Without the crutches of his illustrious predecessors such as Maurice Sixto, Morisseau Leroy and Jean-claude Martineau, Charlot Lucien of Boston has taken the story-telling world by entertaining listeners with his stylish tales on cd reflecting the deep realities of Haitians' daily life.

In his recently released cd "Grann Dede", Lucien uses his keen sense of observation to turn out the most dramatic and the most hilarious stories, in which resilient Haitian women take a central role. From machann fritay (fried food sellers) to retailers crisscrossing the Caribbean, and nurses-aides in Cambridge to remote historical figures, Lucien presents powerful composites of women who find

themselves negotiating realities more complex than what their daily lives, their jobs or their trades seem to entail.

One of his previous cds "Ti Cyprien, Doktè ya Bezwen", describes the path of a bright college student from Haiti's School of Medicine, after his father makes the necessary "moves" to get him in college. He resides in a slum of Port-au-Prince, where he is revered as the "first intellectual" and the first doctor of the neighborhood. Professors and other students apparently admire him for his intelligence, although they discretely make fun of his "social skills." Victor, a student from a wealthy family, teams up with him to study. Cyprien is quickly exposed to this family's lavish lifestyle - Texan beef, Miami rice are preferred over local Haitian products. Ti Cyprien never realizes the true nature of this "friendship", until an extraordinary episode sends to jail, tests the "friendship", and gets him to appreciate his relationship with his neighborhood where diseases and unsanitary conditions are devastating his hardworking friends and relatives...

Charlot Lucien, founder and co-director of the Haitian Artists Assembly of Massachusetts, has established himself as a master storyteller since the release of his first CD, "Ti Oma" (2001) and numerous storytelling performances. His work has been praised by critics in Haiti and in the Diaspora as a sure continuation of the legacy of Haiti's most famous storytellers, among them Maurice Sixto and Jean-Claude Martineau.  Lucien has released two other CDs, "Ti Cyprien" (2003) and "Grann Dede" (2007) in which he evokes the plight of Haiti's disfranchised people with depth and humor and muses with wit and elegance on what he calls "redundancy in absurdity" in some quarters of Haiti's elite.

Lucien tells stories for diverse audiences in three languages -Creole, English, French- and his performances usually include a "Krik? Krak!" session - traditional Haitian riddles- and traditional Haitian folktales that takes the audience in a creative folkloric journey.

As an artist and an illustrator, Lucien has participated in group exhibits and illustrated magazines, newspapers (Le Nouvelliste, Haiti en March, Regards 2000, INAGHEI Actuel, Haiti Libérée, etc.) and books. He is the author of two volumes, "Ces Grosses Têtes de l'Actualité, Vol. I & Vol. II" (sub title: "Our Comedians: Surrealism in Haitian Politics"). "Our Comedians", a compilation of national and international political personalities, is often presented on Power Point, engaging the audience in an innovative process of learning about Haiti's complex landscape.

Lucien frequently presents conferences on Haiti's culture and history and has performed in various venues in Miami, Boston, Connecticut, Tampa, New York, Chicago, Paris, Guadeloupe, Vermont and Haiti. His work and cultural endeavors have been reviewed and praised in numerous newspapers, including The Boston Globe, Le Nouvelliste, The Boston Haitian Reporter, Journal of Haitian Studies, Haitian Times, Haitian Press Network, Haiti en Marche, etc.

Lucien is also a Contract Manager and a Quality Assurance Coordinator for the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, working with various programs on standards and protocols designed to provide quality support services to people living with HIV.

For more information regarding Charlot Lucien's upcoming cd release "Grann Dede", on Saturday, May 24 inNew York, contact: Jackson Rateau at 203-570-3584 or visit www.charlotlucien.com

Paintings by Charlot Lucien

Charlot Lucien previous cds Ti Oma and Ti Cyprien

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