Sunday, October 31, 2010

'Valses to Voodoo: Piano Music of Haitian Composer Ludovic Lamothe' is CD of Joshua Russell


[ABOVE: Ludovic Lamothe; Fleurs d`Haiti, 10 Selections de Piano par Ludovic Lamothe Compositeur; Disques Victor. BELOW: Valses to Voodoo: Piano Music of Haitian Composer Ludovic Lamothe; Joshua Russell, piano (2010)]

The Haitian pianist Ludovic Lamothe (1882-1953) is profiled at AfriClassical.com. Until now, the only CD devoted entirely to the piano works of Ludovic Lamothe has been: A Vision of Ludovic Lamothe, a 2001 CD from IFA Music Records which features pianist Charles P. Phillips. Joshua Russell, DMA, is an instructor in piano at Bradley University, Peoria, Illinois. Prof. Russell has made a specialty of performing Haitian Music after teaching at a Summer Music Camp in Haiti. His CD can be ordered for $15 plus shipping at his website, http://www.joshuarussellpianist.com/products/

Peoria JournalStar
Oct 31, 2010
“Pianist Dr. Joshua Russell will present a program of Haitian piano music for Friends of the Children of Haiti on Nov. 10 at Dingeldine Music Center, Bradley University.” “The concert will include all of the music from Dr. Russell's latest recording, Valses to Voodoo. The recording features the piano music of Haiti's best-known composer, Ludovic Lamothe, who is also known as the 'Black Chopin.'

"Lamothe's music is a fusion of Latin-American dances, imitation of Voodoo drumming and ceremonial music, and European classical styles. Joshua Russell has taught at the Holy Trinity Music School in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, and has performed concerts of Haitian piano music across the United States.” “Additional information about Russell and the music is available at http://www.joshuarussellpianist.com.”

The website features two televised interviews with the pianist on the new CD and the allocation of half of the proceeds to reconstruction of Holy Trinity Music School, which was destroyed on January 12, 2010
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Comment by email:
Hello Bill, Thank you so much for posting the information about the CD on Africlassical, and thank you for the CD purchase. I put the CD in the mail this evening, so it should be to you by the end of the week. Please let me know if you do not receive it. I truly appreciate the posts about this project, and other concerts/projects, that I have been doing with Lamothe's music the last year or two. It has been a great privilege to be able to use this music to help out the school in Haiti. It is such wonderful music and deserves to be heard! Please let me know if there is anything else I can do to help. Thank you! Joshua Russell

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