EMELINE MICHEL: Rasin Kreyol

Emeline Michel

Rasin Kreyol

© 2004 Times Square Records (738572904128)

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Haitian songs, tropical melodies with compelling rhythms.

tracks

1 BÈl Kongo
2 Ban'm La Jwa
3 Beni-yo
4 Nasyon SolÈy
5 La Karidad
6 Non'm Sa
7 Zikap
8 Interlude (soufle Van)
9 LÒ'm Kanpe
10 BÒ Kote'w
11 Interlude (mon RÊve)
12 Mon RÊve

notes

Haiti's Emeline Michel Carries the Flag of a World Without Borders:
The Positive Voice and Strong Creole Roots of Rasin Kreyol (Times Square Records)

"Living outside of your own country, you feel you have let your country down," says Emeline Michel, the Queen of Haitian Song, who releases Rasin Kreyol on Times Square Records on October 5, 2004. "Especially while the country is sinking politically. You carry so much love and so many beautiful things about your country you want to put out into the world." That is exactly what her eighth CD does.

Emeline draws on the roots and history of Haiti-the world's first Black republic-in many ways. The intertwined rhythms of the manman tanbou, boula, and katabou-Haitian drums-provide the foundation for original lyrics peppered with Haitian proverbs and positive messages. "Everybody knows that Haiti is in trouble," she says. "Sometimes I feel like I should be there helping! This album is my way to be there. It's my chance to show a side of Haitian culture that is positive."

On Nasyon Soléy (Sun Nation), Emeline sings, "We don't want to die before our children can see our country back on its feet. We don't want to die without going back to Haiti no no no." Even Emeline's three-year-old-heard on the song's intro-is aware of this homesickness. "I ask him what's mommy's dream? He says, 'Mommy wants to find her feet in the warm water,'" explains Emeline. The song continues, "We are dreaming of the sun. We are tired of fighting, tired of the cold. We are not Diaspora, we are just trapped. Sun nation, stand up. Sun nation, stay strong, don't give-up. Sun nation, wherever you go you carry your flag under your skin. Wherever you go your flag is yourself."

At 18, Emeline won a song contest in Haiti, which earned her a year studying music in Detroit. She landed there not knowing a lick of English and became the first in her family to ever leave Haiti. She returned to Haiti and developed a career as the country's most prolific singer/songwriter. Emeline remains one of the few women bandleaders in Caribbean music and Rasin Kreyol is her third CD as record producer. She has lived in France and Canada, and currently resides in New York. She has toured five continents and become one of the best-selling Haitian artists worldwide. "I feel like I am half-nomad," she says. "I feel sad that there is this distance between me and my country. But in making this CD, I have this urgency to live to the max. I want to be respectful of everything that the universe offers me. It's not about feeling pretty or about what's promoted on TV. It's about simply being real. Feeling connected."

Emeline has become a star in the French Caribbean by emphasizing complex themes, conscious lyrics, and a broad palette of musical styles, including the native Haitian compas, twoubadou, and rara. A captivating performer, versatile vocalist, and accomplished dancer, Emeline is beloved by Haitians for combining traditional rhythms with social and inspirational content. You can hear the bellow of the kornet-a long Haitian one-note trumpet-on Ban'm La Jwa (Give Me Joy), a song in which Emeline asks for strength to live a positive life. "Give me joy. Cleanse me from envy and vanity; two powerful enemies who can stop me from moving forward. Give me humility so my pride won't limit me. Give me compassion to give with passion."

La Karidad-a neighborhood in Port-au-Prince-has the feel of an old-style compas on which Emeline reminisces about growing up during better times in Haiti; a time of young love and Tropicana, a romantic big band, which rehearsed nearby. "Like a lot of people," explains Emeline, "we had a big mango tree in our yard where we would take our boyfriends to sit and talk." This song says, "The day a mango tree will talk / Some stories will be told." The song's chorus repeats zipitipitim, the catchy sound of a drum pattern heard by youngsters who would sneak off to Tropicana's rehearsal against their parent's will. "When you hear Tropicana you remember all that good sugary stuff. Your grandmother will say, 'Oh my God!'" Emeline laughs.

The sound of a bicycle pedaling backward is the metaphorical inspiration for Zikap, a sound that any Haitian will recognize. The reggae-inflected bass-line is embossed with Haitian proverbs to create a humorous call to awareness about AIDS and HIV. "Zikap zikap. Check the brake. This danger does not honk," says the song, which will likely become part of an official health campaign back in Haiti.

When it came to recording Mon Reve (My Dream), originally a full page of lyrics, "I was so tired," Emeline says, "I did a version where I gave up on the lyrics and just hummed it." Emeline tells one story that inspired the song: "When you are crossing the border from one country to another, your heart is going through the mouth. Especially how they treat Haitians. One time I was running with my bags trying not to miss a plane. I gave an official my passport with tons of stamps from traveling all over the world. And he looks at me and says 'Why are you out of breath?' They're automatically suspicious." Over a Haitian vodou doublé nago rhythm and a haunting, Guinean Fula flute, Emeline dreams of a world with all nationalities, living together without borders. She says, "The planet is for all of us and we should make it easy for each other."

"I ended up not singing one word on Mon Reve," recalls Emeline. "And at the end, when I listen to it, I think to myself, 'Stop having regrets on what you haven't done. Start living that dream right now!'"

reviews

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  • author: Patrick Michel

    I'm proud of you. Keep up the good work!

  • We need more sister like you
    author: Villon Laude

    You are what many people do not know about Haiti. Thanks for beeing yourself. I mean a truly haitian women. My daugthers Kiana and Edrina wish you best of luck

  • Awesome CD! Emeline, Kontinye pote nou bel muzik konsa!
    author: R Jackson

    I am not Haitian either but I fell in love with her voice while listening to VOA an Kreyol. I cant stop listening to the CD! m bat bravo, emeline. Bondye beni ou, sitelman peyi D'Ayiti. Nou kenbe yo nan lapriye n. Quel'm si ou vle, Ayiti pap mouri!

  • Awesome! Cousin, you did a great job. Keep up the good work!
    author: Farah Michel

    This is a wonderful album. The cover looks great and is very appealing. One does not need to get on the next flight to the Antilles to be there. I would recommand this album to my friends and colleagues at work.

  • EVERY SINGLE SONG IN THIS CD IS A HIT
    author: CHRISTINE S, JEAN-LEON

    WOW! I ENJOY EVERY SINGLE SONG IN THAT CD. WHAT A TALENT! THIS IS ANOTHER HIT CD. ALL THE SONGS ARE FROM THE HEART.

  • She shines once again! Are you really surprised?
    author: Miss Karen

    I'm so excited that Emeline has released her latest album this October. In this release, she focuses completely on her beloved Haiti, her memories of her home- "La Karidad," proud history-"Beni-yo," and continued hope for the future. She really gets down to the ROOTS of Haitian music on this album. There is a large amount of rasin(roots music), a touch of konpa(Haitian popular dance music}, folklore, and twoubadou. I even recall hearing a tinge of reggae opening a song. If you like the song, "Ban'm la Jwa," then you probably will like other roots bands such as RAM and Boukman Eksperyans. Her voice is beautiful, warm, sensual, almost operatic at times. Listen to that interlude with James Germain on "Souffle Van,!" She is backed up by top-notch musicians such as Makarios Cesaire, Gashford Guillaume, Serge Decius, and Welmyr-Jean Pierre. Emeline makes no secret that she loves the sounds of those congas. My favorite songs on the album are the first 5. All songs are in Creole, but are translated for the first time in English. I believe if you like the sounds of Africa, this CD will be to your liking!I hope you will pick it up! I'm a gigantic fan, and guess what? I'm not Haitian or from the other French Antilles. Music is universal, and you don't have to understand the words to feel the passion or want to dance.

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