MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) - Thousands of Haitian and Caribbean music fans are expected for South Florida’s annual Haitian Compas Festival.
The French-Caribbean band Kassav will make a rare Florida appearance at the Saturday festival at Sun Life Stadium in Miami Gardens.
Kassav is credited with popularizing zouk music in the 1980s. Festival organizer Rodney Noel tells The Miami Herald (https://hrld.us/QMYmRw ) that Kassav was invited this year because the event’s market has expanded beyond Haitian communities to Martinique, Guadeloupe and St. Martin.
The festival line-up also includes a dozen other Haitian compas, rock and rap groups. The younger Haitian bands say they’re trying to replicate Kassav’s worldwide success.
Kassav co-founder Jacob Desvarieux’s advice for them: marketing and beats that resonate around the world are the keys to reaching beyond the small market for Haitian music.
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Information from: The Miami Herald, https://www.herald.com
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