Ralph Cassagnol makes an unlikely looking rebel. With a handsome, photogenic face that's more "GQ" than Che Guevara, he's on a mission to break down barriers, break out musically and bring Haiti's rich, vibrant tones to the global stage.
His weapon of change is a recently released debut CD with a cool backbeat that relies heavily on the island's compa, racine and other distinct rhythms.
Welcome to the revolution, baby. MaWoN style.
Cassagnol and bassist Harry Leconte put the seven-member MaWoN together in 2005. The name is a proud nod to its heritage.
The mawon were former Haitian slaves who escaped into the mountains, eventually leading their fellow countrymen to create the world's first free black republic, Cassagnol said.
"MaWoN is our cultural rebellion," Cassagnol said. "We don't want to be categorized and placed in little boxes. We want to present our music, without being limited by anything. Even our name has a rebellious spelling."
The self-titled disc features Cassagnol on lead vocals, and he also writes most of the lyrics.
Although the album has a strong Haitian influence, Cassagnol is quick to point out the group members' diverse backgrounds. Based in Miramar and Miami, they include keyboardist Andrew Stoch of South Africa, lead guitarist Alan "Bagga" Mitchell of Grenada and drummer Lloyd Richards of Jamaica. Cassagnol, Leconte, vocalist Alena Lowenthal and percussionist Sorel Sanon are from Haiti.
"We pool where we are from and what we see," Cassagnol said. "It's world music. It's very Miami."
You can catch MaWoN at a free outdoor concert 2-6 p.m. Saturday at the Village of Merrick Park, 358 San Lorenzo Ave., Coral Gables. Contact 305-529-0200 or villageofmerrickpark.com.
Also visit myspace.com/mawonmusic.
