BIOGRAPHY
   
Gifrants is a singer/songwriter/guitarist/arranger who has dedicated his life to preserving and developing Haitian music. He was born in Cap-Haitien, the second most populated and important city located in the North of Haiti. He started playing the guitar and writing his own music at the age of 13. At 19, he won the first prize at two national radio contests held consecutively for Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day. The song that was submitted for the Valentine’s Day contest was re-titled “Bossa Valentine” by the jury, because of its soft bossa nova beat, and the use of elaborate progressions. He moved to the Unite States in 1982, and performed at different venues in New York. He founded “Sakad”, one of the first bands that started the roots music movement, along the lines of Boukman Eksperyans, Boukan Ginen, RAM, etc. His 1987 release, entitled “Rebati Kay La” (Let’s Rebuild the Country), was well received in Haiti, as well as among the Haitian communities living abroad. This song was included in a compilation of Caribbean music produced by Jonathan Demme, director of the movies, “The Silence of the Lambs”, and “Philadelphia”.
Gifrants left “Sakad” the following year to pursue a career as a solo artist. He continued to explore different styles within the spectrum of Haitian music, like folk, pop, ballads, and contemporary music. “Rara-Mwe”, released in 1990 is the testimony of an avant-garde musician strongly determined to bring new elements to Haitian music. That’s why his CD entitled, “Serenade by Gifrants”, released in 1998, reflects a very mellow style spiced with Brazilian and Jazz music, but still flavored with Haitian music. The careful choice of chords and progressions, the predominant elements of his music, reinforced with an excellent songwriting ability, combined with a funky and jazzy arrangement style of the horn section, has brought Vèvè, his former musical group to a much more competitive edge on the World Music scene.
He released “Twoubadou Sèk” in 2001 and brought Creole Jazz at its best level ever. “Vwa e Gita, Volim I” was published in 2003 and revealed the naked soul of a true troubadour.
With a very warm and seductive voice, Gifrants expresses the hope and determination of a nation struggling for a better life. He conveys his feelings and emotions in Creole, English, and French, in such a way that his audience can relate, and share with him, the depth and intensity of those feelings. The blend of Haitian music, Brazilian music, and jazz reflects Haiti’s cultural heritage - its African roots, European birthmark and American influence.
STATEMENT
 
"I can see that more and more we are moving to living closer together. The implications of globalization have already gone far beyond politics and economics. The sight and vision of the artist reaches over the whole world, and the whole universe. The brightness of the sun, the dimness of the moon, and the glitter of the stars carries back and forth the pulse of those cosmic and ethereal vibrations, like an eternal circle and infinite source of inspiration and creativity, which seems deeply rooted also in our surroundings.
The modern artist keeps his eyes open not only on the world, but also on the universe. Today, our planet is getting smaller and smaller because of the means and ways of communication. Cross-culture defines the rainbow and mosaic of a new perception of human kind. As an artist, I embrace such a vision in order to evolve with the best of everything humanity can accomplish on our way to divinity."