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Makandal presents, teaches, and documents the sacred music and dance of Haitian Vodou, widely perceived in the mainstream as “voodoo.” We challenge clichées while keeping the magic of Vodou alive. More on our About page.
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Author Archives: makandal1758
Tales from the Archive: Tangled Roots
The spotlight caught him in one of his star moments: seated at a conga in a red Kesler Pierre t-shirt for the Vodou spirit of love (her dazzling heart crowned with the word “Makandal”); a cluster of New Orleans-style carnival … Continue reading
Posted in Tales from the Archive
Tagged Andrew Cyrille, Archive, Drumming, Drums, Frisner Augustin, Haiti, Haitian, Haitian Music, Jazz, Music, Vodou
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Tales from the Archive: Remembering Jocelyne
Frisner popped the audiocassette into his car’s player, and the music started. “Le voix là, le voix les anges, le voix là, le voix les cieux, nous prions qui sous la terre, sous la terre comme dans les cieux, le … Continue reading
Posted in Tales from the Archive
Tagged Archive, Dance, Drumming, Drums, Frisner Augustin, Haiti, Haitian, Haitian Dance, Haitian Music, Music, Vodou
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Tales from the Archive: My Diploma Is the Drum
In the summer of 1999 the cat was out of the bag that Frisner Augustin had won the National Heritage Fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). Frisner’s (and Haiti’s) coup inspired Jocelyn McCalla—most of us call him … Continue reading
Call the Drum Spirit Community Forum
Friday, June 24, 7 pm The Great Room (2nd floor) of South Oxford Space 138 South Oxford Street, Fort Greene, Brooklyn (map) Makandal presents a community brase lide (brah-say lee-day, Haitian Kreyòl for brainstorming session) led by writers, scholars, cultural … Continue reading
Call the Drum Spirit! Rele Ountò!
The Third Annual Frisner Augustin Memorial Drum Concert Saturday, June 25, 8 PM Roulette, 509 Atlantic Avenue at Third Avenue, Downtown Brooklyn (map) Who’s Playing? Bonga and Tiga Makandal Drummers with Taïna Ligondé Brother High Dreamteam Fulltempo What’s Screening? Video documentary … Continue reading
Posted in Event
Tagged Dance, Drumming, Drums, Frisner Augustin, Haiti, Haitian, Haitian Dance, Haitian Music, Music, Vodou
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Tales from the Archive: The Intimate Touch
From The Intimate Touch album notes: “We can continue hearing pulses grouped in fours….Or, we can hear a shift from pulses grouped in fours to pulses grouped in threes: beginning on the second pulse of the third beat in measure … Continue reading
Posted in Tales from the Archive
Tagged Archive, Drumming, Drums, Frisner Augustin, Haiti, Haitian, Haitian Music, Music, Vodou
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Tales from the Archive: Vodou in the Voodoo Theatre*
She was planning the program with good intentions. “Do it just like you do it at home,” Verna Gillis told Frisner as we met with her in the run-up to our first performance at Soundscape, her loft in the Manhattan … Continue reading
Posted in Tales from the Archive, Vodou
Tagged Archive, Dance, Drumming, Drums, Frisner Augustin, Haiti, Haitian, Haitian Dance, Haitian Music, Music, Symphony Space, Vodou, World Music Institute
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Tales from the Archive: A Day for Frisner, a Day for Haitian Culture
“Because of the drum, that’s why I can be here today. “I remember the time I struggled in Haiti. A lot of people used to talk bad about the culture, the roots. But today is going to be my day, … Continue reading
Tales from the Archive: The Fire Tape
His hands gripped the steering wheel as he cut his eyes off the road to fix them on mine. “The tape.” I didn’t have to wonder what Frisner was talking about. In the summer of 1986 Makandal had been hard … Continue reading
Posted in Tales from the Archive, Vodou
Tagged Archive, Drumming, Drums, Frisner Augustin, Haiti, Haitian, Haitian Music, Vodou
2 Comments
Tales from the Archive: Take Your Time
Frisner Augustin’s drum students knew his “Take your time” as a mantra, but few could articulate what he meant by it. Most assumed he was talking about tempo, or speed. For example, the tempo is sixty beats per minute, and you’re … Continue reading
Posted in Tales from the Archive
Tagged Archive, Drumming, Drums, Frisner Augustin, Haiti, Haitian, Haitian Music, Music, Vodou
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