Haitian Treasure

Emeline Michel

Reine de Coeur (2008)

Talented Haitian singer-songwriter Emeline Michel is a tireless world traveler and excellent composer. In addition to touring worldwide, she has lived in Europe and is now living in New York City. All these experiences have had a decisive effect on her music. Her new CD is titled Reine de Coeur and it features an exquisite blend of Haitian music with Congolese rumba and Eastern European gypsy music.

Reine de Coeur was recorded in Haiti, New York, Montreal and Burkina Faso (West Africa). "This album is a true reflection of life’s moments: love, hope, pain, passion, and faith," says Emeline. "I wanted this album to be raw and real so that people from all over could relate. Much of the album was written in Africa and Haiti. Though these two lands are thousands of miles apart, the rhythms and melodies flow from the same place and serve as a backdrop to the musical stories being told.”

 

Emeline Michel produced the enchanting album herself and she invited 35 musicians to participate in the recording. Her multinational touring band includes Makarios Cesaire and Dominic Kanza (from Congo) on guitar, bassist Adrien Legagneur, French pianist Frederic Las Fargeas, Carol Hodge from Anguilla on drums, and master Haitian percussionists Serge Decius and Daniel Brevil. Some of the guest artists who provided their talent for the CD include renowned Serbian gypsy accordionist Lelo Niko, percussionist Emedin Rivera, Haitian troubadours Toto Laraque and Beethova Obas (on guitars), and Haitian-American violin virtuoso Daniel Bernard Roumain.

Reine de Coeur is one of the finest Haitian CDs in recent years.

Buy the CD:

• In North America: Reine de Coeur
• In Europe: Reine de Coeur