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Biography
Karlex: Ambassador of Afro Groove
The roots of black music stretches across the ocean from Africa and America to the Caribbean islands and Europe. This journey of a people and their culture - a journey of joy and struggle - is mirrored in the personal story of Karlex. Singer and songwriter Karlex blends the scratch 'n' riff guitar sounds of classic funk and soul with the fat-bottom bass of dub and roots reggae to create a frothy musical blend called Afro Groove.
Born in the city of Cap Haitian, Karlex' childhood on the island of Haiti was simple and carefree. Despite the tumult of life under a dictatorship, he concentrated on having fun; which meant being immersed in music. Two of his uncles were musicians in bands. His mother was the musical director of the local church choir, which is no doubt where he got his soulful singing style. After getting his first guitar as a child, he began writing songs at a rapid clip. "Very often I say, I did not write my songs but they found me," Karlex explains in typical humble fashion.
Summer visits to New York, where he and his friends made tapes of radio station WBLS, lead to a fascination with America and its musical diversity. He moved to the international city in his late teens and soon was playing in pop, rock and world music bands.
Karlex soon returned to Haiti to help with the family business. However, music remained his passion and heart; his musical vision and inspiration was sparked, in large part, by his homeland. "The drums in the night filled me with a longing to get back to the true essence of liberty and freedom that my ancestors fought for," he exclaimed. "And nothing translated that better for me than a certain sound reminiscent of the 60's and 70's fused with actual urban music and Haitian soul."
Karlex' songs radiate emotion and thoughtfulness with themes of love, love lost, loneliness and the quest for freedom and liberty. In the often vapid, shallow world of today's music, Karlex is an inspiration. Currently residing in France, he released his debut album, "Ghetto Fabulous," in 2006. The album is already garnering critical praise in France, Holland and the Benelux countries; all of which is where he frequently performs live to packed venues. The album reached and owned the number one spot on Radio Africa 1 and the video for the single "Farewell Angel" is getting regular rotation on Europe 2 TV. He has performed the first-ever concerts - 14 shows in 7 days - on the French TGV train system. Karlex' musical and personal journey is poised to break new ground.
Press
"Karlex comes from Haiti. His music is a mix from jazz suri(nam) soul from the sixties and reggae. It sounds ingenuous and acoustic. His voice is a bit unstable, the music not completely tight. It sounds like the producer has added here and there some session musicians, wind section, drums and Hammond organ, to support the amateurish Karlex. But when it depends to us this was not necessary. He sings "I am who I am" and you immediately here this is pure. All own songs. His a bit out of tune lisping and broken raga-English makes his songs absolutely complete. The king of the huts from garbage-wood and corrugated iron on his pour, pour island had no angle watching over him. He made it all by his self. On "Farewell Angel" we hear the struggle he's gone through to become like he is now: the Bob Marley from Haiti, without any doubt. 5 out of 5 wheels"
- JM; Translation review in Autoweek (Netherlands)
"Karlex is a Haitian singer from France grown up in New York, In the nineties he turned back to his country of birth. The result of this tour around the world is that Karlex became a musician influenced by various styles of music, who used a variety of ingredients of this to create a tasty Afro Groove. A groove that, without any doubt also on his album 'Ghetto Fabulous', consists of elements of funk and soul (on 'Sista Love'), urban ('Song for Coco'), pop and off course Caribbean influences. Other attention attracting songs are cd-opener 'I've Got News For You'and 'Farewell Angel' with acoustic guitar as leading part. Tasty cd!" - Translation review on SBS-text (the text papers from national television station SBS6) - Netherlands
"...Karlex offers us a musical voyage to asserted eclecticism. Exiled in New York before settling in the south of France, the young Haitian guitarist sings the suffering of the ghetto and the hope of a whole people. A mystical album with reggae influences, funk and rhythm plus rock'n'roll are jostled together with grace." - VSD (April 2007 - France)
"Karlex brings in smooth and mellow sounds with a deep blend of funk, reggae, and soul. From the get go with conviction he brings in a caribbean folk flow with the deep track "Ghetto Fabulous". Be sure to get in on the funk disco rhythmic piece called "Madness". Very hot!" Une affaire de coeur! Merci Karlex. - Catask Music & Entertainment
The Haitian singer and guitarist mixes the rhythms of his native island with the funky guitars of his New York years. Between the beat of the big apple and the sufferings of his people, he delivers a soul that is both mystical and smooth." - CD Selection By The Midi Libre
01/2006 - MARTINEZ ACAJOU / MIDEM, Cannes, France
09/21/2006 - OPUS CAFE, PARIS
09/23/2006 - FNAC POITIERS, France
09/29/2006 - LA GRANDE MOTTE / PLACE DE LA MAIRIE, France
10/06/2006 - FNAC TROYES, France
10/11/2006 - FNAC LE HAVRE, France
10/27/2006 - Centre Leclerc, NIORT, France
10/28/2006 - FLECHE D'OR, RADIO LATINA, PARIS
10/29/2006 - ESPACE CULTURA STE GENEVIEVRE DES BOIS, France
11/04/2006 - Espace Cultura, CLAYES SOUS BOIS, France
11/10/2006 - FNAC MONTPELLIER, France
11/18/2006 - FNAC BOURGES, France
11/24/2006 - FNAC GRENOBLE, France
03/24/2007 - LE JAM, MONTPELLIER, France
03/29/2007 - Le ZEBRE de Belleville, PARIS
04/17/2007 - Cafe de Stiels, Haarlem, Netherlands
04/18/2007 - Het Bluescafe, Apeldoorn, Netherlands
04/19/2007 - Het Hijgend Hert, Breda, Netherlands
04/20/2007 - Jerry's Muziekcafe, Veldhoven, Netherlands
04/22/2007 - Het Meterhuis, Haarlem, Netherlands
04/29/2007 - La Foire de Paris / Festival Tropiques en Fetes, Paris
04/30/2007 - TGV Paris/ Montpellier/ Perpignan
05/01/2007 - TGV Paris / Montpellier / Perpignan
05/02/2007 - TGV Paris / Montpellier / Perpignan
05/03/2007 - TGV Paris / Montpellier / Perpignan
05/04/2007 - TGV Paris / Montpellier / Perpignan
05/05/2007 - TGV Paris / Montpellier / Perpignan
05/06/2007 - TGV Paris / Montpellier / Perpignan
05/10/2007 - Victoire 2, Montpellier, France (For Occizen an association that strive to make a better environment for sufferings children by using all forms of arts)
06/21/2007 - La Fete de La Musique / Institut Curie, Paris
06/27/2007 - Westbourne Studios / London Calling International Night, UK
06/28/2007 - The Neighbourhood : French showcase at London Calling, UK
07/04/2007 - le Divan du Monde- DRIMN avec ARTE, RFI, Min. des Affaires Et. et AUDI France, Paris
United States: 65 TRIPLE-A "Total Stations/Shows" Markets include: Bridgeport (CT), Tampa (FL), Lafayette/Baton Rouge (LA), Grand Rapids (MI), St. Louis (MO), Minneapolis (MN), Trenton (NJ), Santa Fe (NM), Philadelphia (PA), Cleveland (OH), Portland (OR), Houston (TX), Madison (WI)
- GERMANU 90.1 MHz UKW
- FRANCE 2 TV / LIVE PERFORMANCE
- EUROPE 2 TV / VIDEO AIRPLAY
- AFRICA No1 / Network Radio broadcast over Paris and all French speaking African's capitals
- RADIO CHABLAIX / SWITZERLAND
- RADIO RCN 90.7FM (FERA ROCK) / NANCY
- RADIO RCV 99FM (FERA ROCK) / LILLE
- RADIO PRIMITIVE 92.4FM (FERA ROCK) / REIMS
- RADIO BALLADE 101.8 FM (FERAROCK) IN THE AUDE REGION
- RADIO VALLE 96.6 FM (FERAROCK) IN MARNE-LA-VALLEE
- RADIO FMR 89.1 FM (FERAROCK) IN TOULOUSE
- RADIO CAMPUS AVIGNON 90.3FM AVIGNON / 88.3FM ARLES
- RADIO CAMPUS BORDEAUX 88.1FM IN BORDEAUX
- RADIO SURGERES 89.0 FM in the Charentes Maritime Region
- BAROUSSE FM 93.2 / Lourdes- Barousse in the Pyrénées
- RADIO VAL DE REIMS RVR FM 101.4 -RADIO CAMPUS COTEAUX 97.7 et 104.5 FM in the Gers region
- RADIO ALTITUDE CLERMONT FERRAND 97.0 FM
- RADIO CRISTAL 107.3 EPINAL & 92.7 FM GERARDMER (VOSGES)
- RADIO KAOLIN 88.4 FM, SAINT YRIEIX LA PERCHE (LIMOUSIN)
- RADIO SUD BESANCON 101.8 FM (BESANCON 25)
- RADIO CADENCE MUSIQUE 99.2 FM & EXPIRMONT 103 FMCERCOUX (17)
- DECLIC 88.7, 101.3 & 89.6 FM (TOULOIS)
- TERRE MARINE FM 94.8 FOURRAS LA ROCHELLE
- CATALOGNE NORD 98.8 PERPIGNAN, 93.1 PORT VENDRES, 90.4 PRADES, 94.6 FONT ROMEU
- RADIO ALPES MANCELLES 106.3 FM / FRESNAY/ SARTHE
- RADIO BRESSE 92.8 FM/ SAONE ET LOIRE(71), JURA(39), L'AIN(01), COTE D'OR(21)
- RADIO PLURIEL FM 91.5 FM / LYON
- STYL FM 89.7 FM / NEUVILLE
- ALTA FREQUENZA 98.9 BASTIA; 103.2 CORSE DU SUD; 104 CENTRE CORSE (POWER70)
- RADIO AS
- RADIO PULSAR 95.9 / POITIERS, VIENNE
- OXYGENE FM 94.2, 107.0 / PAMIERS, BASSE ARIEGE
- RADIO LASER 95.9 FM /
- MELODY PYRENEES 95.9 FM
- THEME RADIO
- RADIO FAJET 94.2 FM / NANCY
- RADIO BOOMERANG 89.7 FM / LILLE
- RTF 95.4 FM LIMOGES
- SOLEIL FM 97.1FM FOS SUR MER, 96.3 FM PAYS D'ARLES
- RADIO RVE 103.7 FM / RAMBOUILLET
- RMN: RADIO MAU NAU RMN 94.2FM / CHALONS EN CHAMPAGNE
- COLLINES FM RADIO 101.2 FM CERIZAY, 92.4 BRESSUIRE
- SUN FM 93.0 / NANTES
- RADIO BAC FM 106.1FM / NEVERS
- RADIO HAUTE ANGEVINE 103.3 FM / Segré, Châteauneuf, Château-Gontier, Laval, Craon, Renazé, Pouancé, Candé, Le Louroux-Béconnais, Le lion d'Angers et Angers.
- ISABELLE FM 91.3FM Dordogne-Périgord / 102.9 FM Périgueux
- RADIO AUBE ET SEINE 97.3FM / Romilly Sur Seine
- RADIO TRAIT D'UNION 89.8 FM / Lyon
- RADIO VISAGES 101 FM / Château Thierry
- RADIO INTENSITE 103.8 FM / Châteaudun
- RADIO LATINA 99 FM / Paris
- RADIO SAINT AFRIQUE 96.7 FM Saint Afrique / 99.9 FM Belmont / 100.6 FM Millau
