| Generally unheralded, the music of Haiti bubbles away beneath the surface, only periodically erupting with tremendous force and influence. Haiti is known for its version of the popular Spanish dance, the meringue (merengue), as well as the sacred music elsewhere called "voodoo." The folk religion or cult of vaodoun (or vodun, corrupted as "voodoo") is distinguished by French, Indian, and African influences. A weird mix of the ancient/African and modern/Catholic, the cult of voodoo has been sensationalized as the stuff of horror movies and pulp fiction. Screamin' Jay Hawkins' "Feast of the Mau Mau" may be the first example that comes to mind, but the music of voodoo has deeper and firmer roots. As with its counterparts in Cuba, Brasil, and elsewhere, the sacred music of Haiti depends upon special drums and other elements not found in profane music. Further along in the West Indies, Trinidad's Shango cult is closely related.
Voodoo music has had several champions, including Folkways' Harold Courlander. Dance-troupe leader (etc.) Katherine Dunham lectured at Yale on anthropology, was initiated into a vodun cult, and brought forth valuable music from the musty archives of academia. Afro-Caribbean Songs and Rhythms features vodun drums, très guitar, and Noro Morales. Her comprehensive, star-powered, and incredibly informative The Singing Gods album presents ethnomusicological subjects in as compelling and sophisticated a manner as possible. Featured Haitians are master drum-priest of the Rada-Dahomey cult Albert Laguerre and singer Jean Marie Durand. Graduates of the Dunham ensemble who recorded other vodun and calypso songs include Josephine Premice, Eartha Kitt, Jean Léon Destiné, and Jean Vincent.
One of the most famous Haitian musicians was Raymond Baillargau, known professionally as Ti RoRo (spelled variously: Ti Ro Ro, Tiroro, etc.), the acknowledged master of Haitian drumming and a rare professional in a land where everyone performs. "King of the Drum" in Haiti, his influence on American jazz percussionists was profound. His mastery can be found in solos and ensembles pieces on several, mostly obscure LPs, particularly those by orchestra leaders Issa El Saieh and Guy Durosier, the latter a popular singer.
Voodoo music exists also in such lurid cult movies as "I Walked with a Zombie." As Hollywood rode the recurring waves of calypso's popularity in the 1930s and the 1950s, voodoo inevitably provided the dramatic imagery. Some of this led to interesting pop songs. One such astounding, if camp, mix of voodoo themes with calypso (and Afro-Cuban songs), is Herb Jeffries' Devil is a Woman.
|
| Rating | |
| 7 | Lord Burgess & his Calypso Serenaders; Stinson SLP-62 ("Folk Songs of Haiti, Jamaica, & Trinidad") |
| 7 | Juan Campolargo: Merengues! Merengues! Merengues!; Sounds of the Caribbean SLP-740 |
| 7 | Juan Campolargo: Merengues Festival; Sounds of the Caribbean SLP-741 (one cut has falsetto yodeling) |
| 7 | Choco & Chimi: Drums of the Caribbean; Audio Fidelity AFLP-902; 1955/1954 (Chocolaté--Antonio Diaz Mena & Chiminea; recorded in Mexico) |
| 7 | Lolita Cuevas w/Frantz Casseus: Haitian Folk Songs; Folkways FW-6811; 1954/1953 |
| 7 | Maya Deren (recorded): Voices of Haiti; Elektra EK-LP 5; (c) 1953 (with 12-page booklet) |
| 8 | Jean Léon Destiné: Festival in Haiti; Elektra 30; 1955 (Jean Leon Destine w/Ti Ro Ro, Alphonse Cimber; booklet) |
| 7 | Auguste Durosier/Louis Lahens/Orchestre Citadelle: Introducing the Sensational Ibo--Authentic Rhythm of the Haitian Meringue 10"; Musseau TV-25983 (w/Ibo drummer Rene Daure) |
| 7 | Guy Du Rosier & his New Orchestra [Eight Haitian Hits Vol. 2] 10"; Musseau TV-25438 |
| 8 | Katherine Dunham & Ensemble: Afro-Caribbean Songs and Rhythms; Decca DL-5251; (c)1950 |
| 7 | Raoul Guillaume et son Groupe: Authentic Haitian Meringues; Monogram/Ritmo 827 (prod. Joe & Fritz G. Anson) |
| 8 | [Michel Desgrottes et l'Ensemble du Riviera Hotel &] Raoul Guillaume et son Groupe: Authentic Haitian Meringues; Monogram/Ritmo 828 (label may be "Anson"--"Collection Haitian"--prod. Joe & Fritz G. Anson) |
| 8 | Thurston Knudson: The Rhythm of Tropic Drums; Tempo TT-2212 |
| 8 | Thurston Knudson: Alibi for Drums; Tempo TT-2266 (w/Danny Stewart, Sam Koki, George Worth, Milt Holland) |
| 6 | Ferere Laguerre Leads the Choeur Simidor in a Performance of Haitian Songs; Marc 212 |
| 8 | Rodolphe Legros & Ensemble Ibo-Lele: Weekend in Haiti--Haiti Latest Hits; Jacot [no #] (Hotel Ibo-Lele band rec. by J. Abraham & Co.; pressed by Decca) | |
| 8 | Rodolphe Legros & Ensemble Ibo-Lele: Weekend in Haiti--Haiti Latest Hits Serie II; Jacot [no #] |
| 6 | Nago Queen Leotyne: Voodoo Priestess; Monogram 816 (w/Papa Jamil, drums) |
| 5 | Augustine Mercer & his Jaragua Merengue Orchestra: The Jaragua Presents Merengues; Ritmo 805 (Dominican Republic; Latin/calypso/calypso jazz) |
| 6 | Arthur Duroseau, his Family & Ensemble: A Night in Haiti--with Haitian Meringues; Monogram 824 (presented by Bill Vrooman; rec. M.M. Warner) |
| 7 | Emerante de Pradines/Michele Dejean Group: Creole Songs of Haiti; Folkways FP-833; (c)1954 (see Emy de Pradines below) |
| 8 | Issa el Saieh: Exotic Songs from Voodoo Haiti; Monogram/Supertone MLP-810 (prod. Manuel M. Warner) |
| 7 | Angel Viloria y su Conjunto Tipico Cibaeno: Merengues 10"; Ansonia ALP-1 (canta: Dioris Valladares; "Folk Music of the Dominican Republic"; 1st Ansonia LP!) |
| 7 | Angel Viloria y su Conjunto Tipico Cibaeno: Merengues [vol. 2] 10"; Ansonia ALP-2 (canta: Dioris Valladares; "Music of Santo Domingo") |
| 8 | Uncredited: Haiti Dances; Atlantic ALS-123 (notes by Paul Bowles) |
| 7 | Uncredited, w/Ti RoRo: Voodoo of the Caribbean; Monogram 815 (the 1 Ti RoRo cut has great spoken intro; rec. Lisa Lekis) |
| 8 | Various: Calypso/Meringues; Folkways FP-8; 1950 (FW-6808; SF-12192; w/Duke of Iron "Druscilla"; Lord Caresser, Lord Invader, Macbeth, Felix & his Internationals, Jazz Majestic Orchestra) |
| 7 | Various: Carnival in Trinidad 10"; Dial Ethnic Series 404 (Yoruba Cult: "Cooma-Chey-Wo-Leh"; Mighty Zebra & others at 1953 Carnival) |
| Various: Merengues from Dominican Republic Volume 1; Monogram (presuming there is a Volume 1 of the same title) |
| 7 | Various: Merengues from Dominican Republic Volume 2; Monogram MLP-832 (Chapuseaux, Yayo el Indio..) |
| 8 | Various: Let's Merengue with Six Top Caribbean Orchestras; Monogram Supertone 844 (jacket #: 845; Dominican Republic) |
| Rating | |
| 7 | Nemours Jean-Baptiste & his Ensemble aux Calebasses: Meringue!; Cook 1186 ("the screaming end direct from a smoking Haitian dance dive"; full-size version of jacket art shared with Cook 1022) |
| 6 | Nemours Jn. Baptiste & his Ensemble aux Calebasses: A Visit to Haiti; Seeco SCLP-9111 |
| 7 | Choco & his Mafimba Drum Rhythms: African Latino Voodoo Drums; Audio Fidelity AFSD-6102; 1963 (w/Chocolaté--Antonia Diaz Mena) |
| -» | Chocolaté (drummer Antonio Diaz Mena) -- see also Latin Jazz |
| 6 | Harold Courlander (ed.): Folk Music of Haiti; Folkways P-407; (c)1951 (FE-4407; Music of Haiti, Vol. 1; partly voodoo) |
| 7 | Harold Courlander (recorded): Drums of Haiti; Folkways P-403; (c)1950 (FE-4403; Music of Haiti, Vol. 2) |
| 7 | Harold Courlander (ed.): Songs & Dances of Haiti; Folkways P-432; (c)1952 (FE-4432; Music of Haiti, Vol. 3; partly voodoo) |
| 6 | Maya Deren (recorded): Divine Horsemen--The Voodoo Gods of Haiti; Lyrichord LLST-7341 (original in red jacket, reissue in glossy black) |
| 8 | Jean Léon Destiné: Festival in Haiti; Elektra 130; 1955 (Jean Leon Destine w/Ti Ro Ro, Alphonse Cimber; 1 more cut than the 10" but no booklet) |
| 7 | Guy Durosier: Riviera Hotel d'Haiti Carnival with Guy Durosier; Island Artists LP-1004; 1957 (w/Ti Ro Ro) |
| 7 | Guy du Rosier: Haitian Rhythms; Decca DL-8602; 1957 (w/Ti Ro Ro) |
| Guy Durosier: Been Travelin'; Carib LP-2019-S; 1962 (wanted) |
| 7 | Verna Gillis (rec.): Vodun-Rada Rite for Erzulie; Folkways FE-4491; 1975 |
| 6 | Le Gip: The Voodoo Drums of Le Gip; Request/Sounds of the Caribbean SLP-737; 1972 |
| 7 | Richard Hill & Morton Marks (recorded): Ritual Drums of Haiti--Voodoo Trance Music; Lyrichord LLST-7279 |
| 7 | The Islanders: [The Black Beret Presents] The Islanders; BB-333 |
| 7 | Jazz des Jeunes: Saturday Night in Port-au-Prince Serie II; Palace PLP-100 (w/Ti Roro, Jean Remy, Rene Saint-Aude, Gerard Dupervil, Antalcidas Murat; same # as vols. 1 & 3) |
| 7 | Jazz des Jeunes: Saturday Night in Port-au-Prince Serie III; Palace PLP-100 (w/Rene Saint-Aude, Gerard Dupervil, Antalcidas Murat; same # as vols. 1 & 2) |
| 8 | Martha Jean Claude y su grupo de Calipso Haitiano: Canciones de Haiti/Haiti's Songs; Armada & Rodriguez ARO LP-131 (jacket: Songs of Haiti; Haitian/calypso/calypso-merengue) |
| 7 | Martha Jean Claude: Chante Haiti--A Voodoo Experience; Prospo/Mini MRS-1051; 1975 |
| 7 | Andrew C. Pearse (rec.): The Big Drum Dance of Carriacou; Folkways Ethnic Library FE-4011; (c)1956 |
| 8 | Murat Pierre & his Orchestra, featuring Ti Roro: Saturday Night in Port-au-Prince [Serie I]; Palace PLP-100 (jacket: A Night in Port-au-Prince) |
| 7 | Emy de Pradines w/Haiti Danse Chorus & Orchestra: Voodoo--Authentic Music & Rhythms of Haiti; Remington R-199-151; (c)1953 (see Emerante de Pradines above) |
| 7 | Emy de Pradines w/Haiti Danse Chorus & Orchestra: Original Meringues; Remington R-199-206; (c)1953 |
| 6 | Les Princes de Port-au-Prince: Souvenir de Haiti; Request/Sounds of the Caribbean SLP-732 (ensemble folklorique) |
| 9 | Issa el Saieh w/Ti Roro, Guy DuRosier, Ti Marcel, etc.: Hi-Fi Haitian Drums; Capitol of the World T-10110 |
| 7 | Ti Roro--"Best Drummer in Haiti"; Cook Road Recordings 5004; c.1956 (reissued w/different jacket) |
| 8 | Ti Roro: Voodoo Drums of Ti RoRo; Monogram 830 (Ti RoRo et ses Tambours Vaudou/& his Voodoo Drums; Request/Sounds of the Caribbean SLP-733) |
| 7 | Ti Roro et son Tambour; Ibo/Macaya 109 (rec. in Haiti) |
| 7 | Ti-Roro/Ti-Marcel: Voodoo Drums in Hi-Fi; Atlantic 1296 |
| 8 | Jean Vincent/Alberto Socarras: The Soul of Haiti--Songs of Magic, Love, & Voodoo Ritual; Vanguard VRS-9015; 1957 |
| 6 | Uncredited: Roots of Haiti--Voodoo Vol. 2; Mini MRS-1064; 1978 |
| 4 | Uncredited: Voodoo Ceremony in Haiti; Olympic OL-6113; 1974 (rec. live on location) |
| 6 | Various: CARIBEana; Cook Road Recordings 5003 (1 Ti RoRo cut unique to this LP) |
| Various: Haiti; Monogram 850 (Ti Ro Ro, etc.) |
| 8 | Various: Haiti Confidential; Cook 1022 (smaller version of jacket art shared with Cook 1186 |
| Various/Unknown: Haitian Meringues; Monogram 827 (may be same as Ritmo 10" 828) |
| Various/Unknown: Holiday in Haiti; Monogram 840 |
| 8 | Various: Saturday Night in Haiti; Monogram 856 (Guy du Rosier, etc.--probably TiRoRo; Nostalgie d'Haiti/Homesick for Haiti; Request/Sounds of the Caribbean SLP-748; 1973 |
| Various: Shango Ceremonial Dances 10"; Dial Ethnic Series 403 |
| 8 | Various: Songs, Dances, & Drums of Haiti; Request/Sounds of the Caribbean SLP-8107 (credited to Haitian Folk Choral Group/Voodoo Drums of Ti Roro, whose drum solo on Side 2 is a reissue) |
| 8 | Various: Voodoo Artistry from Haiti; AMC 1203; 1968 (w/Ti RoRo, Ti Marcel, Lucienne Pierre..; prod. Herby Widmaier) |
| Rating | |
| 7 | Costantino Albini e Daniela Casa: I Sentieri del Mondo--Dall'Alasca Alla Terra del Fuoco; Panda PL-1004 (production; Haitian/voodoo/Santeria/Brasil cult/drum music) |
| 4 | Kip Anderson: Shango!--Night in a Quiet Village (exotic pop, "Shango"); Kapp KS-1466 |
| 6 | Red Camp: Camp Inventions; Cook/Sounds of Our Times 1087 (Tiroro background track) |
| -» | Rupert Clemendore -- see Calypso Jazz |
| 6 | Martin Denny: Exotic Love; Liberty LST-7585; 1969 (original: "Voodoo Love") |
| 8 | [The Drums of Trinidad/Equatorial Jazz:] Drums of Trinidad; Cook 1045 |
| 8 | Katherine Dunham Presents Drum Rhythms of Haiti-Cuba-Brazil--The Singing Gods (w/Choco, Aguabella, LaGuerre..); Audio Fidelity AFLP-1803; c.1956 (4 Haiti cuts) |
| 8 | Calypso Eddie with the Carib Islanders; Art ALP-19 ("Voodoo Drums") |
| 6 | Roy Fuller: Shades of Jamaica; Tiger 002 ("Haiti Cherie") |
| 6 | Bob Gordon's Troubadours at the Balmoral Club; Elite OE-30 (calypso/Haitian) |
| 8 | Sir Freddy Grant's Caribbean Troubadours: Calypso; Bethlehem BCP-7001; 1957 (1st 1/2 of Side 1's "Carnival Suite"; rest calypso/calypso jazz) |
| 9 | Johnny Gunn w/Don Ralke: Introspection IV; Warner Bros. WS-1372; 1960 (spoken w/music; WILD poetic narrations "flip-end vignettes") |
| 7 | Richard Hayman: Voodoo!; Mercury SR-60147 (voodoo-themed pop) |
| 7 | Geoffrey Holder & his Trinidad Hummingbirds; Riverside RLP-4004 (Shango) |
| 7 | The Drums of Cyril Jackson: Afro-Stereo; Counterpoint CPST-5561; 1958 ("Banda") |
| 8 | Herb Jeffries: Devil is a Woman; Golden Tone C-4066; c.1957 |
| 8 | Montego Joe: Arriba! Con Montego Joe; Prestige PRST-7336; 1964 |
| 8 | Montego Joe: Afro Rhythms; Kimbo Educational KLP-6060; 1970 (kid funk/African/Afro-Cuban/Brasilian/Calypso/Haitian/Santeria) |
| 7 | Montego Joe/Marie Brooks: Ethnic Dances of Black People Around the World; Kimbo Educational KLP-9040 (kid funk/African/Afro-Cuban/Brasilian/Calypso/Haitian/Santeria; 4 treatments of 8 cuts from KLP-6060) |
| 5 | Pierre Noles: Everybody Dance the Ay Bo Le; Coral 757447 (Haitian dance rock) |
| 7 | Olatunji: Drums of Passion; Columbia CS-8210 (w/Chief Bey, Montego Joe; also some subsequent LPs) |
| The De Paur Chorus: Songs of New Nations--with Native Drums & Percussion; Mercury SR-90382 (cond. Leonard de Paur) |
| 5 | The De Paur Chorus: Danse, Calinda!--Creole Songs, Work Songs, Spirituals; Mercury SR-90418; 1965 (cond. Leonard de Paur; prod. Harold Lawrence; w/Robert Guillaume) |
| 9 | Josephine Premice: "Caribe"; Verve MG V-2067; c.1956 |
| 7 | Josephine Premice Sings Calypso; GNP Crescendo GNP-24; c.1957 |
| 6 | Marshall Stearns (rec.): Religious Songs & Drums in the Bahamas; Folkways/Ethnic Folkways Library FE-4440; 1953 |
| 8 | Robert Farris Thompson, Jr.: Safari of One--Primitive Rhythms on African Thumbpianos & West Indian Drums; SMC Pro-Arte SMC-1058 (w/Kako) |
| 7 | Andre Toussaint and the Caribbeans; Bahama Records Ltd. 20; 1956 (calypso/Haitian-voodoo/Latin; reissued as "Treasured Moments with Andre Toussaint"; Bahama Records BR-49) |
| 8 | Don Tracy: A Night with the Voodoo Family; EMI Studio 2 106; 1965 (voodoo-themed exotica w/Afro-Cuban drums) |
| 7 | Bebo Valdes: Hot Cha Chas; Decca DL-8660 ("Hot in Haiti/Merengue Me Gusto Mas") |
| 7 | Uncredited/Various: Dance Party; Monogram 609 (or Paragon 609; 2 meringues) |
| 6 | Uncredited (General Electric): G-E TropiCruise; GE 9887-55 ("TropiCruise in Music & Sound"--spoken w/sounds/"Themes from Your TropiCruise Ports of Call"--music; "Haiti") |
| 7 | Uncredited: Percussive Calypso; Oleander OLP-103 (instrumental/calypso jazz/bongos/voodoo; Bermudan; prod. Al Donahue/Frank Walsh; possibly features King Trott/Stan Seymour/Lloyd Simmons) |
| 8 | Various: African & Afro-American Drums; Folkways FE-4502 (2-LP compilation) |
| 5 | Various: Bomba!--Monitor Presents Music of the Caribbean; Monitor MFS-355 (Vaccines Petionville: "Ra Ra No. 2"; Trio Chanteclair: "Choucounne") |
| 7 | Various: Calypso Jazz; Cook XX-2 ("Incantation") |
| 7 | Various: Caribbean Dance Party; Gateway GSLP-3544; 1977 (Ti Emile, Gramacks, Johnny Grey, Black Affairs, Gilles Sala, Puissance 8) |
| 7 | Various: Caribbean Festival--Music of the West Indies; Puerto Rican Visitors Bureau E2-KP; rec. Lisa Lekis; w/Ti RoRo, Michel Dejean) |
| 6 | Various: Folk Sounds of Trinidad & Tobago; Folk Sounds FSS-1; 1967 |
| 7 | 'Round Nassau Town [We Did Roam]; Island Artists LP-1009 (compilaton/sampler; Johnny Kemp, Vincent Martin w/Peanuts Taylor, Jimmy Thurston & George Moxie, Guy Durosier, Jesus de Jerez) |
| 6 | Various: Sweet Richard's Limbo Party; Carib LP-2013; 1960 ("Sweet Richard with Princess Kitty at the Place Pigalle on Miami Beach"; Tony Allyne, Guy Durosier: "Letter from Haiti," King Eric & his Knights, Sweet Richard's troupe, Pat Rolle, Roy Shurland, Andre Toussaint: "Haiti Cherie") |
| 6 | Various: Three Rituals; Cook 1043 (Shango Sacrifical Ritual from Trinidad, Yemenite Nightsongs, Tumba Francessa) |
Hip Wax