This is a free event, Theater C, West Campus of Sacred Heart University. Students are preparing stunning visuals to accompany the latest incarnation of Light Warriors. The band have continually evolved, and 2024 brings the funky-rock meets jazzy-reggae larger ensemble, into a tight-but-loose improvisational trio, with the inclusion of internationally renowned instrumentalists Bobby Raymond (bass) and Markus Schwartz (drums/percussion).
Bobby and Markus have toured the world with a variety of bands and artists, and graced notable stages such as the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, Big Ears Fest, Jazz at Lincoln Center, The Kennedy Center, The Blue Note, and The Apollo Theater, among many others. Bobby and Markus each bring renowned mastery of both jazz and as well as Haitian / Afro-Caribbean musical traditions to Light Warriors’ unique genre-blending palette.
Bobby and Markus have toured the world with a variety of bands and artists, and graced notable stages such as the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, Big Ears Fest, Jazz at Lincoln Center, The Kennedy Center, The Blue Note, and The Apollo Theater, among many others. Bobby and Markus each bring renowned mastery of both jazz and as well as Haitian / Afro-Caribbean musical traditions to Light Warriors’ unique genre-blending palette.
Bassist Bobby Raymond is an internationally in-demand journeyman musician who continues to perform and record with a veritable “who’s-who” of Haiti’s finest musicians, as well as a cross-section of artists across multiple genres. Having studied with jazz legends Reggie Workman and Clark Terry among others, Bobby was at the pioneering forefront of “Haitian Jazz” with legendary bands Freefall, Mozayik, and the Blues In Red Band. Ever the experimentalist, Bobby joined the group Zin, a New York based Konpa Band that popularized a new generation of Konpa by infusing modern technology into the music. Other notable names Bobby has supported include Beethova Obas, Marc Ribot y Los Cubanos Postizos, Carlos “Patato” Valdes, Buyu Ambroise and Blues in Red, Emeline Michel, Darline Desca and many more. His ability to play in any style, his facility on both electric and acoustic basses, and his supportive and intuitive musical gifts are admired throughout the Haitian music community and beyond. https://www.opamusic.com/artist/raymond-robert/
Markus Schwartz is a Grammy-nominated percussionist, recording artist & educator, specializing in the traditional drum music of Haiti. He has performed and recorded with Grammy-winning artists Layla McCalla and David Sanchez (Carib), Ches Smith’s We All Break, and Godwin Louis’ Global project. Also a bandleader, Markus & Lakou Brooklyn’s recordings (3 to date) have garnered multiple awards and feature a variety of top musicians from multiple genres. As a life-long student of Vodou drumming, Markus has an extensive discography and deep roots in the Haitian music community, and is a sought-after collaborator across musical genres, bringing his informed approach to Haitian percussion to a wide array of projects and performances. Markus is a “first-call” percussionist at the intersection of Haitian drums and contemporary jazz. https://www.lakoubrooklyn.com
Erik Rabasca is a recording and performing artist, producer and founder of the independent label, Highest Frequency Records. He has toured the country and performed internationally. Erik has collaborated and toured with reggae legend Mad Professor and shared the stage with notable reggae artists Sugar Minott, Culture, Easy Star All Stars, Grammy winners SOJA, among many other regional acts at clubs and festivals. Erik has played notable stages large and small in the NY Tri-state area including SOB’s, Tarrytown Music Hall, Rockwood Music Hall, Cafe Nine, Bijou Theater, Park City Music Hall, Daryl’s House Club, Poughkeepsie Kaal Rock Park Concert Series, SoNo Collection, NYC’s Bitter End, Rockwood Music Hall, Knitting Factory, Milford Arts Council, Best Video Film & Cultural Center. https://linktr.ee/erikrabasca