Tropicana's 40th Anniversaire

Heritagekonpa Magazine

Publish August 14, 2004

Before the drum-machine or the digital era in Haitian music, Big Bands Orchestra was the standard in Konpa music. Often playing with 5 trumpets, 2 saxophones, 4 singers, and a rhythm section consisting of the piano, accordion, bass, African congas, and drums. Haitian bands often performed music of various genres including Salsa, Meringue, Caribbean, and American Jazz.

Tropicana D'Haiti is one of such tradititional bands. The legendary konpa band headed by maestro Charles" Ti Blanc" Cinna Octavius, one of the icons of contemporary Haitian music, has recorded more than 20 albums and countless vinyls in 40 years.

The ensemble Tropicana has enjoyed a forty year reign and the reputation for being an outstanding and disciplined performing group. According to "Ti- Blanc" , who has played saxophone with the band for 39 years, Tropicana was named after a famous Cuban club frequented by Cubans living in Au Cap-Haitien, the second largest city in Haiti. The band's music is rooted in Cuban Pachanga, Salsa, and Meringue with distinctive Konpa Direk ambient chords.

From 1964 onward Tropicana's most loyal fans have been those living in the northern part of Haiti, but the band's popularity exploded throughout the country with the release of their hit album Papa Cokote. Indeed, Tropicana is a hard-core Haitian music institution, famous for elaborate verbal riffs and modestly inspirational tunes. With countless hit songs, which include "Yolande, Limonade, Veye Priye, Angelique, Kimbe Dimite, Fleure adore, Nou refize Gran moune, and the forever popular Ti j Jocelyn, among numerous other recordings. Tropicana has touched on almost every subject, articulating Haitian society vices, bias, misconceptions, and cultural costumes. The band has proven to be more than just a fluke of talent, but rather true masters of an art form, a versatile group, and an endurable successful force within the music industry. ( click here to listen to the best of Tropicana. Real One required )

Soccer's Odd Bonding: When Brazil Scores, Haiti Roars. U.S.-born boxer carries Haiti's hopes Haiti's Gun Haiti still rife with kidnappings, violence A Celebration of Haitian Culture. A Taste of Haiti, Fiery and Fresh Seaside town in Haiti takes high artistic aim Haiti's Deforestation Haiti's Condition In The Twenty First Century Pictures Of Haiti

Tropicana celebrates its 40th anniversary in August, 2004. To commomerate this milestons , L'orchestre Tropicana D'Haiti has just released "40 Eme Anniversaire", a compilation of some of the bands' most famous songs. While this is not a greatest hits collection, this compilation is nothing short of excellent. Its features 16 great songs that highlight the bands' rich musical history and versatility. "40 eme Anniversay" is an arrangement of Tropicana's songs performed by some of the most well known Haitian singers, including Jude Jean (Kdans), Gracia Delva ( Mas Konpa), Stanley Stoussant (Lakol), Dadou Pasquest (Magnum Band), Eric Charles, Michel Martelly ( Sweet Micky), King Kino (Move Move), Joe Zenny ( Konpa Kreyol), Tonto Bisha, Amstrong Jeune ( formerly of NY ALSTARS, Eliote Alouidor, Pouchon Diverser ( Djakout Mizik), Gazman Pierre (Nu Look), Luc Doraus (Tropicana), Pipo Stanise (Dzine/ Hang Out).

With a sense of freshness and immense creativity, each song was carefully crafted to fit the vocal range and style of individual singers. Unlike most other Konpa collaborations, Tropicana's "40 eme Anniversaire" sounds just like the original songs. In addition, these songs are not just random fillers for the album. Instead, they are a testament of Tropicana's overall diversity and longevity. Some of the most notable songs on this double compact disc include a new rendition of Tropicana's anthem, "Limonade", sung by Sweet Micky, the president of Konpa, and Tonton Bisha, the classic song " Kre Kot Papa" interpreted by King Kino, the immortal song "Superstition" sung by Dadou Pasquet, the memorable ballads " Gason ak Fanm", "Reconciliation", "tribulation", and an array of super hit songs. Every singer and musician who contributed their services and time to this project deserve tremendous credit. They prove that the new generation of Haitian musicians has not forgotten their roots

Over the years, Tropicana has proven to be one of the most enduring and the greatest of Haitian bands whose unique phrasing and harmony conjure jovial emotion among Konpa fans everywhere. What is unfortunate, however, is that the younger generation (those in their mid 20's) has an unfounded tendency to believe that you must be in your 50's or 60's to enjoy Tropicana or witness one of their performances. Contrarily, I must emphasize that "an educated music fan can learn to appreciate good music regardless of the era or generation", to quote what my father has often reiterated to myself and my brothers.

With the movement of Haitian music in a direction where digital bands dominate the industry over the past decade, it is sometimes easy to forget that there are veteran groups out there. Nevertheless, Tropicana, and other bands like Septentrional (since 1948), and Tabou Combo (since 1968) have put other styles of Haitian music in the spotlight. In this unstable music industry, it is very rare to find a group with such a high caliber of musicians who has stayed together as long as Tropicana without intermediate breakage. Since the early 1960's Tropicana has been at the heart of Haitian music, and has made profound contributions to the evolution Konpa.

Tropicana is one of the most admired

Heritagekonpa and its staff would like to take this moment to thank Tropicana's musicians for their contribution to Haitian music. .

TROPICANA LINE UP

• Jacques Geram Michel Technician, December 1963
• Jauque Jn Claude. Ph, Saxphonist and Singer 1963
• Charles Cinna Octavius " Ti- Blanc", February Saxophonist, 1964
• Pierre Lesida Jersy, Drum & Percussion, February 1965
• Parisien Ph. Fils-Aime, Lead singer, November 1966
• Louis Jean Lubean, Trombonist, October 1967
• Lubert Baptiste, Guitar, 1968
• Raphael Abraham, Trombonist, March 1969
• Paul Eduard Jean, Lead singer, September 1972
• Jean Chenet Mondesir, Bass, March 1980
• Jean Claude Jacque, Simger and song writer, September 1981
• Jude James Joseph, Piano, 1986
• Joseoh Claimond Mondesir, Alto Saxophonist, 1987
• Smith Vixamar, trompetist & Trombonist, March 1991
• Pierre Pelotat, Guitar & song writer, March 1993
• Ernest Devis, Congas, Juin 1998
• John J. Joans, Trompetist, March 1998
• Herlex andre, Keyboard, May 1999
• Jasmind Mac Anglad, Bass, May 1999
• Luc Doralus, Lead singer, January 2000
• Frandy Julien, Drum
• (We would like to acknowledge former Tropicana Lead singer Jordanie Joseph who recently retired in New Jersey and Mac Duverger who produced nearly all Topicana's albums before he died of hearth attack last year)

Contact Us - We'd love to hear what you have to say about our website.
Copyright © 2000-2004 Heritagekonpa® Magazine, Inc. All rights reserved.

Heritage Konpa Magazine, Inc.
P. O Box 1362
Valley stream, NY 11580
Phone: 917-853-3746
Fax: 718-560-3076
Email: heritagekonpa@yahoo.com