☰
| Order | Get the album |
| About the album | Kay Sa |
| About the artist | Markus Schwartz & Lakou Brooklyn |
| Personnel | The players |
| Tracks | Hear samples |
| Critical Acclaim | Quotes from reviews |
| Session Photos | See video and photos from the recording session |
| Blog Entry | Read about the sessions and the gear |
| Release Party Photos | See videos and photos from the release party |
| SR Interview | Markus Schwartz |
Markus Schwartz & Lakou Brooklyn return in a new iteration for a new Soundkeeper Recording. Recorded in a church dating from 1864, the mesmerizing sounds of music from Haiti blend with the sophisticated jazz sensibilities of the players and soulful vocals to create sounds both heart-wrenching and life-affirming. Kay Sa was recorded "live" (for the microphones) in a single session.
Markus Schwartz: Haitian Rada & Petwo drums, cajon, ride cymbal, miscellaneous hand and foot percussion, vaksinn (bamboo horn), vocals
Monvelyno Alexis: electric guitar, lead vocals, percussion
Bobby Raymond: contrabass, vaksinn, percussion, vocals
Godwin Louis: soprano saxophone, alto saxophone
"...as alive and natural sounding as any recordings in my collection. The capture of the percussion is tactile, but with that ever so important natural reverberation and air that comes only to a recording where the instrument has been allowed to breathe in a natural acoustic space (and not with the microphone jammed within an inch of the drum)."
- From Rushton Paul's Soundkeeper Recordings - Bringing The Live Performance at posi+ive feedback
"Kay Sa is filled with music of verve, spirit and flow. At its core is the creative Schwartz, playing in a percussive landscape that is as varied and spirited as the music. He fills the airy soundstage with resonant cascades of drums; the crackle of wood sticks; the bleat from a bamboo horn; the shimmer of his (endless delaying) ride cymbal and his twinkling chimes. Schwartz is joined by the inventive saxophonist, the young Godwin Louis, who fills Kay Sa with his sax verve and passion at every opportunity. For instance, on Thelonious Monk’s “Bye-Ya (Bolero)”, (with two variations presented here), Louis lifts to the sky with blossoming surges on his sax, always ready for the next creative tumble or breathy run. On the softy swinging “Wongol,” (with lead vocalist and guitarist Monvelyno Alexis singing with dignified light banter), Louis’ alto is potent and poignant, filling the air with hot swing, bracing fluid runs and brawny honks. Rounding out this stellar band is bassist Bobby Raymond, whose contrabass is pungent and resonant. His solos on both versions of “Bye-Ya” are warm pools of isolated notes, rubbery plucks and elastic holds. Guitarist and lead vocalist Alexis is another virtuoso: his electric guitar delicately sprite as he fires off fast rhythm guitar chords (such as on the flying title cut, racing on Schwartz’s wood rims) or brims with soft, fleshy colors. Diament’s production lets all this soulful music breathe: the music projects without any artificial hindrances to dynamics and flowing textures, making for a genre-busting feast of delights."
- From Nelson Brill's Music of Global Reach and Openness at Boston Concert Reviews
A sample from "Minis Azaka"
(Sound for this video via camera mic)
Newly found video of the entire take of "Minis Azaka"
(Sound for this video via camera mic)
Ground control
Monvelyno
Markus
Godwin
Bobby
Warming up
Markus
Bobby before recording "Bye-Ya"
Monvelyno before recording "Bye-Ya"
Markus' view
Godwin before recording "Bye-Ya"
Markus before recording "Bye-Ya"
Wonderful vibes in the church
Markus playing "Epistrophy"
The band runs down "Sen Jak Pa La"
"Djouba"