The 51 years of Radio Centre-Ville celebrated with Klass
Pierre-Phaill Goudou ·
In his remarks for the occasion, the general director of radio Wanex Lalane Zéphyr spoke of the institution as "a voice, a memory" or even "a cultural crossroads."
The elite of Montreal's Haitian community gathered at "Le Palace" in Laval on Saturday evening, March 21, to celebrate Radio Centre-Ville's 51st anniversary. Radio hosts, journalists, musicians and other categories of professionals as well as ordinary listeners were present to show their appreciation for this community radio station that has been serving all Quebec communities for more than five decades.
Broadcasting on 102.3 from Montreal, Radio Centre-Ville supports cultural and intellectual diversity by broadcasting music, culture and ideals of people from here and elsewhere. The station broadcasts programs in 8 languages and their objective is to encourage communities to understand and participate in finding solutions to create better social cohesion.
The gala began with a buffet that offered a wide choice for guests who started taking their seats in the hall from 7 PM. The appetizers, main courses, desserts and specialties satisfied all tastes.
In his remarks for the occasion, the radio's general manager Wanex Lalane Zéphyr spoke of the institution as "a voice, a memory" or "a cultural crossroads." A space where communities meet, express themselves and recognize each other. For him, this gala evening marks a pivotal moment: honoring the past, celebrating the present and paving the way for the future.
The performance by the group Klass, which was the highlight of the evening, began at 11 PM. Very well dressed for the occasion, the musicians joined the stage and from the first notes of the song "Bon anniversaire" recorded on the album "Happy fifty Compas" by Jean Herard Richard (Ritchie), the audience took to the dance floor and the atmosphere became festive.
The stability of Klass group's accuracy and rhythm is no longer in question. The fluidity of the performance is the result of ensemble playing that not all Haitian musical groups possess.
The acceptable sound quality favored balance between instruments and vocal clarity. All this combination facilitated better stage and artistic presentation by the musicians who displayed, on this occasion, energy and charisma worthy of the confidence musicians have on stage.
Klass chained together its oldest and sweetest hits like "Mizik saa, You dont want me, Lajan sere" with its latest compositions such as "Pou you moun map mande" and "Black-out." For the pleasure of an audience that had come to celebrate at an evening designed for that purpose, the group also performed its rhythmic songs like "Ranje chitaw" and old hits, "Haïti" by Skah Shah and "David" by Dipi Express.
The reactions gathered from the performance of songs "Map marye" and "Pitit deyo" testify to the strength of the group's rich repertoire over time.
Until 2 AM, Klass created a euphoric atmosphere by adapting its repertoire and energy to the event. The group's musicians structured their performance to ensure a memorable experience and dancing entertainment for the evening's participants. The participation of Jude Sévère on keyboards and James Saul on drums on certain songs should be noted.
Stripped of any competitive spirit, these occasions are the best settings to enjoy performances by musical groups that are better prepared, disposed and motivated to satisfy the public.
The game was worth the candle, this March 21 at Le Palace for Radio Centre-ville's 51 years, which knew how to celebrate with Klass.