Paul Beaubrun at globalFEST, Lincoln Center, January 12th, 2025

From the opening moment, the energy in the space was off the charts, Paul Beaubrun’s guitar playing lit the fuse to a long night of smoking sounds, He rocked back and forth, his long locks seemed to graze the audience, who crowded the stage. The driving rhythm was propelled by his uncle, Daniel "Dadi" Beaubrun on bass, longtime collaborator  Morgan Zwerlien on percussion, and Johnbern Thomas on drums, instantly connected with an enthusiastic audience. It was an epic set, remarkable because many in the audience were unfamiliar with Haitian music but were drawn in instantly by the power of the rhythms almost as if there was something there they needed but didn't know it, feeling it in the moment. As can be seen in the video below, Paul moved effortlessly between Mizik Rasin and American blues. Before the end of the set many in the audience enthusiastically engaged in back and forth call and response vocals in Kreyol.

globalFEST artists are selected from hundreds of applicants each year and honors accomplished artists from cultures around the world. Each of 10 artists perform short sets on 3 stages feature at Lincoln Center's David Geffin Hall.

Past selections from Haiti include Emeline Michel, BélO (2012), RAM (2011), and Moonlight Benjamin (2023) "We are going to give it our all." Paul told the Haitian Times during a break while rehearsing for the show, "I definitely wont take any minute of it for granted, its a big stage, i am one of the 10 artists. But at the same time i know my roots too, I know where i come from, I know what i represent."

globalFEST artists are selected from hundreds of applicants each year and honors accomplished artists from cultures around the world. Each of 10 artists perform short sets on 3 stages feature at Lincoln Center's David Geffin Hall. Past selections from Haiti include Emeline Michel, BélO (2012), RAM (2011), and Moonlight Benjamin (2023)

"We are going to give it our all." Paul told the Haitian Times during a break while rehearsing for the show, "I am definitely i wont take any minute of it for granted, its a big stage i am one of the 10 artists. but at the same time i know my roots too, I know where i come from, I know what i represent."

The night was the 15th anniversary of the earthquake that devastated Port au Prince. Paul remembered the victims lost that day.

"If you look at the date i am performing, so you can imagine it becomes even more personal for me, I don't need to reach anywhere, It's already in me, The emotion is going to be there, I am going to sing in memory of all those people. I am going to sing in memory of my culture, the resilience, the beauty,  I am there to show a positive side of Haiti, not what the media is trying to portray, we are people with dignity, we are people with love that want to work, that love music, love art. We are people with dignity, we are people with love, we are people we are inspired we are in spirit, that means there is something going on, our spirit is high this is something i am going to celebrate.”

"For this show i am doing one song from my new album, "Voye Jete". Its a song with a deep message, the reason why i chose that song, it is a quote from Boukman, during the Haitian revolution, He was talking about understanding ourselves, we need to look at the god they are giving us, this god is putting us in slavery, We need to embrace our own culture, and our own god, love, and liberate ourselves. Throw away the image of the white god that keeps us in chains, keeps us in suffering so its a very deep message, i took that message and translated it into the song.”
 

Daniel "Dadi” Beaubrun performed in the much felt absence of Chico Boyer. The bassist is recovering from a serious physical illness, that left Paul reluctant to go back on stage until "Dadi" stepped in. There will be a benefit for Chico, "Selebrasyon Ginen" A Tribute to Musical Icon Maestro Chico  Boyer at Anba Tonel 1407 Flatbush Avenue in Brooklyn January 25th

globalFEST dates from 2003, is an annual showcase providing artists from around the world with a platform to reach curators, producers and others the performing arts field. It coincides each year in January with the APAP conference in Manhattan.