Sonic Pluriverse Festival: Bass Culture - Jowee Omicil, Boukman Eksperyans

In the organizer's words:

The concerts of this evening build a bridge between the Sonic Pluriverse Festival and Bwa Kayiman, the annual HKW event to celebrate the Haitian Revolution.

Jowee Omicil

Saxophonist, composer, pianist and singer Jowee Omicil combines jazz with Haitian rhythms. On his album Spiritual Healing: Bwa Kayiman Freedom Suite, released in 2023, he dedicates himself to a decidedly Haitian theme: the great ceremony that heralded the Haitian uprising of enslaved people and the path to independence in Bwa Kayiman in 1791. Hundreds of enslaved people from the surrounding plantations had gathered for a religious ritual and strategic meeting and decided on the fight for freedom that led to the Haitian Revolution. Jowee Omicil tells this story in his one-hour work. His own musical journey began in his father's church, where he used his saxophone to inspire the spiritual experience of the congregation. Omicil studied at Berklee College of Music and is part of the New York jazz scene, where Ornette Coleman became his mentor and collaborations with greats such as Roy Hargrove, Marcus Miller and Wyclef Jean influenced his path. Omicil is not only a gifted multi-instrumentalist who effortlessly shuttles between genres and brings them together, but also a curious explorer in constant search of knowledge and spirituality.

Boukman Eksperyans

Once again we return to the Bwa Kayiman: the most important figure in the great uprising of 1791 was Dutty Boukman, who led those gathered there into battle and triggered the revolution. Although he was soon captured and murdered by the French colonial troops, Boukman has remained a national hero to this day, who is very popular in Haiti and after whom the group Boukman Eksperyans, founded in 1978, was named. The founders of the band, Lolo Beaubrun and Manzé Beaubrun, are still the musical heads today - now joined by their children - and they are still on a revolutionary mission, both socially and musically.

Boukman Eksperyans was the first and is still the most important band of the musical style known as rasin, which since 1970 has combined various traditional Haitian musics such as rara, vodou singing and rural work songs with rock, reggae, soukous, funk and jazz and is now known worldwide. It often deals with political themes such as freedom, self-determination, faith and religion. After the fall of President Jean-Bertrand Aristide in 1991, the band had to go into exile in Jamaica for some time and recorded their third album, Libète (Pran Pou Pran'l!) in Bob Marley's Tuff Gong Studios. In the meantime, Boukman Eksperyans have returned to Haiti, have been on stage for almost 30 years and have recorded 9 albums, one of the most successful being Revolution (1998).

This evening's concerts create a bridge between the Sonic Pluriverse Festival: Bass Cultures and Bwa Kayiman, the annual event at HKW in celebration of the Haitian Revolution.

Jowee Omicil

Saxophonist, composer, pianist and singer Jowee Omicil combines jazz with Haitian rhythms. His 2023 album Spiritual Healing: Bwa Kayiman Freedom Suite focuses on a decidedly Haitian theme: the ceremonial gathering in Bwa Kayiman in 1791 that heralded the start of a rebellion by enslaved Haitians and paved their way to freedom. Hundreds of enslaved people from the surrounding plantations gathered for a religious ritual and strategic meeting, deciding to launch the liberation struggle that led to the Haitian Revolution. In his hour-long piece, Omicil tells this story. His own musical journey began in his father's church, where he lifted up the congregation with his saxophone. Omicil studied at the Berklee College of Music and is part of the New York jazz scene, where Ornette Coleman became his mentor and through which he has collaborated with artists such as Roy Hargrove, Marcus Miller, and Wyclef Jean. As well as being a gifted multi-instrumentalist who moves effortlessly between genres, Omicil is also an inquisitive explorer, always in search of knowledge and spirituality.

Boukman Eksperyans

Returning again to Bwa Kayiman, one of the most important figures of the rebellion was Dutty Boukman, who led the assembled company and triggered the revolution. Although he was soon taken prisoner and murdered by French colonial troops, Boukman has remained a national hero in Haiti, prompting the group Boukman Eksperyans to name themselves after him when they formed in 1978. The original members Lolo Beaubrun and Manzé Beaubrun are still the band's musical leaders, now assisted by their children, and remain on their revolutionary mission, both socially and musically.

Boukman Eksperyans was the first band to play in the musical style called rasin, which has now achieved worldwide fame. Since 1970, it has mixed various kinds of traditional Haitian music like rara, Vodou singing, and rural work songs with rock, reggae, soukous, funk, and jazz. The music often deals with political issues like freedom, self-determination, and faith and religion. After the ousting of President Jean-Bertrand Aristide in 1991, the band had to go into exile in Jamaica for several years, recording their third album, Libète (Pran Pou Pran'l!), at Bob Marley's Tuff Gong Studios. In the three decades since their return to Haiti in 1994, Boukman Eksperyans have continued to perform on stage and have recorded subsequent nine albums, including the well-known Revolution (1998).

Price information:

https://tickets.kbb.eu/hkw.webshop/webticket/shop?event=15374&language=en