KOMPA! MAGAZINE

[Staff Poze 2]

ONE HMI CANCER………………
We all know that there are far more Haitians in N.Y in 2010 than in the year 1980, however we are facing a very difficult situation when it comes to the HMI. We have some bands that supposed to be leading the HMI and still they are having trouble to fill up a party room even when promoters team two bands up for his show.
Let go back to the HAITIAN COMMUNITY NEW YORK CITY 1980…………and we used to have on ANY GIVEN SATURDAY…..
Accolade de N.Y at Olympia Palace
Skah Shah at Chateau Royal
System Band at Le Flamboyant
Tabou Combo Le Chalet or even at Malibu
Tropical Combo de Ti Jacques Chez Julie Restaurant
Djet X at Le Bleu Galant

Ladies and Gentlemen…I just want to let you know that all those clubs were owned by our fellow Haitians, they were all based in Queens and most of them were at walking distance from each other.
In Brooklyn we had Coconut Grove and Equs Discothèque that were also doing wonders.
Now what I really want to bring to your attention is that all those bands used to play by themselves. A two bands show was something big and rare…not the norm as it is in today’s market…….
When bands came to N.Y from Haiti, they just do their own things…but they sure didn’t take ANYTHING away from the bands that were dominating the N.Y market.
N.Y bands like Tabou –Skah Shah-Accolade couldn’t care less if the King Coupe Cloue or the popular D.P Express with Ti Manno or the vicious animal Scorpio or the big band Bossa Combo were on tour in N.Y….Tout moun fè moun…point barre.
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Did you read your "Konpa Encyclopedia" today...

Last edited by Staff Poze 2 on Tue Jul 13, 2010 8:50 pm; edited 1 time in total

[Staff Poze 2]

Today I really think it’s a shame for all the N.Y based band to basically CLOSE SHOP just because there will be ONE popular band on tour in their home city….
Why in the world that if there is a big show at Amazura everyone else should just shut down….
We have more radio stations than 1980….we now have the internet…we now have Haitian T.V shows….more locations to place the beautiful catchy fliers and posters….we have mass mailing…emails….facebook, twitter….text messages and all kind of mode of communication and yet the year 1980 beats the year 2010 when it comes to bal numbers on any given Saturday in N.Y…..In fact the year 2010 is at a record low not only in N.Y but also in Boston, N.J and even Florida based on the report that we are seeing online.
I think the bands need to go back to basic by charging the promoters lower price for the gigs…shows should start at 10 pm and end at 4 am…the promoters should be asking lower admission price for the shows and most importantly they should have shows with each band playing by themselves…and not to have to team up with any other band…in order to give the fans the time to appreciate the work and eventually build up their own real fan base rather than sharing the stage with other groups where each band only have the time to play just a few songs and in most cases the same few songs……
THAT IS ONE CANCER THAT WE NEED TO TREAT AS WELL……
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Did you read your "Konpa Encyclopedia" today...

[Staff Poze 2]

It’s time that bands and promoters come to accept the fact that the public is sending a clear message here…You don’t have the product that is worth that much money and we are not getting enough songs for our money neither….
So the cure for the cancer is….more music….more playing time for less money….If the HMI don’t go back to basic…it will continue only to sink in.
For example a show with Nu Look, Kreyol La, Carimi, or T.Vice could cost $10.00 at 10pm….$15 at 11 pm and $20 at Midnight….No tickets sold in advance….when the people get there at 10:30pm the band is on stage performing already…yo guentan pedi kelke bel chante….watch them be on time the next show….I guarantee you that…People has no stimulus to come to the shows on time…since they know that the band will not be on time…The bands are the only ones that can change all that….and it sure can be done now if we are really going to have Haitians owned venues.
Do the math…from a promoter’s stand point…..I would rather have 400 people at $10 which will equal to $4000 than having what they are getting recently which is 100 people at $40 which do also equal $4000. At the end of the night….which party will sell more at the bar….The first party…and the reasons are….it has more customers and since the price is lower….people sure will have more money left in their pocket to spend at the bar….the band will perform for more fans and will eventually promote their products even more.
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Did you read your "Konpa Encyclopedia" today...

Last edited by Staff Poze 2 on Tue Jul 13, 2010 8:58 pm; edited 2 times in total

[Staff Poze 2]

I remember there was a club on Linden Blvd in Queens in the late 70s called El Rancho and Les Frères Déjean used to perform there by themselves and the shows used to start at 10 pm and ended at 4 am….Today’s band only perform for one and half hour if that much because sometimes the second band don’t get on stage until 3 am on a show that will end at 4 am…Ironically it’s usually the band that will get the most money for the night…sometimes 7 to 8 thousand dollars for that one hour show.....So today the public is kind of asking what did we pay for….was it to see their faces or to dance to their songs….

Today some of the top bands are asking…KOTE MOUN YO…..well the answer is that for long the public has been asking KOTE JAZZ LA …..
Back to basic….guys….back to basic….
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Did you read your "Konpa Encyclopedia" today...

[radiocitadelle2006]

I am with you on that Staff...
best way to see how your band doing is to play alone..
don't just put 3 bands together than telling people we got this town on locked down..

this summer i've seeing and heard about more BBQ taken place in the NY/NJ Metro than ever, so you think someone going to pay $45 at the door for parties while..a friend given free food,drinks, and music...
and bbq finish at 4am..
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djakout renouvle pouvwa'l... djakout renouvle pouvwa'l........... gade amba'm wa we.. men kompa

[owen1055]

The HMI has some of the worst business people I've ever met in my life. They really don't understanding pricing. The promoters need that sometimes if is better to price something at a cheaper price in order to make way more money. Pricing a bal at $30 where only 200 people show up is a dumber idea when they could've priced the same $20 and make way more.. also it's better for the band bc a lot more people will show up. They have to understand the industry bc people have a lot of options when it comes to parties. The demand for their product is very elastic and increasing to such a high level is never a good idea.
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THERE IS A HUGE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN OPINION AND FACTS.

[pwen_de_jou]

That's the truth, Staff. I used to go to NY for bals, but not in the last two years. Aside from LNDJ, I just don't see that I'm getting my money's worth. I fond myself having a better time at communion and baptism parties.

At the same time, the DJ's should really capitalize on this. Places like Labadee Manoir are raking it in because folks can hear good non-stop music from the time they walk in to the time they leave and only have to pay $10-$15.

Perhaps the artists should take a cue from the DJ's...
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Blue skies smiling at me... Nothing but blue skies do I see.

[jeancelestin]

Ah staff, se pa menm mizik, se pa menm bagay, vie fre
wap pale de skah shah number one, ou djazz san parey nan zafe konpas
Accolade ny, gwo djazz tet chaje,
system ban, vrai system band lan, bagay serie net
tabou combo, ou super power
mon che, music was the the norm back then
Moun lontan te kon mizik frem, se pa jodia
therefore, li vini tounin ou pwoblem
le fini mode de services ke pwomoter yo ap bay jounin jodian se bagay tet chaje net vie fre
Among all the cities where there is haitian colony, Ny is the worst today in terms of " les activites mondaines"
Bon Ny pa menm gen dou djazz serie except for carimi and dola :shock
Wa dim sa ou we