The next edition of Big Night in Little Haiti takes place Friday September 16th.  Each 3rd Friday since March, the Little Haiti Cultural Center fills with Haitian music, art and culture – and an enthusiastic crowd of more than a thousand people.  For the Rhythm Foundation staff and our regular audiences, it has been a fantastic doorway into the wealth of Haitian music and art.  We have made some great new friends, and built strong relationships with Caribbean businesses and community partners.

The August edition offered us a special treat.  We were packing up the stage after a solid night of kreyol jazz from Jowee Omicil and the grooves of Elastic Bond, when to everyone’s surprise, a Haitian “rara” band came marching down NE 59th Terrace.  The group, more than 100 marchers with carnival drums and horns, brought a glorious end to the night.  Here was the Rara Lakay, a fixture of the Haitian community, embracing Big Night in Little Haiti.

Starting this past March and continuing each month, Big Night in Little Haiti has become a signature event in Miami.  We have featured some outstanding Haitian and world music artists each month – legendary racine group Boukan Ginen in July; troubadour star Beethova Obas in May; Haitian compas supergroup Magnum Band and Afro-roots music and dance group Ayabonmbe in June.  Other shows included zouk-influenced group Jean P Jam, voudou music and dance from Rara Kuyu, and popular compas stars Zenglen.  And we are looking forward to some wonderful nights of music in the fall and beyond!

The visual arts have been an important component to the success of the night.  The Little Haiti Cultural Center has hosted quality exhibits in their light-filled gallery space. The neighboring Haitian Cultural Arts Alliance continues to feature world-class artists, sculptors and photographers at their center.  The MLK Muralist Collective brings hands-on art activities for kids each month. Neighboring 7th Circuit Studios, in addition to creating the after show events, opens their gallery space during the night as well.

The September 16th edition of Big Night in Little Haiti will be an unforgettable party – old school Caribbean dance rhythms, and a peek at the thrilling spectacle of Miami Carnival.  Big Night in Little Haiti, Friday September 16, is truly big this month.  The popular free monthly event at the Little Haiti Cultural Center features classic Haitian music from the Shleu Shleu Miami All Stars in the plaza, preceded by a costume and music show to launch Miami Carnival.

The Shleu Shleu Miami All Stars are the main branch of the legendary Shleu Shleu, which formed in 1965 in Port au Prince – the longest running act in the history of compa.   Co-founded and drummer Smith Jean Baptiste created a signature sound for upscale dance parties in Haiti and the Caribbean, where the band contributed massive hit singles and Carnival anthems.  During the 1970s and beyond, the band evolved, and some members went separate ways.  Now based in South Florida, Smith Jean Baptiste has revitalized the group as the Shleu Shleu Miami All Stars, keeping alive the elegant and uptempo rhythms that rocked the Haitian society party at the Hotel Villa Creole almost 50 years ago.

Mar-di Gras, a Haitian Carnival opens the night in the plaza with a live performance and costume show by Ti-Chapo. TiChapo is a Haitian masquerade group based in South Florida, whose mission is to promote the rich culture of Haiti through participation in Caribbean Carnivals throughout the US.

Beyond the show on the plaza, Big Night in Little Haiti on September 16th will feature a costume making session in the studio for children and adults. The night also includes hands-on mural and art activities, coordinated with the MLK Mural Project. The Little Haiti Cultural Center gallery hosts an exhibit to delight photography buffs.  The IPC Visual Lab exhibit is curated by renowned photographer Carl Juste.

Come out and join us for Big Night in Little Haiti on September 16th: http://BigNightLittleHaiti.com or 305 672 5202.