KOMPA! MAGAZINE

[SIROMYEL]

Couldnt have said it beter DJK.

I dont know if menelas is as good as conde.

But he is defnitely as good as or better than puerta or pozo.


Just one of those underrated players in the HMI Who seems to never really get a break.

PIPO was one at one point... dont k now how NU LOOK will play out for him.

Armstrong jeune... among others.
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A man who has taken possession of his own mind may take possession of anything else to which he is justly entitled_ Carnegie

[jeancelestin]

IF YOU REALLY WANT TO HEAR RALPH, GO LISTEN TO SOME OLD ZENGLEN DURING GRACIA'S ERA
RALPH IS DEFINITELY AN UNDERRATED GUITARIST IN THE SENSE THAT NOT A LOT OF PEOPLLE KNOW ABOUT HIM
WELL, WHAT IS NEXT? L'AVENIR DIRA LE RESTE...
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AUX PAS, AVEC LE KOMPAS!

[BRINA]

DJ k u couldn't have said it any better....
well as his cousin i know that he will not STOP there, we come from a family of musician and music is his passion.[/list]
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MWEN TANDE GEN GRO DJAZZ, GEN BON DJAZZ.......
DJAZZ PA'M SON BEL DJAZZ!!!!!

[Jean-Luc]

Those who are familiar with Kompa music history know the name Menelas weighs a lot. Ralph uncles Les Freres Menelas, tall handsome guys according to the ladies, did a lot of damages in Haiti and the caribbean with their band Les Ambassadeurs who was le sweetheart of Martinique-Guadeloupe. With their hitsong ' Bobine" they did conquer the whole caribbean amd some countries in South America. Ralph Menelas musical roots are deep. He's one of the top kompa players not because of his technics on the guitar but for his never-ending groove source.
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"Emancipate yourself from mental slavery, none but ourselves can free our mind." -
-- Bob Marley

I guess the band went Green, no gaz no petrole no pollution.
Se sou panneau solaire li mache...
---Le MOMO

[Arly-Vice]

Like Gracia Delva used to say Ralph Menelas Bad Ass ......feel bad for the guy great guitar player
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KAMIKAZ:Arly HAS 3 HITS IN ONE ALBUM WHERE ARE SOME BANDS THAT ARE STILL LOOKING FOR ONE.
NARAH T.:T-VICE IS NOT ONLY ON TOP OF THEIR GAME BUT THEY'RE ALSO AHEAD OF THE HMI GAME.
HARMONIK lan HOT HOT HOT

[Jay Brooklyn]

Thanks, DJK...
monche, mwen pat finn renmen Beljazz leu yo te fek soti..
men apre ke'm te pran san'm pou'm tande yo, mwen te panse ke yo te pral yon altenatif pou Zenglen ak Nu Look lan zafe konpa lou...
mwen te toujou gen dout paske mwen konnen ke mariaj Pipo/Menelas la pap dure...
it's just too bad....
depi yon moun se fanatik kod, fok ou konnen kisa Ralph Menelas peze....
byen ke nou di ke misye pa gen shans, men mwen renemn determinasyon misye....
mwen konnen kan mem ke nap tande misye anko..
swa lan jazz pa li, swa lan yon lot...
petet misye ka menm tounen lan sous li....mwen pa tap mind ditou.

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BAT CHIEN AN, TANN MET LI!

[Yvika]

Thanks for the breakdown on Menelas.

I guess we'll see how this plays out. In any case, good luck.
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Life is short. Break the rules.

[1Lov']

Gromosso wrote:

Kreyol, one rectification before I proceed with my comments. Beljazz had already been put together when Ralph was asked to join the band. The band had already released their debut single "La Femme De Mon Patron" prior to Ralph joining the band. In that sense, he was not a founding member. He later on became a co-owner of the band when Pipo (from what I've been told) approached him about Beljazz. Ralph is a very underrated guitarist. He may not be a household name like Laporte, Ralph Conde, and Pozo but the man belongs right up there with the aforementioned three. Ralph is one my favorite Compas Direct guitar players. Respekte Menelas! I will post some audio of Ralph's guitar when I leave Mr Blan's house in an hour.

Hummm, Hummm...Ralph is one my favorite Compas Direct guitar players.
Hey, Be careful with that statement...
Gen moun kap fe Jalouzi wi la.... People like 1Lov......
Seriously, you are so right.......Ralph Menelas comes from the Famous Menelas Family (Les Ambassadeurs), He has to be Good. I once told him that he must do Good with the Legendary Menelas Family name and indeed he has done well, a Sick Guitar Player
There's nothing like hearing some Good 'ol Zenglen with Ralfo.
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" KM" 1Lov's Hometown Newspaper..

[1Lov']

DJ Kreyol wrote:

Conde, Laporte and El Pozo. What do these guys have in common? Well all three are HOUSEHOLD names in kompa. These men are praised for their grooves year after year. During the last decade, these three have been in the forefront of konpa direk. Menelas. Who? Well this guy is not a household name, but actually deserves to be in the ranks of the THREE I just mentioned. The height of Ralph Menelas' career was when he was the lead guitarist of the Miami band Zenglen. Zenglen at the time was the Chou Chou of Miami, due to their lead singer Gracia Delva and upcoming maestro and producer Ritchie. It was in Zenglen, where Ralph really made his name and respect amongst fellow musicians and kompa experts. Menelas would eventually leave Zenglen. He brainstormed on idea of a group called 509. 509 was formed with the idea of being an alternative to a defunct Zenglen (without Delva) and a raising band Nu-Look. Ralph surrounded himself around YOUTH. Names like Carlo Chevueax and Ti Harold were apart of this youth movement. Ralph finally chose an upcoming singer in Kenny Desmangles to sing in front of the band. The 509 had a buzzworthy success on STAGE and in their single "Fake". With this limited success, the band wanted to exploit their success and go to Haiti. Unfortunately at the time, Ralph has traveling issues. The band went without him and Menelas would never return to 509. As 509's life was dying off, Ralph had another project in mind. The project was called Neks. Again Ralph surrounded himself around the youngest and talented musicians in Miami. Ti Lunet, Ti Doo and Katalog. The band released one single and performed at the Compas Festival. Things were going well. Issues were now surrounded by studio work. Ralph faced a coup d'etat and the band was taken by Katalog and Ti Lunet. Once again, Ralph found himself alone. Ralph then went back to the drawing board and approached Pipo about joining forces. Pipo was in Hangout and it was obvious and apparent that Hangout was going nowhere fast. So Ralph, Pipo and Fritz Bonheur formed Beldjazz. The band debuted with an album called Van Vire. People adored the CD. On stage the band were a DELIGHT, but back stage the band began getting a tag of not paying giggers and others for their services. In January 2010, Gazzman Couleur left the almighty Nu-Look. Many saw this was going to be Beldjazz's opportunity to claim the number one band status in Miami. Unfortunately, many were wrong once again. After a disagreement in Haiti between Pipo and Ralph, Pipo offered himself to Arly to become the NEW LEAD SINGER of Nu-Look. Arly and Co. accepted. And once again, Ralph found himself alone. Ralph Menelas has been a TOP 5 GUITARIST in the HMI for the past 10 years, however NO ONE gets to hear him play. His story is really unlike any other. What will Ralph do now? Will Ralph accept just being a guitarist like he was in Zenglen? Will Ralph continue in his quest of having his own band? Or will Ralph look at this 3 STRIKES as signs that ENOUGH IS ENOUGH?

DJK,
I had a great time reading your breakdown of my Brother Ralph...
I could not find any Flaws in it.
You did a very good thing and I respect you even more. Not too many people write about our Haitian Artists with that kind of Caring without sounding like a personal friend or a Fanatik malad.
Great Job, my Brother. Always a pleasure to read you on KM.
Thank You and maybe one Day when I'm as Good as Ralfo, I'll be Honored with such a nice breakdown from Gromoso or Jaybrooklyn or Yanvaloo..
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" KM" 1Lov's Hometown Newspaper..

[PlusHfully Yours]

DJ... YESSS!! Great topic,... Hi5 to this one..

Nice to see underrated musicians surface...

Manelas is GOOD... I heard him in the past but didn't quite flow with him until he came to Beljazz. Li sonnen bien na zore'm.. He definitely got some skills that can be denied.

A musicians reputation can seriously overshadow the talent they have to offer. Its not a surprise that Manelas isn't many folks favorites in this game.. but I think slowly & gradually he was getting better.. Its unfortunate his shine was cut short because I think Beljazz was his ticket to getting the respect he deserves.. as far as "music" goes. He has quite a good resume... but his reputation is what puts him under waters at times...
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Walk With Faith... Not Fear... Free Yourself.. "The Vision"