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|  Have
you ever heard of "Strings?"
Unfortunately for a lot of us in the Haitian community, we are not
familiar with the trio, although, they have played to packed houses
all over the world. Sometimes the question is answered by another
question, "yo se Ayisien?, are they Haitians?"
The answer is an absolute "yes."
Many things may be said about Haiti,
but her beauty and creativity are never in doubt. Her children are
divers in their thinking, as well as their expressions. So, as Konpa
prepares to take the world by storm, a group of Haitians have already
mesmerized thousands in Latin America, Asia and Europe, with a mixture
of Haitian folklore/troubadoure and Latin rhythms.But they
have yet to be properly introduced to the mass of the people.
So, without further ado, ladies and
gentlemen... STRINGS! |
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Jacky Ambroise
lead guitar
vocals |
Ralph Blanchard
Rhythm guitar
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Philippe
Augustin
Electro
acoustic bass
rhythm guitar
|
 On
a chilly Sunday night, in the beautiful Zanzibar night club in
Washington, DC, many well dressed Haitians gathered to hear Jacky,
Ralph, Philippe, and their band. Many of these people paid $30,
$38, or more, to be introduced to these gentle men.
Serge Bellegarde introduced the band shortly after 8 o'clock and
from then on it was the start of a love affair between a band
and an audience.
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 It
wasn't long after the first guitar note that the crowd left their
tables and their wines glasses to assemble on the dance floor.
Strings has an hypnotic rhythm that brings to mind Sunday afternoons
in Haiti. Many of those afternoons are spent listening to "classic"
Haitian music, along side the Latin grooves of the neighboring
Dominican Republic, who has influence much of our music, including
Konpa.
Jacky, sporting a hat and trademark dark glasses, led the audience
into one the bands best songs from the album, "flamenco tropical."
A fast rhythmic melody, that had the women twirling and laughing.
For tonight the people said, "ban'm Strings, mwen."
It was all about Strings.
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By 9 o'clock, the dance floor was crowded
as the band flirted with the audience, and they in returned cheered
and screamed with joy. The well dress crowd started to loosen up,
taking off jackets and ties. The ladies openly blew kisses at the
musicians.
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Serge Laguerre,
along with Arus Joseph, and Jean Baptiste Robenson, kept
the drums going all night. |
As in any romance, periods
of joy and laughter are followed by slow and quiet periods. Strings
not only captures its audience with the fast paced rhythms, but
songs like "Bleu de Lune" and "Historia de un amor"
are soft melodies that capture the heart and the soul.
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The trio was accompanied by a great group
of drummers: Serge Laguerre on percussion, Arus Joseph on congas,
and Jean Baptiste Robenson, only 19 years old, on drums. Although
the lead artists usually receive most of the credits, but a special
hats off, kout chapo, must be sent to the guys who kept the
rhythm behind the guitars.
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Ralph Blanchard
who partied the night before with Zenglen, can testify that
there's enough room in the heart of Haitians for Konpa as
well as Strings. |
The crowd seems to have
doubled by 10 o'clock, for many non Haitians started to join the
party, coming from other parts of the club. Zanzibar nightclub caters
to a diverse group and many were very receptive to the sounds of
Strings. Everyone, from the waiters to the doormen, was feeling
the groove.
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Strings' music
is filled with color, style and rhythm.
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 Such
beautiful Haitian music should be enjoyed by all, not just those
who can afford $30 or more on a Sunday night. The music should
also be brought to the young so they may feel proud and support
the band for many years to come.
Hopefully, it won't be long before
the answer to, "Have you ever heard of Strings?," will
be a definite, "of course."
EchodHaiti.com would like to thank JEAN
ZEPHIR DESIGNS for allowing us the opportunity to attend the wonderful
show.
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Celebrating 200 Years of Freedom 
