Workshop - Racine Caraïbe Collective

The workshops will consist of three 20-minute sessions

First session:
Led by René Burin, Gildas Lutin and Roger Raspail
Discussion and practice of Gwo-ka rhythms
Kalaja and Mendé, traditional rhythms from the gwo-ka repertoire, technically easy to access
Vocals: learning choruses and call-and-response of gwo-ka songs
Boula Gel: rhythmic exercise that consists of playing the drum with the voice in the form of onomatopoeia

Second session:
Led by Annette Nicolas
Traditional dance of Guadeloupe (Gwo-ka)
Toumblack and Mass à St Jen:
The Toumblack is a dance that is both festive and defiant; its great merit is bringing people together — in the past, during the sugar-cane harvest and workers' demands, it served as a rallying signal for strike movements, and was also performed at various ceremonies.
Le Mass à St Jen:
Parade rhythm for carnival in Guadeloupe

Third session:
Yanvalou:
Led by Nerlande Bazelais, Jean-Mary Louissaint (Kébyesou) and Roger Raspail.
Traditional rhythm of Haiti
The Yanvalou is a mesmerizing dance from Vodou ceremonies, performed at gatherings around the deities, led by Vodou priests known as Houngan.
It is a ternary rhythm, very complex and subtle in its strokes and in the tonality of the drum, and accompanied by religious chant.

The Racine Caraïbe collective is made up of six artists, split evenly between three women and three men:

Annette Nicolas (vocals, percussion, and dance), Gildas Lutin (lead vocals and dance), Nerlande Bazelais (backing vocals, percussion, and dance),

René Burin (Boula drum and backing vocals), Jean-Mary Louissaint (lead vocals and Haitian drum), and Roger Raspail (mawkè drum and backing vocals).

The project is led by Roger Raspail, a percussionist, state-certified teacher of traditional music, and winner of Best French Percussionist for 2023/2024 as awarded by Jazz News and Jazz Magazine.

The collective has performed at numerous venues and festivals across France and Europe, reflecting solid experience both on stage and in cultural outreach.

Concert at the Maison Européenne de la Photographie in Paris’s Marais district for the Afrikada Journal, the Malakoff Arts Center, Le Cabaret Sauvage at Porte de la Villette, the Cité de la Musique, the Philharmonie de Paris at Porte de Pantin, the “La 1ère la Fleur Belle de Mai” Festival in Marseille, the Mougins City Center for Photography for the “Black Is Beautiful” exhibition, Metro 54 in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, and at the Tamanoir in Gennevilliers.

Through its productions, the Racine Caraïbe collective celebrates the musical and choreographic traditions of the islands in a spirit of sharing, passing on traditions, and connecting with audiences.

Members of the Collectif Racine Caraïbes

Roger Raspail: He has never given up an ounce of his originality, starting with the seven rhythms that make up the identity of gwo ka, the drum that is the hallmark of his island. Roger Raspail has collaborated with many renowned artists such as Pierre Akendengué, Cesária Évora, Chico Freeman, Papa Wemba, Kassav…

Nerlande Bazelais— A choreographer, dancer, singer, and performer, she also plays traditional Haitian instruments such as the vaksin (also known as kònè), the conch shell (lambi), and the drum.

Annette Nicolas: Annette Nicolas is a Guadeloupean singer from Capesterre-Belle-Eau.

Together with a collective, she helped initiate the effort to have Gwo Ka inscribed on UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage list. She has accompanied many groups and artists from the traditional music scene. Annette is also an excellent Gwo Ka dancer, deeply rooted in this culture.

René Burin: René René Burin is a Guadeloupean percussionist who specializes in the Ka drum. He is recognized as one of the best Boula players in the Guadeloupean community living in Paris. A solid and generous accompanist, he works with many musicians and ensembles, providing an essential rhythmic foundation faithful to the Gwoka tradition.

Gildas Lutin: Close to traditional values, she continued singing and practicing gwo ka after arriving in mainland France. She joined the association Nou K Bay (NKB), which works to pass on ka culture to the generations of Guadeloupeans born in France.

Jean-Marie Louissain, known as Kebyesou: A Haitian percussionist and master Vodou ceremony drummer. Self-taught, Kebyesou is described as an early talent with a very keen sense for percussion. He is considered one of the most gifted of his generation.