Performing

Racine Mapou Prepares for First Saut d'Eau without Azor

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (defend.ht) - Haiti roots band Racine Mapou will make its first appearance in 18 years at Saut d'Eau without its lead vocalist Lénard "Azor" Fortuné, who passed away a year ago, to the day, on the night of July 16, 2011.

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The group has just recorded at the Real Biz studio of Ricky Juste its latest album, Minokan Azor. The CD will be available at Saut d'Eau, the early festivals, and at the same time on the airwaves across the country.

Saut d'Eau is the principal feast day celebrated in the country at Our Lady of Mount Carmel, July 16. On this occasion, the village of Ville Bonheur, located 65 km north of Port-au-Prince, receives many visitors, estimated at 200,000, from the neighboring departments, Capital and the Diaspora.

They come to honor the Virgin of Mount Carmel, Our Lady of Miracles, which would have appeared here in July 1848, taking a bath in the waterfall of luck and enjoying the festive atmosphere.

Azor has been very attached to the festivals of Saut d'Eau. Every year since its founding in 1994, the group produced Racine Mapou there for 5 consecutive nights, the place called "boundary" at the entrance of Ville Bonheur. In 2011, it is precisely on this day on Mount Carmel that Azor died after his last show.

This year's group of Racine Mapou Azor incorporates activities to their account. For the first time in eighteen years, the holiday will be without Azor, but a special tribute will be returned. To satisfy the fanatics, succession will be provided by three singers size: Wilbert Joseph "Kwachaf", Nickel Jasmine and Belfort Andre. These were all used to working with Racine Mapou during time of Azor who, for special occasions, like Saut d'Eau or Carnival, they were used in the relay or lead vocals in the supporting chorus.

Nickel Jasmin has been with Racine Mapou since 1996, and his two colleagues, "Kwachaf" and Belfort arrived in 2005 and 2008 respectively.

In the absence of the late Azor, their difference and complementarity will no doubt comfort all fanatics of Racine Mapou.

Several institutions have contributed to the special tribute by Racine Mapou on the first anniversary of the disappearance of Azor:

Ministry of Culture
Caracoli
FOKAL
Comme il Faut
Valerio Canez
Barbancourt
Caribbean T-Shirts and more.

After the CD release party at Saut d'Eau, other activities are planned until October. A tribute to Azor will be made by the Ministry of Culture on July 20.