UNIF Solidarity Tour in the Washington Post

Wednesday, July 05, 2006

Boukman Eksperyans: Music With a Mission

Tuesday, July 4, 2006; Page C07 (The Washington Post)

Haitian roots music band Boukman Eksperyans usually performs here before hundreds of emigres from its home country and a smattering of non-Haitian world-music enthusiasts at some rented-out community center. On Sunday night, with little promotion aimed at local Haitians, the activist 10-piece group played to an audience of about 75 at Virginia folk-rock club Jammin' Java.

Led by husband and wife Lolo and Manze Beaubrun, Boukman Eksperyans, on tour to gain support for the University of Fondwa (a school for Haiti's rural poor), rewarded the dedicated patrons with a kinetic two-hour show.

Formed in the late 1980s, Boukman Eksperyans -- named for a slave who led the country's rebellion against French colonialists -- sang French Creole lyrics, usually over an innovative blend of Haitian carnival percussion and Hendrix-style guitar. Even if one could not follow their once-censored criticisms of leaders, the deliveryof the words was impressive enough.

The group also has harmonized songs a cappella over its five albums, and such numbers shone, especially when led by Manze Beaubrun. Where her husband's vocals reached for but never attained a Bob Marley intonation, Manze's distinctive timbre was both sweet and husky. On "Cousin," her gorgeous quaver began the song, then the three percussionists and a trap drummer dramatically joined in with vigorous polyrhythmic beats.

Where the guitarists usually favored psychedelic finger work, on "Zanset Nou Yo" they offered speedy Congolese and Mali-style picking, with a backup singer adding hand-held metal percussion. The evening ended with the band and audience members holding hands or linking arms while they harmonized on a sublime, vocals-only version of a Haitian traditional "Mayi A Gaye," originally trilled as a lullaby of unity by Caribbean slaves.

-- Steve Kiviat

Thanks to Mawiyah Duperval, Dan Schnorr, and Nate Lew for putting together the 2006 UNIF Solidarity Tour!