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Sad but true from #1 to zip zero!!!

PostPosted: Thu Nov 16, 2017 7:31 am
by shah
Sad but true from #1 to zip zero!!!

Once upon a time, there was a musical group called SkahShah, a well-respected band and feared by many. The individual who was responsible for its creation, its name, is the great Arsene Appolon, songwriter, guitar player, and legendary drummer.

However, this isn't about Arsene Appolon. This is about the sadness of the end of one of the greatest musical bands in the history of Konpa Direk.

I hate to think or believe that the demise of this band was the result of the selfishness of a few to the detriment of so many, more specifically the fans, sadly, it's true. Imagine George Loubert Chancy, the band leader of the great Skahshah now finds himself as a "gigger" in PNP along with Jean Michel St. Victor. No disrespect here to PNP, I am just stating the facts.

Imagine Arsene Appolon in Martinique who is doing a few gigs with non-Skahshah musicians to survive and notably the grandfather of Konpa Jean-Elie Telfort in a dying NY market striving for survival with his own skahshah flavor. While Tabou Combo, their number one nemesis is still pounding the sidewalk.

There is also a new trend as producers in Martinique for example contracted old musicians like Andre Dejean, Gerard Daniel to come to Martinique for a one night gig. And lately Jean Michel St Victor and one-time George Loubert Chancy & Zouzoul appeared together as guests.

The great sadness in all of this is the exploitation by a handful of producers who are willing to make a quick buck at the expense of the true fans. Adding to insult are the "giggers" themselves unscrupulously ignore those who cherished their great compositions of the yesteryears for a few dollars. There is no shame in work to make a buck but it's how it's done. Appearing as a solo member of a legendary band like Skahshah Oh! no that's inexcusable. (Skahshah an ti gren). That deserves a smirky laugh. Skahshah is a unit not one musician at a time on stage with a bunch of strangers.

So this is the end of a beautiful friendship that initiated in the old days of Shleushleu 2nd edition with songs like Guep panyol, then Les Dix commendments, Message, This is It etc. And now the visceral path to a self-inflicted wound by each member of the group except for Johny Frantz Toussaint who is not a participant if isn't the core members of the original Skahshah.

By the way, Arsene Appolon was never voted out of SkahShah. He was simply molded by outside influences and his own swollen ambition to surpass Skahshah or become independent as a bandleader, in the process, he failed with Skahshah #1 Plus, AA express and Astros de New York.

The thing is, there is still time for redemption if Loubert Chancy, Arsene Apollon, Johny Frantz Toussaint, Jean Elie Telfort, Rodrigue Gauthier and Lesly Lavlanet (Kòkò) would come to terms that the old Skahshah fans that brought them fame still matter.

R.I.P. Mario Mayala, you will never be forgotten.

Written by Jason Accime/Shah