K-Mistry enters Boston into Konpa sweepstakes

KMistryKMistryKMistry “It’s My Life” Boston’s music fans have been hoping for local talent to impact the mainstream Konpa scene and it seems their prayers might be answered with our latest local sensation - the band – K-Mistry!. The group’s first album “It’s My Life” is currently available in a store near you and this independent release boasts a generous 14 original compositions. K-Mistry has been making moves locally all winter throughout greater Boston. They’ve paired up with Djakout Mizik, T-Micky and Kreyol-La to give fans a taste of their talent and it seems they’ve garnered quite a local following so far. The formation was born in 2009 when young musicians - Riccardi Rene (Keys), Alex Mathieu (Band leader/Bassist), Clarence Rene (Lead vocals), Willenz Altenor (Lead vocals), Yves Eliscar (guitar), Stanley Jeudi (Keys), Abdias Derisme (Percussion), Kevin Merisier (Drums) and Wilgens Joseph (Congas) – combined their talents to pursue their musical ambitions.

Hyde Park Open Studios seeks artists to participate

Hyde Park Open Studios takes place Sunday, September 30, 2012. This event highlights artists and their work. It is a community-wide, family event. We invite resident-artists from the Haitian Community of Hyde Park to join us. Registration takes place during the month of June. For more information, call Tommey at 617.784.8260; write to hydeparkos@gmail.com; or visit our website at hydeparkopenstudios.org

Parade, Flag Day highlight Heritage Month in Boston

Unity parade set for May 20: The annual parade features marching bands, floats, dancers and dignitaries- all celebrating Haitian and Haitian-American culture. Photo by Don WestUnity parade set for May 20: The annual parade features marching bands, floats, dancers and dignitaries- all celebrating Haitian and Haitian-American culture. Photo by Don WestHaitian-Americans United Inc. organizes the celebrations each year of Haitian Heritage Month in Boston, Massachusetts. H.A.U. and its partner organizations continue to focus on “Unity” as a central theme for each event; while evoking the spirit and the determination of the ancestors that led Haiti’s independence on January 1st 1804. The Haitian Heritage theme for this year is: Haiti counts on its Diaspora and Friends: Unified to support Education and Reconstruction. As to previous years, H.A.U. will coordinate three major events for the Haitian Heritage Month with one in collaboration with Haitian-American State Representative Linda Dorcena Forry.

'Fugitive' indicted for double murder of sisters last year

Jean Weevens Janvier: Indicted for killing Emile sisters last year. Jean Weevens Janvier: Indicted for killing Emile sisters last year. A Suffolk County Grand Jury has indicted a former Boston man in the Nov. 2011 double-murder of two Haitian-American sisters who were gunned down in their Dorchester apartment last November. The suspect, Jean Weevins Janvier, 30, has been on the run since the homicides and authorities say that they believe he's fled the country. Prosecutors say that Janvier had been in a previous romantic relationship with Stephanie Emile, 21, who was found shot to death alongside her sister, Judith, 23, in their Harlem Street apartment on Nov. 14, 2011.

Mattapan sisters excel in classroom, as mentors to Haitian kids

Gilbert Sisters: Sisters Shaina and Gabriella Gilbert have spent the last three years volunteering at a camp that Shaina created in Haiti. Gabriella will attend Columbia University in the fall, while Shaina is presently pursuing a Master’s degree at Boston University. Gilbert Sisters: Sisters Shaina and Gabriella Gilbert have spent the last three years volunteering at a camp that Shaina created in Haiti. Gabriella will attend Columbia University in the fall, while Shaina is presently pursuing a Master’s degree at Boston University. Mattapan sisters Shaina and Gabriella Gilbert are six years apart in age, but they share the same passion for scholarship and volunteerism. The Gilbert girls have particularly distinguished themselves by devoting their summers to teaching youth in their parents’ native Haiti. In 2009, Shaina created a summertime leadership camp called Empowering Through Education, or ETE, which derives from the Haitian Creole word for “summer.” In its first year, the camp started with 40 students that expanded to over 100 over the past four years, teaching children how to become leaders of their communities and learn about social change.

Filmmaker Jerome key figure in Boston film festival

Patrick JeromePatrick JeromeAfter experiencing several film festivals, Patrick Jerome, Haitian-American filmmaker, realized that nothing like this existed in Boston. Arriving in America to a different film industry, he created the Boston International Film Festival (BIFF) to not only present his own films, but to bring culture and movies throughout the world to the city. With only a small number of films accepted, the Tenth Annual BIFF will be screening over 100 movies from 30 countries at the Boston Common AMC Loews. Jerome said a record-breaking number of filmmakers are coming from South Korea, Germany, Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, the Netherlands, and France.

Book excerpt: Our weekly trip to Codman Square

Faith's LegacyFaith's LegacyThe following chapter excerpt is from the book Faith’s Legacy: A Haitian-American Family’s Journey of Faith Across Three Generations. The book, published by WestBow Press, is the work of Fabiola Powell, a Haitian-American woman who was born in the Central Republic of Africa before immigrating to the United States with her family in 1973. Marie always spent a great deal of time preparing us for our weekly trip to Codman Square. She used a washcloth by the bathtub to scrub me and, after a thorough towel-dry, covered me all over with baby powder. After my hair was washed, I spent what seemed like hours sitting on the floor between her she tried to straighten my nappy hair. Then she’d brush it thoroughly and apply some grease to my scalp to give my hair a nice shine. Now we were ready for our trip. It was something I looked forward to, although I had to go through a lot just to get ready.

Pressure mounts for UN to address role in Cholera outbreak

Mounting death tolls and calls for justice are intensifying the pressure on the United Nations to address the cholera epidemic it started in Haiti. Cholera has raged through Haiti like a wildfire for 16 months, leaving 7,050 dead and sickening 531,000, according to the Haitian Ministry of Health.  Epidemiologists and cholera experts had never seen the disease take hold of a population so quickly, or so violently, and today the epidemic is the worst in modern history.

Jazz trumpeter Jean Caze blends American, Haitian sounds

Jean CazeJean 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.

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