Two anniversaries, two orchestras and one audience. On Saturday, August 22, the Karibe Hotel hosted an evening bringing together Tabou Combo and Orchestre Tropicana d’Haïti, which were celebrating their 58th and 63rd anniversaries, respectively. Joined by their guests, Lionel Benjamin and Albert Chancy, the two groups revisited several songs from their repertoires before an audience spanning different generations.

In the Karibe gardens, Lionel Benjamin was the first to take the microphone. A guest artist for the evening, he kicked things off with “Ayiti mwen renmen w,” before following with “Griyo,” two tracks from his compilation album Archives. He also performed “Ou kite m ou ale.” For those who mainly associate him with his Christmas music, Lionel Benjamin also has a history with konpa. Indeed, older listeners particularly remember his appearances alongside the Déjean brothers and the Caribbean Sextet.