By: Herve and Carl Gilbert
Available in French Translation
 |
| Jean Michel Daudier |
The news spread like a wildfire earlier this week. Jean Michel Daudier, artist well known and loved in Haiti and in the Diaspora died of a heart attack Monday, October 14, 2013. He was 56.
Jean Michel Daudier with his clear voice in the song " Lem pa wè soley la " who had sung the toll of the Duvalier dictatorship, and had stimulated and mobilized thousands of Haitians everywhere during the revolution of February 7, 1986 , is gone ...
Indeed, this is the song " Lem pa wè soley la" which made him famous. Jean Michel had composed this theme music following the reopening of Radio Soleil,( the voice of the Catholic Church in Haiti ), which had been shut down arbitrarily by that regime attempting to reduce the national press in silence. Radio Metropole, one of the most listened stations during that period broadcasted only foreign news since the destruction of Radio Haiti Inter and the expulsion of several journalists in the broadcast media on November 28, 1980 by the regime of Duvalier. Radio Caraïbes, Radio Cacique and Radio Antilles had been gagged, their journalists were forced into hiding .
Indeed, this is the song " Lem pa wè soley la" which made him famous. Jean Michel had composed this theme music following the reopening of Radio Soleil,( the voice of the Catholic Church in Haiti ), which had been shut down arbitrarily by that regime attempting to reduce the national press in silence. Radio Metropole, one of the most listened stations during that period broadcasted only foreign news since the destruction of Radio Haiti Inter and the expulsion of several journalists in the broadcast media on November 28, 1980 by the regime of Duvalier. Radio Caraïbes, Radio Cacique and Radio Antilles had been gagged, their journalists were forced into hiding .
Lèm pa Wè Soley la (When I don't see the Sun)
So, Radio Soleil was the only conduit for the news in Haiti that the government of Jean- Claude Duvalier was trying to stifle because of the growing of protest movements and uprising that was taken place continuously in the country .
“Lem pa wè soley “the jingle for Radio Soleil also became the generic intro for the announcement of the news, was also taken on everyone's lips at the time and later became a recurring theme ... Who does not remember this spot announcement of the Radio Soleil’s news ? Yet the composer of this simple and powerful message remained unknown until the departure of the dictator, February 7, 1986 .
In the euphoria of the moment, everyone came to recognize and applaud Jean Michel Daudier outside the studio of Radio Soleil, when the station was publicly revealed his name as the composer of this transcendent music that awakened consciences in a dark time of our history where many young people have lost their lives. The jubilant crowd jumped to his feet and joined him in a mighty chorus of more than ten thousand voices ...
“Lem pa wè soley “the jingle for Radio Soleil also became the generic intro for the announcement of the news, was also taken on everyone's lips at the time and later became a recurring theme ... Who does not remember this spot announcement of the Radio Soleil’s news ? Yet the composer of this simple and powerful message remained unknown until the departure of the dictator, February 7, 1986 .
In the euphoria of the moment, everyone came to recognize and applaud Jean Michel Daudier outside the studio of Radio Soleil, when the station was publicly revealed his name as the composer of this transcendent music that awakened consciences in a dark time of our history where many young people have lost their lives. The jubilant crowd jumped to his feet and joined him in a mighty chorus of more than ten thousand voices ...
Jean Michel Daudier was a multi-talented artist, he played acoustic guitar as well as the synthesis and piano. He has released two albums titled ( Soley and the Diaspora ) and played every where in the United States in solo or with his musical group. The last time we saw him performing on stage was last year at Casa Champet in Miramar Florida . He has participated in several cultural festivities here in Central Florida. Jean- Michel was everyone’s friend, with his songs he touched all hearts. "Love has no boundaries ," one of the title that he was working on as he announced it himself on his Facebook page on October 6. He was a member of Haiti Connection Forum, a friend of the team of Haiti Connection Network and he sent us from time to time its inspiring messages that accosted us for a better Haiti. This artist multilingual used to perform in French , English, Spanish, Creole and Portuguese.Jean Michel will be missed greatly ! To his parents, relatives, friends and admirers , we offer our sincere condolences. Our deepest sympathy to his mom Mrs. Rose Latour Louis, his daughter Leila Daudier, Mr. and Mrs. Eddy Lagroue, Myrlene Daudier Lagroue respectively brother in law and sister of Jean –Michel, his sister Sabrina Daudier Florent and her husband Yvan Florent , his sister Yolène Luc and family and his brothers Kenol Daudier, Carlo Placide and Jan Mapou.
Jean Michel, you were dreaming to see a bright sun regenerated in Haiti throughout your song " When is the next sun ." However, the sun was darkened and the clouds veiled you suddenly ... But the sunshine, I am sure, will shine again throughout your songs . Peace to your soul !
By : Herve Gilbert herve.gilbert@gmail.com and Carl Gilbert cggilb@yahoo.com
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