Boston's own Lisa Moise offers sweet treat to the ears

Lisa MoiseLisa Moise
Boite de Chocolat
Boston’s own Lisa Moise recently released a first effort for the hearts and minds of music lovers. The independently released “Boite de Chocolat” features 10 original compositions all of which are manned by a cast of talented local musicians and producers.

It’s been a while since we’ve had the pleasure of reviewing the work of a local artist and we’re happy Lisa’s release provides a chance to prominently feature a homegrown product. Boite de Chocolat being among the few releases from a female artist this year is special because Lisa represents a new generation of young women coming into the scene who may be poised to continue the work of the many fine and unsung female artists who have made serious contributions to Haiti’s expansive library of music.

“Boite de Chocolat” truly is a sweet and varied adventure in sound. The performances that stand out on this release include the acoustic-pop-hip-hop “Chanje” a song with a distinctly American instrumental bent but sung in Haitian Kreyol and enunciated with an American finesse that very few singers are able to pull off effectively.

Coupe Cloue: Haiti’s musical Santa delivered in ‘12

We usually reserve Christmas reviews for new releases but as this season promises to be lean on that end we’ll take a look back to celebrate an artist who was Haiti’s musical Santa. This year, we celebrate the memorable releases of artist Coupe Cloue. In many ways Gesner Henry aka “Coupe Cloue” was Haiti’s version of American Funk pioneer James Brown - an artist whose talents were such that he not only mastered the commercial trends of his day but eventually transcended them to concoct his own inimitable sonic cocktail.

Logan Airport exhibit to feature ‘Haitian Art in Transit’

December edition: Above, The Oath, an oil painting by Charlot Lucien, will be among the paintings displayed at a Logan Airport exhibition next month. December edition: Above, The Oath, an oil painting by Charlot Lucien, will be among the paintings displayed at a Logan Airport exhibition next month.The Haitian Artists Assembly of Massachusetts — in conjunction with Massport and the U.S. Fund for Unicef— will launch an art exhibition at Logan airport next month. The exhibition, “Haitian Art in Transit” is described as “a celebration honoring the paintings of Haitian artists from Massachusetts and Jacmel, Haiti.”

A reception to launch the display will be held on Thursday, Jan. 10 at 5:45 p.m. The exhibition will be held in art space in the airport’s terminal A.

About 60 magnificent pieces — many of which evoke the memory of those who perish during the 2010 earthquake — will be part of the exhibition.

Marian Praises and Prayers (French) at St. Angela's-Mattapan

St Angela Church is hosting a series of monthly ‘Marian Praises and Prayers’ (‘Les Louanges Mariales’) – Sunday, January 6, 2013 in French and Latin every first Sunday of the month at 7 PM in the main church at 1544 Blue Hill Avenue (Route 28), Mattapan, MA 02126.

Saint Angela’s organist Jean-Louis Daniel and The Great Choir of Saint Angela Parish will perform.

Young man shot dead during student protest in Port-au-Prince

An unidentified man was shot dead on Nov. 16 while students staged another demonstration in a week of small but raucous street protests in the capital's downtown, authorities said.

Frantz Lerebours, spokesman for Haiti's police force, said the young man was killed when a “civilian” hopped off the back of a passing motorcycle in the heart of Port-au-Prince and shot the victim. He said police were searching for the killer.

Gov. Patrick: New federal law clears way for in-state tuition

Some young immigrants brought to the country illegally as children will become eligible to pay in-state tuition rates at public universities and community colleges in Massachusetts as part of a new federal program put in place over the summer by President Barack Obama, according to a senior Patrick administration official.

Martelly is ill-equipped to lead Haiti forward

Patrick SylvainThe relative jubilee over Michel Martelly’s victory in the Haitian presidential elections after the statistical rearrangements by the Organization of American States soon after the primaries in March 2011 that had placed Martelly in second place was seen as a political intervention. Such intervention allowed him to square off against Mirlande Manigat, a conservative constitutional law professor and a former first lady who appeared distant from the social suffering of Haitians and even remotely out of date when compared to the flamboyant Martelly who was well coached and extremely ambitious to attain the pinnacle of Haitian power.

The president’s lengthy coattails

Elizabeth Warren ran an awesome, grassroots campaign — particularly in Boston, where she won more than 80 percent of the vote against a still-popular (in many quarters) incumbent, Scott Brown.

Many people can, and will, get credit locally. The Democratic establishment in Boston — elected officials and labor unions—got behind Warren in a big way. And their GOTV efforts on Tuesday were impressive. Of course, the bulk of the credit goes to Warren herself, a supremely well-qualified individual who we think will be a standout United States senator.

Community mourns loss of leader, merchant André Auguste

André AugusteAndré Auguste, a businessman and the patriarch of the Auguste family of Grand Goave, Haiti, died on Sept. 2 at 88. Auguste, who owned the Yvanhoe Shoe Shop on Morton Street in Dorchester, passed away at the Westacres Nursing Home in Brockton, Massachusetts.

Born in Port-au-Prince on August 24, 1924, Andre was the oldest of five sons of Francois Auguste of Grand Goave and Felicine Desir of Jacmel. Andre left school and went to work at an early age to support his four brothers, Jean-Felixtene, Esmangat, Gerard and Edner after the passing of his father and an illness that disabled his mother.

Cab drivers seek remedy to unfair pay in courts

Taxis in Boston

After two years driving a taxi, Yogesh Sagar has decided to seek justice.

“On a typical weekday, I might bring in $150 in fares, but with all the fees the cab company collects, there might be $40 left,” said Sagar, 58. So after weighing the risks, Sagar has volunteered to be lead plaintiff in a new lawsuit filed last month in Middlesex Superior Court against Ambassador Brattle Taxi of Cambridge.

The suit is the latest in a series of actions filed by Boston attorney Shannon Liss-Riordan on behalf of taxi drivers. Liss-Riordan is suing Boston Cab, the Independent Taxi Operators Association and other large fleet owners as well as the City of Boston for practices she contends violate Massachusetts employment law.

Boston Haitian Reporter