Orchestre Tropicana de Haiti - Doux Tropic (1978)

(Marc Records LP-301).

Rivalry among bands have always been part of Haitian musical history (check the competition between Nemours Jean Baptiste and Webbert Sicot about Compas Direct and Cadence Rampa forks). Orchestre Tropicana, named from the famous club from La Havana, was created in 1963 aiming to compete with the established Orchestre Septentrional, both bands from Cap Haitien. Septentrional being well introduced in the high society, Tropicana gained success initially in the lower class, but their professionalism quickly introduced their Compas allover the country.

The Montagu Three - Love Alone (Calypso from Bahamas, 1961)

(Bahamian Rhythms LTD - BR 37-S).

At the turn of 1960 Cuba became closed to American tourists, which contributed to develop mass tourism (and financial facilities) in several other caribbean islands. Nassau being just in front of Miami, it became one hot spot full of fancy hotels proposing "local" music to foreigners...

Alpha (Chancy Records, Haiti, 1981)

(Chancy Records CCLP7994). 

Although Alpha band comes from Guadeloupe, this LP is produced by haitian bass player (Tabou Combo) Adolphe Chancy.
New York based label Chancy Records (CC Production for Coppet + Chancy) released from the late 70s many haitian bands (Tabou Combo, Coupe Cloue, Skah Shah, Gemini Allstars...) and few bands from the "french" West Indies as Alpha or Selecta International.  Another aspect of the significative influence of haitian cadence on Guadeloupe and Martinique musicians.

MIX /// Tropical Roundtrip by Muzzicaltrips (Palmwine Radioshow #50)

(PWRS50).

Here's a Muzzicaltrips selection recorded for Palmwine Radioshow. A special repost as some really nice tracks there...

Guadafrica Combo - Moin Ce Roi Roi (Guadeloupe, 1975)

(Debs DD316).

Few recordings came out this formation from Guadeloupe including great names such as Georges Desplan or Edouard Benoit and directed by Freddy Mars. I would have post it just for the great cover art, but it also turns out to be a heavy tropical track... 

Sharing Heritage (Original roots voodoo music from Haiti)

(Center for African Studies, Haiti).

It is a well documented fact that the Dahomeans participated in the slave trade only as a measure of "self defense"... But they had sworn among themselves never to sell anyone from their ethnic group (the Aja people).

Unfortunately towards the end of the 18th century, a "crazy man" named Agongolo seized power in Dahomey : he violated the oath of the Aja, and he sold even his own parents into slavery. In 1806, 4000 Dahomeans of royal blood who fell victim to the heinous act of Agongolo, landed in Haiti. Henry Christophe, King of Haiti had "bought" them from an English trader... Once in Haiti, these Dahomeans were set free. They were entrusted with the upkeep of the affairs of the Court of the King Henry. When King Henry died, they followed their leader Alluda Mugnon into the Artibonite Valley. There they founded their own village...

This recording is the first recording ever of the religious Vodu practices of these people. (Liner notes)

Les Docteurs du Rythme - Haiti Goes Latin (Creole mambo, 60s)

(ANSONIA SALP 1538).

Michel Desgrottes (1923-1993) worked with Guy Durosier in Hotel Rivera orchestra in the 50s. This 60s LP is based on french popular themes brought back by producer Jean Huc and played in a haitian latin style. But Michel Desgrottes' own composition "Ce Pas Fot Moin" (meaning "it's not my fault") is an irresistible jazzy mambo sung in Creole.

Trio Select in Action (Haiti, 1971)

(Marc Records MDVG-219).

Haitian music can be very good setting fire to the dancefloor, but can also be very fresh and sweet to your ears. Here's a beautiful example with a song from Trio Select vol. 2, led by guitarist and popular singer Henry Gesner (1925-1998), very famous under his surname "Coupé Cloué".

Pico Culture #04 - Soundsystems aesthetics (Baranquilla)

Above painted wood piece is an original decoration from the pico "El Solista", carefully conserved by a fanatical pico lover.

From the 70s each pico developed his own aesthetics through colorful paintings and decorations on the speakers and the control tower. This transmits a real identity to each pico, and can be inspired from pure psychedelic figures (El Dragon, El Cobra), or from personal experiences (for example, El Coreano was created by a colombian man who went to fight in Korea war), or from musical artists (El Pijuan), or from revolutionary figures (El Gran Che, El Gran Fidel). The visual identity personifies the pico, and usually transmits a message of power ("indestructible", "la potencia africana", "guerrillero de la salsa").

Carnaval in Santiago de Cuba (1960s)

(Le Chant du Monde, LDX 4250).

Carnavals tour stops for sure in Cuba, through the release of this LP by french label Le Chant du Monde. Liner notes from the cuban writer Alejo Carpentier remind the historical background of original african and Spanish influences blending in Santiago, the second city founded in Cuba.

Presence Africaine Catalogue (1980)

Here's a particular Muzzicaltrips post for book diggers and african literature lovers... Just to have an idea on what was Presence Africaine catalogue in 1980. This Paris-based editor has been since its creation by Alioune Diop in 1947, a real amplifier for african and diasporic written forms of expression, novels poetry, or essays.

This booklet proposes list of titles, list of 2nd hand books, list of authors, list by theme and list of librairies in Africa where you can find Presence Africaine books. A very interesting document for research and to discover new authors, as many titles have not been reedited.

The book store still exists, and always great books to find.

Discover Ahmadou Kourouma's Suns of Independences here.

Frank Valmont & Synchro Rhythmic Ecclectic Orchestra - Malere (Creole jazz, 1975)

(Moshe Naim Records - MN 30.023). 

Here's a promo copy of a Frank Valmont track "Malére", perfectly balanced between west indies unique rhythms and 70s modern jazz.

Jablonski - Soul Makossa (Jamaican Funk, 1973?)

(Randy's VC-011).

Randy's is a well known name for reggae aficionados, as Vincent Randy Chin (+2003) produced and recorded music in his Kingston studio (16-17 North Parade) from the early 60s. Alton Ellis, Sly Dunbar, Augustus Pablo, Gregory Isaacs and many other major figures of jamaican reggae and dub music played there.

Ritmo Calipso - Winsop (Tropical jazz from Panama, 60s?)

(Ecoll 001).

Another mysterious 7 inch... Found in Colombia but including 2 nice jazzy calypsos sounding like caribbean 60s. It might be a colombian bootleg, as they regularly did with foreign productions, sometimes changing name to avoid any traceability or just because it was unknown. I guess the original track comes from Panama, as Ecoll label released another miscredited 7 inch from De Briano with the Alonso Wilson Quintet (originally on AWB from Panama, check Musica del Alma here).

Lord Cobra and Pana-afro Sounds (Calypso from Panama, 1979)

(Carnaval 363609).

Calypso is an early swaying tropical style from Trinidad but many productions can be found around the Caribbean: Lord Cobra (1926-2000) was a major calypso figures from Colon, multicultural harbor in Panama. In the late 60s he even made a song announcing the political party of Calypso! Ten years later he still delivers fresh and funny sounds...

Caribbean Rhythms from San Andres (Folklore, 1957)

(Folkways FW 8811).

San Andres is a caribbean island with english west indies influence. This is noticeable musically, but this island having being part of nicaraguan and now colombian territory, it also integrates latin culture and spanish language.

MIX /// Muzzicaltrips on Palmwine Radioshow (2012-14)

Goombay! - Brown Skin Gal (Tropical jazz from Bahamas, 60s)

(DECCA ED 2500).

Many orchestras in the Caribbean where initially playing in fancy hotels, and this so called "Authentic Calypso Beat of the Bahamas" is played by Beacham Coakley's Emerald Beach Hotel Orchestra (the singer is Vincent Martin). Goombay corresponds to the name of a bahamian goatskin-headed drum (different from the jamaican squared drum gumbe), but also corresponds to the style of this music which can be considered as a kind of calypso using this specific drum.

Synchro Rythmic Ecclectic Language (Black Atlantic jazz from France, 70s)

(SONG RECORDS SR 04).

This atypical afro-caribean jazzfunk band includes great musicians as George Edouard Nouel (keyboard), Louis Xavier (bass), Jo Maka (sax). A really groovy blend of influences...

Caraibes Jazz Ensemble (Jazz from Guadeloupe, 1986)

(FLVM 3086).

Breeze is a rare creole jazz fusion album from the 80s. Recording took place in Henri Debs studio in Guadeloupe.