Music & Nightlife

Music

Jazzy Sunday: A Haitian music showcase

 

Two popular Haitian singers will share a stage together in North Miami, showcasing Haitian music.

 

Haitian musician Bélo performs his   socially-conscious music in July at Moca Cafe in North Miami.
Haitian musician Bélo performs his socially-conscious music in July at Moca Cafe in North Miami.
Picasa / Courtesy of Moca Cafe

jcharles@Miamiherald.com

One is half of the singing duo in one of Haiti’s most popular konpa bands, wooing couples on dance floors from Port-au-Prince to Palm Beach with his seductive, crooning voice into a slow melodic trance week after week.

The other is a solo artist whose performances of socially conscious lyrics, fused with Haitian roots, reggae and jazz rhythms have taken him as far as the African continent and garnered him an inter-generational following.

On Sunday, both Arly Lariviere of Nu Look and Bélo will be together for the first time, sharing center stage as Moca Café in North Miami hosts another edition of Jazzy Sundays.

“This show with Arly Lariviere is going to be a very special one,” said Bélo. “I am pretty sure the crowd is going to love it.”

Rodney Noel, part-owner of the Haitian-themed restaurant and lounge, said while the event has jazz in the name it’s all about promoting Haitian music in a laid-back setting that gives artists a chance to showcase Haiti’s vibrant sound.

Speaking from his Palm Beach County home, Lariviere made it clear he isn’t embarking on a solo career. But Sunday’s showcase, he said, is a chance for him to introduce fans to a repertoire of music he doesn’t always get to play when performing with the band.

“There will be a lot of variety for the people to appreciate,” Lariviere said, noting that some will be familiar love songs, and others will be new. “There is a public that loves to sit down and appreciate music, people who don’t usually go to the dances but want to sit and appreciate music.”

In July, hundreds crowded the Café to listen to Bélo. The performance demanded an encore, said Noel, citing high demand especially among those who missed it.

During that performance, a laid back Bélo played his guitar and sung from the heart, telling attendees, “I want to play with you, not for you.” He had no pre-determined list, he said as he sung in English and Creole. He’s looking forward to his repeat appearance, he said Wednesday. “It’s always a pleasure to meet my fellow Haitians and share the love with them, and of course bring the heat of the Caribbean sun, Haiti to the USA,” he said.

In addition to South Florida, Bélo also will be brining that “Caribbean sun” to several other U.S. cities in the coming months as part of a diplomacy initiative by the State Department’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. The initiative Center State features artists from several countries including fellow Haitian performers Ti-Coca & Wanga-Nègès and dance troupe Compagnie de Danse Jean-René Delsoin.

Jazzy Sundays featuring Belo and Arly Lariviere is from 8 to 11 p.m. Sunday at Moca Café, 738 NW 125th St. Tickets are $25 in advance. Call (305) 899-2699.

Read more Music & Nightlife stories from the Miami Herald

  •  

FILE - This May 1, 2013 file photo shows Jay-Z at "The Great Gatsby" world premiere at Avery Fisher Hall in New York.  Jay-Z is teaming up with Samsung to release his new album, unveiling a three-minute commercial during the NBA Finals and announcing a deal that will give the music to 1 million users of Galaxy mobile phones. The new album, called “Magna Carta Holy Grail,” will be free for the first 1 million android phone owners who download an app for the album. Those who do so will get the album on July 4, three days before its official release.

    Jay-Z announces new album with Samsung deal

    Jay-Z is teaming up with Samsung to release his new album, unveiling a three-minute commercial during the NBA Finals on Sunday and announcing a deal that will give the music to 1 million users of Galaxy mobile phones.

  •  

One Direction performs at the BB&T center Thursday, June 13, 2013 in Sunrise

    Concert review

    One Direction wows S. Florida fans in opening concert of U.S. tour

    No, they’re not the Beatles. But One Direction, the British tween/teen heartthrobs who’ve re-ignited the boy-band phenomenon, do have a few similarities to the Fab Four. They’re goofy, charming and effortlessly confident. And as they showed in the opening show of their U.S. tour Thursday night before a screaming, sold-out crowd at Fort Lauderdale’s BB&T Center, the Fab Five wreak havoc on American girls with their British accents, cheeky innocence and bouncy, sweetly harmonizing pop songs.

  •  

Residente of Calle 13 (left) and Wikileaks founder Julian Assange in London

    Wikileaks founder Julian Assange and famed Calle 13 rapper Residente will write a song together Thursday night

    Which goes further or has more impact – documents leaked online or a song? Famed Calle 13 frontman Residente will give Wikileaks founder Julian Assange a taste of a new kind of subversive communication tonight – music. The outspoken rapper and songwriter will meet with Assange at 10 p.m. London time Thursday to write a song with him. The two men will compose in the Ecuadorian embassy in London, where Assange has taken refuge for the past year after being charged by the U.S. government over Wikileaks’ massive release of government documents.

Miami Herald

Join the
Discussion

The Miami Herald is pleased to provide this opportunity to share information, experiences and observations about what's in the news. Some of the comments may be reprinted elsewhere on the site or in the newspaper. We encourage lively, open debate on the issues of the day, and ask that you refrain from profanity, hate speech, personal comments and remarks that are off point. Thank you for taking the time to offer your thoughts.

The Miami Herald uses Facebook's commenting system. You need to log in with a Facebook account in order to comment. If you have questions about commenting with your Facebook account, click here.

Have a news tip? You can send it anonymously. Click here to send us your tip - or - consider joining the Public Insight Network and become a source for The Miami Herald and el Nuevo Herald.

Hide Comments

This affects comments on all stories.

Cancel OK

  • Videos

  • Quick Job Search

Enter Keyword(s) Enter City Select a State Select a Category