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Djanm
Batala

Album US 2010 on Mini Records label
World (Compas)

CD originally released in 1993 Album Notes Going through my music collection, I "rediscovered" an album I had not listened to in quite a while and what a fresh sound! Djanm is an album which came out in 1993 and it features a host of some of our best musicians: Boulo Valcourt, Alix Nozile, Mushi and Joel Widmaier, Claude Marcelin, Fabrice Rouzier, Ginette Oriol, Azor, Welmyr Jean-Pierre and many more. This CD was an attempt by Boulo Valcourt to inject new life to our traditional music and while there have been many other artists to do so since, Djanm particularly stands out because of the choice of songs, the highly skillful and competent arrangements by Boulo Valcourt, an excellent guitarist in his own right, and Jocel Alméus.. What is most interesting on the CD is that each one of the ten tunes is based on a different rhythm, whether Haitian traditional, Bossa Nova, South African, Soca, etc. The title tune Batala is a very nice song by Haitian poet Syto Cave and Boulo Valcourt. It is played on an ebullient South African beat. The 8th tune 6 Moustik is played on a Soca beat and arranged by Jocel Alméus. This CD shows once more that Haitian musicians are the only ones I know in the Caribbean area who feel at ease playing either Soca, Reggae, Salsa or anything else. The last tune Massala is played on a hot Rara beat which roars with Azor’s voice. In short, Carnival material. Even though it came out in 1993, this CD remains as fresh as ever and is an excellent addition to any music collection.

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