Smithsonian Folkways FW-06822-CCD Haitian Dances, Smithsonian Folkways, Mfr#: FW-06822-CCD

Smithsonian Folkways Recordings is the nonprofit record label of the Smithsonian Institution, the national museum of the United States. We are dedicated to supporting cultural diversity and increased understanding among peoples through the documentation, preservation, and dissemination of sound. We believe that musical and cultural diversity contributes to the vitality and quality of life throughout the world. Through the dissemination of audio recordings and educational materials we seek to strengthen people's engagement with their own cultural heritage and to enhance their awareness and appreciation of the cultural heritage of others.

Haitian guitarist and composer Frantz Casseus charged himself with the mission of building a repertoire for guitar blending Haitian folk music and European classical music, much as Villa Lobos had done for music in Brazil. The result, while largely overlooked, is as tantalizing as flamenco and possesses an unparalleled lyrical beauty.