“1492 mixes a sonic brew that blends Haiti's traditional ibo beat (recalling the resistance to enslavement of Ibo ancestors) with soaring jazz horns, the West African kora (harp-lute), and the magical voices of Monvelyno Alexis and Riva Nyri Précil. Lifting the silence around the Haitian Revolution, which defeated the world's most powerful army of the day, the song sends out a new and improved ‘Yes we can’ message, evoking history and culture as the necessary means. Bohio Music, ayibobo!” Lois Wilcken, Ph.D., is an ethnomusicologist, the Executive Director of La Troupe Makandal,, author of The Drums of Vodou, and co-editor of Island Sounds in the Global City "An upbeat song that is an extraordinary fusion of catchy African rhythms and uniquely Haitian sounds, 1492 can't be listened to just once. With subtle harmonies, Monvelyno and Riva's voices perfectly match as they bring forth a message that is so central to Haiti's struggle - a call for foreign powers to leave the country so that Haiti can be for Haitians.” Melinda Miles, Executive Director of Let Haiti Live, and co-editor of Let Haiti Live: Unjust U.S. Policies Towards Its Oldest Neighbor “1492 is a welcome addition in a long and powerful Haitian tradition of utilizing music to denounce oppression (in this case, by 500-plus years of colonizers) and to encourage defiance (here, telling citizens to hold on, be strong). As a New Orleanian who has spent lots of time in Haiti and in Mali, I find this superb mélange of genres irresistible. The music is complex and layered, but the beat conveys a simple message: jump up and dance!” Beverly Bell, author of Walking on Fire: Haitian Women's Stories of Survival and Resistance and Fault Lines: Views across Haiti's Divide “This Haitian roots/racine/jazz/ibo inspired single calls out in creole for liberation, with acoustic guitar picking locked together with saxophone echo. From her youth in pre-coup sovereign Haiti during the late 1990s and early 2000s, to political exile in NYC and later the left coast, singer Riva Nyri Precil joins together with guitar protege and vocalist Monvelyno Alexis for this chill melody. From the struggles of Caribbean peoples and its diaspora to your eardrum.” Jeb Sprague, author of Paramilitarism and the Assault on Democracy in Haiti and of a forthcoming book, The Caribbean and Global Capitalism “If a picture is worth a thousand words, a song can do twice that-- if it's the right song, and this one is.” Madison Smartt Bell, is the author of the Haitian revolution trilogy: All Souls Rising: A Novel of Haiti, Master of the Crossroads, The Stone that the Builder Refused and Toussaint Louverture: A Biography “A beautiful anthem from an occupied Haiti... A cry of defiance and hope...” Laura Flynn, is author of Swallow the Ocean and editor of Eyes of the Heart: Seeking a Path for the Poor in the Age of Globalization by Jean-Bertrand Aristide