Wesli
High Noon Saloon 701A E. Washington Ave., Madison, Wisconsin 53703
Randolph Graham
Wesli and a guitar.
Wesli
media release: By now the world is familar with reggae and ska, but there is an island 333 miles to the east of Jamaica with a musical heritage just as rich if not more so, but virtually unknown beyond its shores.
July 21st presents a great way to hear some of Haiti's vibrant musical landscape courtesy of Haiti's prime musical minister-ambassador: Wesli.
Born Wesley Louissaint in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Wesli has grown into his role as a prolific songwriter, guitarist, and producer. Uniting a large cross-section of Montreal talent, his music links Haitian vodou and rara with Twoubadou roots, Afrobeat and reggae – guest spots on his albums have included the likes of Tiken Jah Fakoly, AfrotroniX, Mes Aïeux, Paul Cargnello and Radio Radio.
Since being crowned the Revelation Radio-Canada for 2009–2010, Wesli has gone on to win the Babel Med Music Prize (2010), SOCAN’s Hagood Hardy (Composing) Award (2016), an award from the Académie Charles CROS (2019) for Diaspora representation, a JUNO for World Music (2019), a Félix for Album of the Year in World Music (2019), and a CFMA for World Solo Artist of the Year (2020). He has toured across North America, Haiti, Colombia, Brazil, and Europe, and participated in WOMEX, Mundial Montréal and Cape Verde’s Atlantic Music Expo.
Wesli’s unstoppable creativity led to two album releases i 2015: the star-studded Immigrand alongside the more traditional Ayiti Étoile Nouvelle. Rapadou Kréyol (2018) was followed by his 7th album, Tradisyon released internationally on Oct 21, 2022, in partnership with the American label Cumbancha. Tradisyon Volume 2 will be released in 2024.
His latest video, Blackman Samba, has gotten over 1 million views/
Audiences can expect uplifting moments of roots music, Voodoo music and dance with a traditional dancer, and folk troubadour music in the Fon and Ewe Creole Yoruba languages brought from Africa by slaves.
Wesli's performance will feature songs from his most recent albums Tradisyon and Rapadou Kreyol, mixing traditional Haitian music with hip-hop, reggae and African soukous.
"Haitian people are the champion of resilience, says Wesli. "We practice it in everything we do and in our music, even the sad subjects. We sing it with happiness. That's the only way we can get through difficult situations."
The stark contrast between the present situation in Haiti and the joy of Wesli's musical expression is not lost on him. "In the situation we are now enduring, and have been since Independence, we have never given up on freedom politically, economically or socially. We want the world's support through your good vibes, support and celebration of our culture and traditions, because they are the values that represent us well. We want to share this with the rest of the world to let people know the first Black Republic is still alive and won't die. We represent the freedom of all Africans around the world."
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Chris Lotten
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