During my visit to the 2013 Ghetto Biennale, I witnessed rara music in the streets of Haiti. Already researching Sun Ra’s visit to Egypt in the early 70’s, I discovered that the jazz legend had visited Haiti ten years earlier. It was in Port-au-Prince that he composed his masterpiece Rocket Number Nine, a track that bears striking resemblance to the traditional rara song Fize nimewo nèf.

In November 2015, I invited the rara band Kod Kreyòl to rehearse the forgotten track Fize nimewo nèf. They subsequently performed it at Lakou Twoket in downtown Port-au-Prince.

Sun Ra Ra was commissioned by the 4th Ghetto Biennale in Port-au-Prince, Haiti.

Clocktower Radio interview
Ghetto Biennale
Lonely Planet
Art in America

Kod Kreyòl a.k.a. the Sun Ra Ra band

Arnaud Lauture
Chef d’orchestre – Maestro Tambourineur

Josil Joseph Rebert
Adjoint Tambourineur

Jean Ernst
Tambourineur

Nadine Frédérique
Chanteuse – Lead Vocal

Béatrice Frédérique
Chanteuse – Chœur

Vladimir Grégoire
Maestro du Cornet

Remy Robenson
Maestro du Cornet

Jules Ceremond
Cornet

George Elie Voyard
Cornet

Nestor Ricardo
Cornet

Annel Saintermont
Grage

Photos by Lazaros