The Vodou Drums of Haiti creates an atmosphere of energetic drumming, dancing and acoustic ceremonial singing. Laced

between the Vodou rhythms and traditional chants are instruments such as the mbira, didgeridoo, conch (empty seashells) and cha-chas. With an extensive repertoire of traditional Vodou rhythms, Creole songs and regional dances, the music traverses the plains of moun-tains of Haiti.

Songs of strength, sacrifice and hope are presented in a soulful mix that open hidden doors to a

vast musical world - mystical, passionate, warm and inviting to the mind, body and spirit. The Vodou Drums of Haiti entertains and educates in a unique style reminiscent of the griots of Africa and Haiti. Audiences experience an extraordinary historical,

cultural, and spiritual journey that remains unseen in today's musical marketplace.

The Vodou Drums of Haiti is a collective that presents traditional Haitian roots

music (mizik rasin) in its simplest and rawest form. Percussion virtuoso Gaston "Bonga" Jean-Baptiste leads this versatile drum and dance ensemble featuring his son, James "Tiga" Jean-Baptiste a skilled ceremonial drummer and exceptional student of the mbira, and the multi-talented Haitian dancer, Sheila Anoizer, who graces the stage with traditional Haitian and African yanvalou and petwo dance grooves. The ensemble also features three to six other

drummers, singers and dancers all equally skilled and rooted in Haiti's musical traditions.

THE VODOU DRUMS OF HAITIG RO U P P RO F I L E

230 Park Avenue, Suite 1000, New York, NY 10169 Tel: 2125511435 Fax: 2128083020 email: smenard683@aol.com