Talking up a storm with Richard Cavé (part 2)
Richard Cavé took the time to answer questions sent in by HIP readers. Some were fun, some were about CaRiMi and some left us wanting more. Nou fin poze kesyon, kounyenya chita sou on ti chèz ba pandan mayestro a pale avèk nou.
If you really want the scoop from the horse’s mouth then click on the audio clips for more detailed answers.
Monika Lévy asks "If you were not Richard Cavé of Carimi who would he be now?"
“Sad, sad, sad… unemployed. I graduated in finance and probably all of the people that graduated with me (are unemployed). So probably right now I'd be at home looking for a job in a financial firm.”
Mimie Richemond and Alix Saintil say that people still miss the chemistry between Steve and Noldy on stage during the CaRiMi performances. What do you want to tell the public regarding this topic?
“Oh no, not at all. Noldy didn’t leave on bad terms at all. Noldy comes and plays with CaRiMi all the time… Pat gen okenn bagay konsa. Noldy told me straight up ‘I can’t do this life anymore… I have a kid, I’m having another one and I never see them.’ Noldy decided to go back to the studio every day. He loves music.”
“Ni Stanley, ni Steve, tout nèg sa yo… I was talking to Stanley yesterday.”
Listen to the audio clip to find out which musician Cavé admits did leave the band on bad terms.
Corhinn Brunot shares the sentiment of many female fans when she asks “Why are you so damn buff looking; all luscious and stuff?!!!!”
“In shape is for Carlo. One thing I do is watch my diet when I’m starting to get fat. There was a time I was 190lbs. The only thing I can say is cut down on rice, cut down on the bread.”
Ernoude Lainé would like to know if there are any solos in your future.
“Tout moun ap mande m sa. Menm papa m ap mande m bagay sa a… Maybe the next one you never know.”
Ernoude Lainé also says “at the end of the BUZZ video it said ‘To Be Continued’. What’s the deal with that? I’ve been patiently waiting.”
(Laughs) “I’m very mad about that because we did not put that (in) ourselves… I’m very sorry, it wasn’t us that did that.” Listen here for the whole story behind the “to be continued “ saga:
Emann Joasil wonders of you thinks Nemours Jean-Baptiste would be pleased with the turn Konpa is taking if he were alive today and the type of Compas CaRiMi is playing.
“He created something, you transform it; I’m sure he would’ve been proud. Asking if he would like it, love it, I don’t know. I can’t say that, but I’m sure he would be proud it still exists.”
Another question from Emann Joasil: “Should I expect them to crossover culturally? I would love to turn on my radio one day and listen to any Compas band on Z100 FM.”
“Labels are fighting to get airplay. It’s a long process. Fò premyèman yo ka konprann li. All the other artists that made it on Z100, the songs were in English. The United States, sitou on stasyon tankou Z100, are close-minded. So trying to do something totally in English maybe could work.”
Finally Ella Jewel wants to know what’s your best dish? I think many would love for you to cook for them.
“I cook different things.I even go to cooking class in the city. I love cooking mango chicken.” More info on his favorite dishes can be heard in the audio clip. “I don’t have one dish I (stick) to. I don’t have time to cook all the time so I’m very open. The fact that I live here and can take classes; I’m open to different things. You never know it’s something I can do after CaRiMi.” (Laughs)
Despite my cold-induced nasal -and sometimes garbled- voice and occasional wheeze-like breaths, Richard Cavé was kind, funny, umble and over all patient. It says a lot about the maestro that he still interacts and speaks directly to his fans despite the sometimes crazy encounters. So once again: Mèsi mayestro!
Interview conducted by Shadine Ménard exclusively for HIP Magazine. All pictures from Richard Cavé and CaRiMi's facebook pages.
Carimi, Compas, Haitian music, Richard Cave
Reader Comments (5)
Did he say "cut down on rice and bread"? O, o, se pa Ayisyen'l yen. There is no such thing. And for those of us that try, it's over once we land in Haiti. LOL.
What a great question re: being played on mainstream radio. Janm ta kontan to turn on a radio station in BK and hear them playing right before Alicia Keys or after Rihanna! LOL. BUT it would have to be in Kreyol not English. Though many of their tunes incorporate English, I think Carimi's tunes are catchy enough to be played as is. I mean when reggae music is played, do we honestly understand all the words? I have no idea what they are saying. But I start moving my "HIPS" 'cause the beat hits me. Kompa in English is no longer Kompa. A song like "We The Best" is a perfect example.
For some reason the audio portions are not working for me right now but I'll try playing them again later. I really enjoyed this article and I am excited to see what 2013 brings for HIP!
I think he has gone a little too harsh in his criticism of the United States, especially Z100. "Market protectionist" would have made more sense in trying to understand the rationale behind the decision of a radio station in the caliber of Z100 to only cater to its Englis-speaking audience. I would have not gone that far -calling them close-minded. lol
Music production is a lucrative business in America. And whenever there is money to be made, there is always the demand factor to consider in the equation. Is there a demand in the mainstream American society for Konpa music? Let's assume there is one... how imposing is it?
We must not expect favors from the players in the American entertainment world, for that will not happen. When there is money to be made, people don't usually do favors. So we have got to work really hard to make our music accepted, tolerated and consumed by the consumers of music in the American music industry.
Whenever this conversation arises, most people tend to blame the Creole language as the main reason as to why Konpa cannot crossover. That in itself is a dangerous misconception. I lived in South Korea for 18 months -during my military service. Had I not witnessed the South Koreans buying and falling in love with Raggamuffin [a genre of music culturally foreign to them and sung in a language they cannot even come close to comprehend], I could have probably sided with these folks making that argument.
Creole is not Konpa's problem. The problem with our music, rather, lies in our marketing approach in terms of how we are selling our music to the rest of the world, including the American consumers of music.
Great blog, Sha! Thanks for taking my questions to him. It was a pleasure. Keep doing the positive work you have been doing. Bon, m fatige wi la... m pral lage ko m. Kenbe djanm pa febli. By the way, kile w ap ban m manyen djwedz yo. lol lol lol