Haitian Beatz

When I received the go ahead from Raoul Denis Jr. to conduct this interview, I was very thrilled and really wanted this interview to be special and very well conducted.  I could have done it, but I felt that

I did not know enough about this legend to be conducting the interview; therefore I reached out to my colleague, a legend on his own in the Haitian media, my good friend Ralph Delly to help me with the interview, he did not hesitate for one second.  He did a wonderful job, as you are about to read below:

HB- Hi! Ti Ra, How do you describe yourself as a musician?

RDJ- Hello HB!I would say that I am a multipurpose musician.  Due to my academic formation and my experience in various fields of music, I can play as a cellist in a symphonic or chamber orchestra as well as a keyboard player in any popular music combos, particularly Haitian music (which is not only Kompa). I’m also a songwriter and a music composer.

HB- What is your music background?

RDJ- I studied the cello since age 11. I had various scholarships, particularly in Bogota, Colombia, where I studied music theory, harmony and counterpoint besides of cello master classes. I studied also techniques of commercial music and followed the American Helen Hobbs Jordan music method at the Haitian American Academy of ballet and arts, with Professor Eileen Herzog.