.webp)
Concert - On Rassembleman, Racine Caraïbe collective
This one-hour concert celebrates the rhythms, songs and dances of Guadeloupe and Haiti. The first part is devoted to Guadeloupe and the Gwo-ka tradition, featuring rhythms such as the Léwoz, Toumblak, Mendé, Graj and Mass à Saint-Jean. On stage: René Burin on the boula drum, Roger Raspail on the makè drum, Annette Nicolas on vocals and chacha, and singer Gildas Lutin, with her powerful yet gentle voice. The audience is invited to parade and dance. The second part is dedicated to Haiti, with the Yanvalou, Rabordaille, Rara and Petro. Master drummer Kébyésou performs the great classics of Haitian Vodou, while dancer Nerlande Bazelais draws the audience into her spellbinding dances, so everyone can share in the energy of this tradition.
Dates and times
Sunday, October 11, 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Address
Quai de Marseille, Bassin de l'Eure
The concert will last one hour and will feature an alternating program of rhythms, songs, dance, and music from Guadeloupe and Haiti.
For the Guadeloupean portion, the Léwòz, Toumblack, Mendé, Graje, and Mass à St Jen will be part of the Guadeloupe repertoire.
With the great drummer René Burin on the Boula and Roger Raspail on the mawkè, Annette Nicolas on dance, backing vocals, and chacha, the singer Gildas Lutin—whose voice is both powerful and gentle—will perform the classics of the Gwo-ka repertoire, and we will invite the audience to parade and dance along with us.
The Yanvalou, Rabòday, Rara, and Petwo will make up the Haitian part of the repertoire. The master drummer Kébyésou, a great ceremonial percussionist, will lead the vocals and perform the great classics of Haitian Vodou, and the ceremonial dancer Nerlande Bazelais, through her mesmerizing dances, will draw the audience in to participate, dance, and fully share in the energy of this tradition.
Caribbean Roots Collective
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.
Performances include a concert at the Maison Européenne de la Photographie in the Marais district of Paris for the publication Afrikada, the Centre des Arts in Malakoff, the 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 Centre de la Photographie of the town of Mougins for the exhibition "Black is Beautiful," the Métro 54 in Amsterdam (Netherlands), and the Tamanoir in Gennevilliers. Through its creations, the Racine Caraïbe collective celebrates the musical and dance traditions of the islands in a spirit of sharing, transmission, and connection with audiences.
