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| Ninon on vocals |
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One of the hottest, most prolific and versatile young female Haitian artists performing currently in the Haitian diaspora. Her versatility allows her to project the most sensual notes to sing love and passion on both slow and fast rhythmic patterns, with a very strong and smooth voice. Her songwriting style opens a wide window not only on Haitian pop music, but also on most of the different genres of music Haitians are being exposed too. She makes skillful use of those influences, from konpa, soukous, funana, reaggae, socca, zouk to house music. Besides being a singer, Ninon is a very talented dancer and choreographer. Her style reflects a very seductive fusion of sensuous Afro-Caribbean steps and jazz enhancing her elegance, sensuality, and her joie de vivre. She has performed as a back up and lead vocalist with numerous contemporary Haitian artists, among them Batwèl Rada, Vèvè, and Djazz la, Segwe. |
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| Jane Wang on bass |
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Composer/musician has toured in Haiti, Japan, Sweden, Yugoslavia, Hungary and the U.S. Recent stints include Sabir Mateen’s Quintet, Veronica Robles’ Mariachi Band, Nikola Radan’s Balkan-influenced Balmus Ensemble, organist/choir director for the UCC church in Amesbury, MA. She created music for Renita Martin’s one woman show Five Bottles In a Six Pack, the new music group Human Connection and Hanne Tierney’s Theater Without Actors. Jane often works with movement artists and presented the multimedia Moving Sound for the 2001 Boston Asian American Jazz Festival, 2002 Autumn Uprising and thru a Artslink 2002 grant, the Ludwig Museum and Mu Theater in Budapest, Hungary in collaboration with the Balvanyos Ensemble. She studied with Cecil McBee, Joe Maneri, Dave Zox and Bob Gullotti.
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| Fritz Joseph on percussion |
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Known as Fritz “Juju” Joseph, former conga player of Batwèl Rada, nominated Best World Music Band of Boston in 1995. Also worked with Fantezi Kreyòl, and Chovi Ginen. Collaborator at Yanvalou Drum & Dance Ensemble, a folkloric group that performs the traditional music and dance of Africa as it exists today in Haiti and Brazil.
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| Ken Cook on piano |
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Originally from California and now based in Boston, Ken has been playing Jazz, Blues, Ethnic and improvised music professionally as a pianist and keyboardist for over twenty years. He has recorded numerous projects on several independent labels including Rounder Records and has toured through the U.S., Europe and South America. He studied at the Berklee College of Music, the New England Conservatory and privately with renowned educators and performers Charlie Banacos, George Russell, Jimmy Giuffre, Bevan Manson, John Lockwood, and Cecil McBee. Ken received his Masters of Music in Jazz Performance from the New England Conservatory in Boston. |
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| Patrick Mottaz on guitar |
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Universite de Lausanne; Ecole de Jazz et de Musique Actuelle; Performance Diploma, Berklee College of Music. Mr. Mottaz has many years of performance experience in Europe and the U.S. He has appeared on television, radio, CD recordings and live performances with Marlene, and his own Patrick Mottaz Trio. Berklee College of Music, Boston, Ma. Diploma in Performance, summa cum laude, Ecole de Jazz et de Musique Actuelle, Lausanne, Switzerland; Music Theory and Guitar Study, Universite’ de Lausanne, Dorigny, Switzerland. Private instructor – all styles of guitar for over 15 years. Performs in his own Jazz trio, throughout the New England area.
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| Andreas Brade on drums |
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Received a Bachelor of Music degree magna cum laude from Berklee College of Music. He is experienced as an instructor in Jazz, Rock, Funk, Brazilian, Afro-Cuban and World Music. He has taught frequently at Berklee College of Music and performed with jazz artists like Issi Rozen, Ken Kook and the Jazz Composer Alliance. Andreas is a member of “Wildest Dreams,” the percussion ensemble, “The Six Drumsets,” the North African group “Atlas Soul” and the Haitian group “Vèvè.” He is also faculty at the Boston Community Music Center of Boston and a member of Vic Firth educational team. Mr. Brade is the cofounder of the “Percussion Art Ensemble of Boston” and received the Marilla MacDill award for excellence in teaching.
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