Julio Racine, Haitian Composer Born Feb. 4, 1945; Hear mp3 files of 'Minis Azaka' & '3 feuilles 3 Racine Oh''

[Julio Racine]

Julio Racine is a Haitian composer, arranger and flutist who was born in Port-au-Prince on February 4, 1945. He is profiled at AfriClassical.com, which today features two songs newly arranged by him, Minis Azaka (2:52) and 3 feuilles 3 Racine Oh (6:26). The vocalist for Minis Azaka is Karine Margron; Ricot Mazarin sings 3 feuilles 3 Racine Oh. We deeply appreciate the opportunity to make these arrangements of Julio Racine available to our blog readers and website visitors.

Belle Ayiti - Mizik Savant Ayisyen (Beautiful Haiti - Haitian Classical Music) (75:29) is a 2007 release by Z.A.M.A. It is sold online at Educa Vision. Julio Racine is one of four Haitian composers represented on the CD. Three of its works are by him: Tangente au Yanvalou, Sonate Vodou Jazz and Haitian Folk Songs. He began taking flute lessons at age 12, and entered the Conservatoire National at age 15. Julio retired in 2001 and now lives and composes in Louisvile, Kentucky. He attended the University of Louisville School of Music on a scholarship from 1970-74. When Julio graduated, he immediately joined the faculty of École Sainte Trinité, which was later to be flattened by the earthquake of January 2010.

Dr. Jean Montès, Professor of Music at Loyola University in New Orleans, is responsible for more performances of Julio Racine's compositions, and his arrangements of Haitian folk music, than anyone else. Julio Racine's Sonate Voudou Jazz was perfomed Jan. 16, 2011 at QuakeRelief, a benefit concert at St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Delray Beach, Florida. The choir director tells AfriClassical that members of the choir also plan to perform another work of Julio Racine.