com always.......Kompa is Forever people!!!!!!!!!!

Why it take Haitian Bands so long to put an album out?

Tue, 17 Jul 2012 06:58:27 -0500

It takes a long time to make a great kompa album. I should also mention that more Kompa albums back then were completed in the studio in only a few takes. Less technology in the studio, less toys to play around with, meant shorter production times, so it wasn't a big deal for a Haitian band to go into the studio for two weeks in between gigs.

Fast forward to today, a ton of kompa bands take up to 3 years between studio albums. The main reason I've seen is because of touring in Haiti, France, Canada, the U.S and the Caribbeans and business models, and I would agree with that, but there are other reasons.

Also, with the the internet. There's always a constant, small stream of hype from die-hard kompa fans eagerly anticipating a new album. These are the people that follow the band's posts on kompamagazine.com, and muziklakay.com, and the like, and check back every day for any news, etc. Kompa Bands can take their time in the studio because they will never lose that hype (I'm talking to you Nu Look and Djakout).

To finish, for the most part, Haitian bands love their crafts and they will take their time to put a good product out there. We know how competitive the Haitian Music Industry is, If you put a sub-par album in the street you are as good as grass......simply

Open Letter to Arly LARIVIERE and Leaders of NU-LOOK

Mon, 16 Jul 2012 12:51:15 -0500

Dear Maestro and my dear leaders of NU-LOOK,

I struggled to write these few words expressing my bitterness and my disappointment at the unnecessary repetition of crises within the group, also the lack of pragmatism and professionalism of the management team making NU-LOOK again the target of gossip and a spotlight for pirate radio djs and gossipers alike, for the most poorly trained ones.

No need to tell you dear Maestro and leaders of my NU-LOOK how my frustration and the lack of professionalism of the management team.

It's been a year since we came out of a crisis caused by circumstances that everybody knows, thanks to the support of countless and tireless fanatics like myself and many others, also thanks to the release of latest album group these hits has forced all those who fought the group to recognize the genius of Arly Lariviere and accept Nu-look as inescapable and undeniable tenor of the compass. However we can not possibly get any progress within the team since we are accustomed to these great musical success, and that despite this, the mismanagement and lack of professionalism management of staff, remains strong. None of the band's songs are produce for a music video, a year later, despite the constant demands of a music video from the fanatics. Is this a problem of budget, time or simply a lack of respect or appreciation for us fanatics who really like Nu-Look?

I am forwarding the message here and frustrations of many fans of the group that never tire, against wind and blast their passion to defend (NU-LOOK). Do not tell us that this is a budget problem since, unlike the period of crisis, Nu-Look has the largest share of contracts of HMI. Do not just tell us about a problem long since we played that weekend in most cases. I think it's the lack of respect for fans, giving you time to correct problems or continue to ignore the cries of your fans.

Yours Truly, Yves Blot DOLCE,, Coordinator of NU-LOOK Family.

Kompa Radio

Mon, 16 Jul 2012 12:26:43 -0500

In the pre-internet days before muziklakay.com, for the average person, mainstream radio was practically the sole source of new Kompa music.

For the average Haitian person, yeah Kompa music was everywhere on the radio. Kompa or Haitian Music just something that appears. You enter a Haitian shop, you get in your car, you go to a Haitian restaurant, in the background: music.

Buying kompa music was rare for most folks. because they had a friend that always had a mix tape. Live Haitian band was the thing to have on your collections. I remember my dad had a whole sections full of live tapes. Now days, people don't really have time to listen to music. Bills take precedent over their lives. It seems that no one has time to stop and really enjoy some good music.

The radio don't play any new kompa music anymore because it's pay to play. Every Dj is a super star, they think that you are tune in to listen to them. They'll talk a storm and only play about 2 minutes worth of songs in a 2 hours show.

As for me, that's the reason I got into muziklakay.com, We expose everyone, we at muziklakay.com are not the star, we are a platform to introduce kompa bands and artists to the world. we have a section for everything relating to Haitian music. In return we are asking you to help by letting your fellow kompa or Haitian Music lovers know about us.

Kompa Music

Mon, 16 Jul 2012 01:46:18 -0500

I was always a fan of kompa music (D.P. Express, Scorpio, Coupe Cloue etc.) because that was what my dad listened to in the car. He took me to my first gig (Night Club in Delmas) and I finally saw Tabou Combo. About this time, I had a friend who had started listening to kompa mamba (Coupe Cloue) over the last year, and he told me to go out and check coupe cloue's album St Antoine. So I did. At first I was like WTF!?! at the words but the guitar sound just blew me away. Bearing in mind that my virgin ears had never listened to anything of sort. After a couple of listens I realised that clean singing in this kind of music wouldn't work properly and that actually, I liked the cursing. Of course once I had heard one coupe cloue album I wanted to hear more, and the next time coupe cloue played locally I was there.

Whilst kompa mamba really changed my music tastes I would also have to say that the sheer influence of seeing a band live has changed my outlook on music. I will often hear from a friend that such-and-such is playing and would I like to go. More often than not I have seen the name in the related videos section on muziklakay.com or heard the odd song, but since I love seeing bands I will say ok. Then I go out and listen to whole discographies, and will look up the support bands as well, if not before the gig, then definitely afterwards and thus, my Haitian music library expands.

I am far more open minded with music these days, but will never say I listen to everything. I tend to hate cheesy music. I love me some Zenglen, Nu look, dissip, Djakout and so on. No Kompa music is "too heavy" for me but I don't like band with no inspiration or lack off.

In many ways I only had one major change in my kompa music taste, but it has since grown so much that it almost seems strange that it could all be related.

My Haitian music fix

Mon, 16 Jul 2012 01:12:15 -0500

I feel like most people start listening to and truly recognizing Haitian music around their early teenage years. Certainly I listened to Haitian music before then, but starting my freshman year in high school I started to form my own opinions about Haitian music and tried to explore new horizons. So for me it's been 6 years or so. My Haitian CD and record collection is small.

Recently I got into college radio and DJing Kompa music really late at night and at whatever tiny gigs I can get. While I used to really explore tons of different genres. DJing means that I spend almost all of my music listening time trying to find good music for people to dance to. While my Haitian music library is small, and my mp3 library is of dubious legality, I am pretty proud of the unique collection of haitian music I can share with any music lover I come across.

Of course I've always cared about haitian music, but I used to just listen to whatever was on the radio, or whatever my sister bought. Then I had an epiphany, and realized I could have my own opinions about what was good or bad! Whoa!

I love Kompa music, but I also value other people's opinions.

Spectacle sans salle

Sat, 17 Mar 2012 06:39:54 -0500

Emeline Michel et Jocelyne Béroard ont réalisé trois spectacles sous le vocable « Iles en Elles » la semaine écoulée. Au Karibe, samedi dernier, la pluie s'est mise de la partie, transformant un rendez-vous chic en une fête joyeuse avec un intermède obligé imposé par Dame Pluie. Sur la belle cour de l'hôtel, le public n'avait pas le choix : être mouillé, s'abriter, attendre et reprendre place après avoir séché chaises et tables. Cela valait le coup d'attendre ou de revenir. Les pressés, partis trop vite, ont raté un concert rare. Jusqu'à minuit, les dames chantaient encore le meilleur de leur répertoire. Deux autres fois en semaine, à la Fokal et à l'Institut haïtiano-américain, le spectacle « Iles en Elles » a été repris. Les deux adresses ne pouvant pas accommoder un large public, peu de publicité fut donné à ces affiches. Le même succès s'est confirmé. Dimanche dernier, au Parc historique de la canne à sucre, c'est le président de la République qui avait invité au lancement de l'Institut national de musique d'Haïti (Inauh) et de l'Orchestre symphonique juvénile d'Haïti. Deux projets, les premiers du chanteur-président, dans le champ de ses amours. La pluie a perturbé la soirée avant de provoquer l'abandon du lancement. Adresse à ciel ouvert, le Parc a ses limitations. Quand des tentes sont réservées aux officiels et la voûte céleste offerte aux invités et aux artistes, la pluie est fatale. De ces quatre fêtes un constat : pas de salles de spectacles dignes de ce nom pour un pays de dix, bientôt douze millions d'habitants. La culture, que l'on met au devant quand tout s'écroule, est le parent pauvre. On fait comme si nous avons des musées, on projette des films dans des salles de bal, on danse sans plancher, on fait du théâtre partout sauf au théâtre, on peint sans ambition, on fait comme si pour tout. Le secteur privé ne regorge pas de mécènes, ni de bâtisseurs fous, fous d'art et de culture. L'Etat n'a plus rien entrepris depuis le fiasco du Théâtre national à Portail Léogâne et la transformation du Mausolée en Musée du panthéon national. Que c'est triste, un pays sans écrin pour ses artistes et sans salle pour ses spectacles! Le gant vous est jeté, Messieurs et Dames !