Lakou Mizik is a collective of Haitian musicians. After a stint at the 2017 New Orleans JazzFest, Lakou Mizik got the idea to record its second album with a panoply of New Orleans legends (and others). Its return to JazzFest in 2018 was the jumping off point for recording this set that celebrates the shared roots of two strong musical cultures.

Lakou Mizik HatiaNola (Cumbancha)

For obvious reasons, Haiti and New Orleans have a strong sense of shared culture. Start with the language. French is spoken in Haiti and Louisiana, though the roots are somewhat different. "Cajun" French is a descendent of Canadian influence (which is one reason Win Butler and Regine Chassagne from Arcade Fire appear on this album), while Haitian French is a remnant of that country's days as a colonial outpost running the French slave trade.

Slavery is not an undercurrent here, either. Many of the ancestors of African-American New Orleans residents passed through Haiti, and that sad fact also contributes to the shared musical roots of both places. Lakou Mizik is much more interested in connection than retribution, but the fact of Haiti's past is ever-present today. There's no way to avoid it.

There's also no way to avoid the joy in this album. The collaborations are inspired, and these songs are evidence that in art 1+1 > 2. When these pieces really start to cook, the brilliance of all involved is magnified.

Jon Worley