Tabou Combo: Spreading Taboulogy

July 2005__Imagine not being Haitian and loving Tabou Combo. Imagine after almost forty years of playing konpa,Tabou Combo, with a collection of new blood, can still rock a crowd with fresh new sound. Imagine Tabou Combo, the architects of today’s konpa music, still building, teaching, and spreading the Haitian culture, in the form of Taboulogy.

Tabou Combo, no longer simply “de Petionville,” arrived late into town for their show at Zanzibar nightclub, in Washington, DC. The band was the second artists, and the second Haitian act, of the club’s “Soiree de Fete,” a monthly program, featuring artists from the French African and French Caribbean Diaspora. The band quickly took the stage and proceeded to immediately get the party started.

She stood directly in front of the band and was getting down, “baissez bas,” like everyone else. As the band played “Aux Antilles,” she became one with her dance partner, as the best konpa dancers tend to do, with feet and hips moving with precise timing. Tanned, with hair in bun, long dress, gold earrings, she could have easily been from Petionville, Jacmel, or Cap-Haitien, but Ramya Vivekanandan was born in India. Because of some time spent in South Africa, she learned to love Zouk music, and through Zouk learned to appreciate Tabou Combo.

As some of the younger Haitian generation start to think of Tabou as “their parents’ music,” the band is as popular as ever overseas. As the club’s promoter put it, “we are not necessarily trying to go after the Haitian crowd. Emeline Michel, Tabou Combo, Kassav, should attract more than just the Haitian community.” And they did.The crowd included many Haitians, but also included many Africans, including one man who “just came from Haiti, as part of the UN mission.” By the end of the night, many African-Americans came down from the R&B floor to get into the party.

Tabou Combo’s reputation as one of the best live bands in the world continues to grow because of some tremendously talented additions to the band, notably, Donald Charlot on keyboard, and most impressively, Gary Josama, on guitar. Many times during the night, both Yves “fanfan” Joseph and Roger “shoubou” M. Eugène stepped back to let some of the young stars shine. Gary Josama fascinated and delighted the crowd with his skills. Donald Charlot was equally impressive on keyboards.

Whether you were born in Haiti, or elsewhere, whether you are not half as old as Tabou’s been playing konpa, Tabou Combo can be appreciated as one of the best bands in the world. They started in Petionville, Haiti, and now have spread their music from Amsterdam to Guadeloupe to South Africa. The experience of Yves Joseph, Roger M. Eugène, Yvon Andre, Reynald Valme, with the youth, talent and energy of the new members, along with a catalogue of classic hits that span three decades, Tabou Combo will still be around for generations to come.

© EchodHaiti.com, gmathurin 7/2005