Jean CazeJean Caze
Miami Jazz Scene
The world of Haitian Jazz has known about Jean Caze for some time now and while his first release is not what we would call new, it is not well known to the Haitian public.
The album, “Miami Jazz Scene” debuted a few years ago but is hard to find. The Reporter was able to get its hands on a copy of this 9 composition long indie release.
Jean has been quietly making the rounds in the Haitian and non-Haitian New York and Miami based Jazz scene for a while. If you are among those who follow artists in this all-too-quiet realm of the Haitian music industry, you know he has toured with the Zekle reunion project and is prominently featured on their video of a great live performance at Haiti’s Parc Historique de la Canne a Sucre. He has also been a part of the fine albums of former Mozayik percussionist Markus Schwartz and can also be found gigging with the likes of Reginald Policard in Haiti’s Jazz fest. Every once in a while he’s recruited by the likes of Djakout Mizik to fill out their horn section.
Jean’s “Miami Jazz” scene captures the smooth and sophisticated rhythmic textures of the sunshine state. In compositions like “Haitian Peace Song” one not only finds a possible reply to American Jazz bassist Charles Mingus’ renowned “Haitian Fight Song” but also a pace and melodic approach that is reminiscent of Sting’s trumpeter, Chris Botti. Other interesting pieces include “Miami Jazz Scene” which sounds like something closer to the pace of New York Jazz than Miami, but is nonetheless an exciting number with a very catchy lead chorus that serves as an entry to the musings of keyboardist Andrew Fisher. Jean’s fluid solo on this tune definitely brings to mind the exciting downtown Miami landscape on any given Saturday night.
The equally exciting “Jive Collective” has the feel of an impromptu jam session among very talented players, executing with liquid precision without neglecting the fun aspects of music making. There is a simple one-note hook in this tune that will have you shouting…”toto, toto, toto, toto” and that’s as close as we get to Haiti on this release.
Jean’s Miami Jazz Scene is a first on a few levels. He is among a new generation of Haitian American musicians who have roots in two cultures and have the pleasure of trying to decide which market is going to feed them. Luckily for Jean, he, alongside contemporaries like saxophonist Jo Omicil, have been well received in the highest circles of the Haitian music industry. Jean has released an album which caters more to American Jazz trends while Jo’s album freely dips its feet in the rhythms of Haiti and America.
The excellence of these releases may allow these budding artists to freely reap the advantages of both markets. “Miami Jazz Scene” is a nice release by a cast of young up-and-coming musicians, but has a ways to go to be a match for its modern American counterparts. Here we need to note the work of the modern Jazz trumpeters like Roy Hargrove and Nicholas Payton but these are perhaps unfair comparisons at this point in Jean’s career.
“Miami Jazz Scene” is a great first step for Haitian-American musicians looking to make an impact on the American music industry. Don’t miss the opportunity to add this work to your collection, order your copy today by logging onto: www.karijazz.com.
Monvelyno
Conscious State of Mind
Avant-garde Haitian Jazz guitarist and composer Monvelyno has made his way back to pages of the Reporter with an exciting new release. The album, “Conscious State of Mind” is the artist’s second independent release to date and features 11 original compositions and one cover.
We were floored by the melodic, harmonic and thematic concepts which graced Monvelyno’s first release, the album, “Kouzen Azakamede.” It was clear that he was heavily influenced and knowledgeable of the work of his predecessors in bands like Foula, Azor and lyrically speaking, perhaps the influence of the likes of Manno Charlemagne. It was clearly obvious that he was well acquainted with the sonic mysteries of Haiti’s “Lakou” or yard culture where the secrets of African music linger almost untouched by non-native influences.
Monvelyno’s grasp of American Jazz and his adaptation of its structures to the sound and feel of Haitian Roots music is a continuation of work being done by artists like Thurgot Theodat, Eddy Prophet in his past work with Haitian Vodou percussionist Azor and to some extent Joel Widmaer in his work with the late Azor.
“Conscious State…” is very much a continuation of the exploration that began in “Kouzen Azakamede.” It is a lean yet rich recording steeped in the Haitian “Lakou” tradition with a layer of Jazz sophistication and polish. These qualities are readily apparent in the album’s lead track, “Krik Krak” where Monvelyno’s dramatic vocals lead a captivating chorus supported by the incessant thumping of robust Racine percussions. The Benson-esque vocal and guitar solo on this piece is a marvelous closing touch to the composition. The following tune, “Song of a Mute” is a perfect acoustic fusion of Haitian Racine stylings and traditional Reggae vibes. The song’s melodies reveal their charms slowly, enticing the feet and waist while its message feed the mind. The depths of the artist’s melodic insights are fully showcased in “Gad Jan’w Ye” a short song that is the album’s most soulful - armed as it is with only the artist’s vocals and a lone guitar.
“Conscious State of Mind” is an album for the mind, the heart and the ears. The messages in this release are largely inspired by the reality of Haiti as it has been for years but particularly our very battered post-quake Haiti. The quality of the songwriting where Haitian Kreyol is concerned is provocative and often gut-wrenching. The artist struggles a bit fitting English intonations into his Racine based inspirations, but the effort is more successful than not where it occurs in songs like “Human Rights” and “Let’s Go for Love.”
The quality of the playing throughout this release is nothing short of special and beyond comparison on many, many levels. And as always with these types of releases, one is hard pressed to find the right descriptive words. Works like these must be experienced.
“Conscious State of Mind” is another revelation from an exceptional young talent. Discover it and its predecessor, “Kouzen Azakamede” today through the website: www.karijazz.com.