Guy Durosier, a Haitian Singer, Organist, Saxophonist, And Composer Died On August 19, 1999 Born in Port-au-Prince, the capital, Guy Durosier started performing at age 14. In 1947 he began playing the clarinet with the school band at St. Louis de Gonzague School in Port-au-Prince. A few years later, he began to play professionally when he caught the attention of Issa Saieh, the maestro of the most famous orchestra in Haiti. In a career more than 50 years long, Durosier also played the saxophone and composed music. Like most Haitian musicians, he had an eclectic style, ranging from big band sounds to Cuban music of the 50's. His genre reached even those who left Haiti too young to have known his music firsthand and those who were born in the United States to Haitian parents. His cross-generational appeal was evident when Durosier received a standing ovation after performing at Lincoln Center in June 1998 during a fund-raiser for the Haitian-American Alliance, a community group based in Brooklyn. Reviewers said Durosier outshone younger and more popular Haitian musicians like the singer Emeline Michel and the guitarist Beethova Obas. In the 1960's Durosier settled in Paris and was a regular performer at the jazz club Mars, playing the saxophone, and was at the center of a growing intellectual and artistic Haitian community in Paris. After Paris, Durosier lived in Asia, then spent 15 years in Canada before settling in the United States a decade ago. He wrote scores of songs and many, like "My Brune," became hits. However, his image suffered from his close alliance with Haitian dictators Francois (Papa Doc) Duvalier and his son, Jean-Claude (Baby Doc) Duvalier, who ruled from 1957 to 1986, when the younger Duvalier fled to exile in France. In 1971 Durosier gave a special tribute at the elder Duvalier's funeral. "We thank thee Francois Duvalier for having given so much to us," Durosier sang. "You are great and beautiful and just. Up there in the skies you will watch over our Fatherland." During an interview in November with the magazine Haitiens Aujourd'hui, Durosier said that singing at the funeral was a matter of chance. A few days after Durosier was invited to Haiti along with other celebrities like Pele and Muhammad Ali, he recounted, Duvalier died and he was asked to sing at the funeral. Officials imposed the text of his song, he said. "Today I have no regrets," he said in the interview. "I have one wish: That my musical legacy continue to rehabilitate Haitian music in the world. I would like to leave something valuable." Durosier is survived by his wife, Marianne, and four children. A memorial will be held in Bothell tomorrow. A concert tribute to Durosier will be held at Brooklyn College in New York on Sunday. The tribute will bring together musicians of his era like Joe Trouillot, Michel Pressoir, Egner Guinard and Raoul Guillaume Guy Durosier, a versatile Haitian singer and organist whom Edith Piaf once called "the living breath of Haiti," died at his home in Bothell, a suburb of Seattle. He was 68. The cause was complications from pulmonary cancer, said his son Robert. By GARRY PIERRE-PIERRE Durosier Guy Durosier Guy Guy Durosier, born in Port-Au-Prince on Mars 1932, is known as one of the most versatile Haitian musicians of all time. He is a singer of great range and talent, an excellent saxophonist and a multi- instrumentist. He learned the rudiments of music from his mother, Francine Petrus. He attended St-Louis Conzague High School and was part of the institution School Band. Because of his mother, at an early age, he was exposed to musical geniuses such as Dodof Legros and Francois Guignard.  Under the leadership of Issa El Saieh, he made his professional debut with Ernst Nono Lamy, Tiroro, Raoul Guillaume, Kesnel Duroseau, Alphonse Chico Simon and Lumane Casimir. While playing for Issa El Saieh Band, he was lucky to acquire more musical knowledge from Bud Johnson, a great American saxophonist and the American pianist Billy Taylor. From those two, Guy learned the techniques of arrangement and synchronization. Thereafter, he became the band arranger. Guy co-wrote Ma brune with Raoul Guillaume. Then, he starred in many bands such as the international “Sonora Mantacera, Orchestre Riviera of Degrottes and Edner Guignard. After acquiring enough experience, he founded his own band. And by 1955, he was a renowned guest at Pan Americanism Festival in Florida. From that point on, Guy became an ambassador and performed in many North American cities such as Washington, Seattle, Vancouver, and New-York, California. Thereafter, he returned to Haiti and produce Machann Chabon which became an instant hit. In 1959, ill-ease with the new Duvalierist regime, he self- exile to Paris. At Paris, he befriended Edith Piaff, a famous French singer. In the 60’s after touring in Europe, Africa and Asia and performing at magisterial places such as Carnegie Hall de New York and Olympia of Paris, the sky was his limit. Then he published Avec Nous, in memory of Matin Luther King, Haiti, c’est toi que je prefere, and Si w al an Ayiti. Eventually, Guy was allowed to return in Haiti and his performances at Capitol, Cabanne Choucoune and many other places were sold out. But Guy got carried away in the Duvalierist fever and in 1971, sang with tears in his eyes the prowess of Francois Duvalier and his angelic manners. On the one hand, some were furious and have never forgiven him for this unscrupulous act. On the other hand, many grant him forgiveness and consider him as one of the most gifted vocalists of all-time. Paul Sanon