In 2022, the bassist, singer, composer, and poet Sélène Saint-Aimé embarked on “Éritaj,” an exploration of present and historical African, Afro-Indian, and Caribbean influences on New Orleans’ musical culture. Sélène’s project flowered through the formation of a local band, with trumpeter Steve Lands, tenor saxophonist Gladney, sousaphone trombonist Miles Lyons, pianist Shea Pierre, and drummer Alfred Jordan, Jr., mixing creole songs and culture with Saint-Aimé’s own music and poetry. This event, ​​featuring Sélène’s compositions and early creole songs from New Orleans and Martinique, marks the band’s debut performance in New York.

Sélène Saint-Aimé is a French contrabassist, singer, composer and poet with Caribbean and West African origins. She studied with internationally acclaimed bassists Ron Carter and Lonnie Plaxico as well as the saxophonist and conceptualist Steve Coleman. Sélène recently received a “Victoire du Jazz 2021” award in the “Rising star” category for her acclaimed first record, Mare Undarum. Sélène was a composer in residence at Tropiques Atrium in Martinique from 2021 until 2024, a 2022 Villa Albertine laureate in New Orleans, and a 2023 Villa Ndar laureate in Saint Louis, Senegal.

Rele Ountò is a Haitian drum ensemble lead by Renald St. Juste, with Yatande Bòkò, Steve Deats, and Taina Ligonde. Maestro Renald grew up in the Port-au-Prince neighborhood Bel-Air, an area known for its Vodou and folkloric drumming. He began playing the drums at the age of nine; in his teens, he toured with the preeminent Haitian Vodou musical group Wawa Racine Kanga. In New York, Maestro Renald drums for Vodou temples and with groups including La Troupe Makandal and Plezi Rara. Rele Ountò features musicians with combined decades of experience playing in ceremonies in Haiti and NYC's vibrant Haitian music scene: Yatande Bòkò, Steve Deats and Taina Ligonde.

This event is part of Transatlantik.