Konbit Pou Ayiti, our celebration for Haiti on Saturday July 17th, could not have been a more successful event on every level. Close to 2000 people came out to help us celebrate Haiti, its people, its culture and its artists; and to keep our awareness sharply focused on the country six months almost to the day when the earthquake devastated it and took so many lives. Among those lost was Bengi Jolicoeur, a dancer who epitomized the soul of Haiti and who had performed on our stage two years ago. This day was a tribute to him and by extension to all.
The entire staff worked tirelessly, some starting as early as 5:00 am and going as later as 3:00 am the following day, to make this event a success and it paid off. Our efforts transformed the playground of PS 161 into a beautiful and inviting outdoor theater ringed by vendors and baked by the hot sun. The crowd, which grew throughout the day, was high spirited and united in celebration and had a wonderful time eating Haitian food, building the Tower of Power for Haiti, purchasing CDs, posters and cards to help support relief efforts, and, above all, loving the artists on the stage.
Emeline Michel and I took to the stage to introduce the program and to bring people together in the spirit of the day. The program began fittingly with a dance called “Libation” by Ase Dance Theater, in which they called to the ancestors to embrace them and to rise them up to join us all in One Spirit. From there, we just kept rising into the stratosphere of celebration and unity until 9:00 when the last of the incredible Tabou Combo took us out rocking on our feet.
Ase Dance Collective was followed by Los Terrys, who took us from Africa to Cuba by way of Spain, Jamaica and certainly Haiti. With “Don Pancho” – Eladio Terry – on the shekere, an instrument he is unrivaled at, we began a musical voyage that was transformative and thrilling.
Mikaben was next up, backed by Emeline’s band. This superb young singer/songwriter/guitarist represented the fresh new face of Haiti’s “nouvelle génération” music. Mika carries the strength and the struggle of his country in his voice and every song tells its story. His set was like a warm wave taking us into its embrace
Emeline waited in meditation in the wings for her set, perfectly timed as the sun started drifting down behind the buildings on the west side of Amsterdam Avenue and a lovely summer breeze blew in. She immediately energized the crowd with her generous outpouring of infectious music. I went about my business for a minute and then found myself in the middle of the crowd just as she began her special tribute to Bengi. As she invoked him, everything changed. This was no longer just music or poetry; it was a call from the depths of her heart, a transcendent crossing over to that infinite space of spirit. The dancer, Claire, began to move toward the front of the stage with her drum as Emeline sang for Bengi to the strains of Daniel Bernard Roumain’s violin. Bengi suddenly inhabited the space, moved through the dancer; he took over. It was a stunning and powerful moment, the reason we were all there – for Bengi, for all those lost and suffering still, for their indomitable spirit and strength.
Imbued with this transcendent moment, Emeline finished her set and introduced the powerful singer/guitarist and Houngan (Vodou priest) Eddy Francois, who began off-stage with a deeply resonant invocation into his microphone.
During the set up for our final act, we raffled off American Airlines tickets to Haiti, thanked our main sponsor Target and everyone else who made this possible – the 26th Precinct, the Little League, PS 161, Prestige Beer and so on. made a last plea for folks to purchase goods to support the two relief agencies we designated for the day – the Haitian Art Relief Fund and Haitian Health Foundation.
Then Tabou Combo took over and everyone was on their feet pressing the stage and swaying back and forth for a good hour to their wonderful rhythms. At 9:00 we dutifully said goodnight to a beaming legion of people. Under the warm night sky we broke it all down, flush with pride and thoroughly spent. It was a good day. ASE!
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