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World Music Matters

Haitian "vodou ambassadors" call up the spirits

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Haitian band Chouk Bwa Libète are a six-piece traditional Haitian roots band who play mizik rasin, a genre inspired by Haitian vodou rhythms.Their sponteneity and "no frills" approach to making music is striking a chord with audiences here in Europe.  

Chouk Bwa Libete in concert
Chouk Bwa Libete in concert DR
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The band play rural vodou from the Gonnaïves on the west of the island, using local polyrhythmic drumming, dance and chants  to call upon the spirits known as loa.

Their songs express both the painful history and the life force of the Haitian people.

While it's increasingly difficult to find Haitian audiences in a music scene dominated by pop, hip hop and reggae, their uncompromising roots sound drew the attention of Belgian producer and musician Michael Wolteche.

Together they recorded a debut album Se nou ki la in a Haitian village in the spring of 2014.

After successful concerts in Denmark, the Netherlands, Belgium and Paris's Studio de l'Ermitage,  the band have been selected to play Womex 2015 in Budapest, Hungary.

 Follow the band on facebook

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