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World Nomads Haiti
Literature
Krik ? Krak !
Saturday, May 2, 2009 at 5pm
Part of World Nomads: Haiti
Part of PEN World Voices Festival of International Literature

Host: Michele Voltaire Marcelin, actress, painter, and writer
Master of Ceremonies: Etienne Télémaque, professor and radio host
Panelists: Alix Buyu Ambroise, tenor saxophonist; Martina Bruno, soprano vocalist

No literary series on Haiti would be complete without a celebration of Haiti’s vivid oral culture. Participants will engage in a session of krik-krak—a Haitian storytellers’ ritual of warming up their audiences by asking “Krik?” and taking the collective response “Krak!” as their cue to begin to tell stories and jokes. Join Haitian storytellers for this very special happening, where stories yet to be defined will take shape.

Featuring:

Michèle Voltaire Marcelin is a Haitian actress, painter, and writer who currently teaches in New York. She writes in three languages and her first novel, La Désenchantée, was published in 2006. She has performed extensively on stage and screen, and has persented her poetry in front of audiences at a wide array of clubs and universities. Her paintings have been exhibited throughout the United States and Haiti.

Etienne Télémaque is a professor & New York radio host. He co-authored Le Viol du Nouveau Monde, a publication about Columbus's conquest of the island of Hispaniola and wrote the forthcoming Port-au-Prince An Evolution: An Overview of the Urban History of the Capital City of Haiti. Mr. Télémaque is a founding member of Fondation Memoire, a group of Haitian educators devoted to raising awareness about Haitian culture and literary patrimony. He was also involved with Café Theleme/Vieux Caraibe, which focuses on Haitian literary history and fine arts.

Alix Buyu Ambroise, born in Haiti, is a tenor saxophonist and has been living in the U.S. for 35 years. His passion for jazz led him to study with legends such as Frank Foster, Jimmy Owens, and John Lewis. Alix has performed in NYC over the past 20 years, usually playing Haitian konpa music or jazz. He’s worked with many notable Haitian groups in the New York metropolitan area. He has recorded with Ayizan, a landmark avant-garde rara ensemble, and also led the band Freefall, which included world renowned Latin percussionist Bobby Sanabria. Alix worked in the Project Liberty Jazz Ensemble with drummer Ben Dixon. His melodies are inspired by the rich repertoire of African music sustained with modern jazz harmony.

Martina Bruno, soprano vocalist, was born in New York to Haitian parents and has been singing since the age of four. She is a graduate of SUNY Purchase College, where she also studied abroad in Mantua, Italy. She has performed in numerous NYC underground clubs, presenting a synthesis of Hip-Hop and Classical Song. These clubs include The Remote lounge, Bobbaloo’s, The Five Spot Café, and Cheetah Club. She has also graced the stage at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, the Apollo Theatre, Teatro Bibiena, and Soho Playhouse. Martina is a member of MUNY (Music Under New York), and is known as the Angel of New York for lifting the spirits of subway riders with her angelic voice.

Related Events
Talks: PEN World Voices at FIAF, May 2
Performing Arts/Talks: The PEN Cabaret, May 2

In English, French,
and Creole

Free and open
to the public

Venue
Le Skyroom
22 East 60th Street

Co-sponsored with
PEN World Voices Festival
of International Literature

World Nomads Haiti is generously supported by American Airlines, the official airline of FIAF; Afrique & Caraïbes en créations– CulturesFrance; and Organisation internationale de la francophonie

Top Photo:
Haitian Art from Jonathan Demme's Collection

Spring 2009 Sponsors: American Airlines, the official airline of FIAF; Florence Gould Foundation; The Herbert J. Seligmann Charitable Trust; and New York State Council of the Arts

Photos:
Marcelin / © Krisyan Voltaire; Ambroise / © Paul Tirado; Bruno / © Mauricio Velez