or gong and, Pierrot Kerssaint on congas or tambour which kept the back row "ban derriere" solid.

On key board and synthesizerthey had Claudy Fremont,Frantz Pierre-Gilles trumpet and Ernst George on Trombone . D.P Express was the first to have incorporatedthose three instruments into their band. The unique sound of Herve B1eus on lead vocals captured the attentionof fans and theirback up singer and ghost writer behind the hit "David",Lesly Dauphin. The band took off over night. By 1976they released theirfirst album entitled "M'pap Pran Contact", "Mwen , vin pati maleNew Yorkmale New York, New Yorkpou m kab travail mwen vin rentre rentreencore..." The voice behind the hcavy konpa that they played, immediatelyes tablishedthem as a band that was going to take the indus try by storm. A year laterin 1977 they released their second album with hits like "Pale' Pale' Qu" "Yo met fe sa yo vIeyo pap kraze D.P ho"" and theirsecond single . "Liberto " and "CroisPam" laid their foundation as one of the top konpa band. As the years went by D.P. Express continuedto produce classicalbums one after the other. The years of 1978 - 1981 can be consideredas the golden years of their existenee. They were faced with the prob lem of replaeingtheir lead singer Herve Bleus, who suf feredfrom voeal complication, and unable to sing. D.P. was forcedto shop fora new singer. Luck wouldbe on their side, they landed Ti-Manno a k a Antoine Rossini Jean Baptistfrom the band Astros after they wereunable to leaveHaiti. By December 1978 Ti- Manno became a , regular with D.P. They became the perfectcouple. His styleof singing perfectlymatchedtheir up- tempo style. They quicklyfeaturedTi - Manno on their 1979album, "Nou Retounin" even tough he was not photographed on the cover. The album featured hit singles like, "D.P. Fever"and "N'anraje." Ti-Manno became the super star and the iconic figure that D.P.Express was desperately in search of . In August 1979, while touring and promoting their latestalbum in the Lesser Antillesof Dominica,they came elose to death, and nearly survived a level five hurri cane travelingat the speed of two hundred miles per hour the hurricane was named David. It had devastatedthe island. They were stuck in their hotel rooms fordays not knowing and worrying about the hurricane's effecton Haiti. Faced with such adversity they wrote one of , konpas greatesthit "David" with lyrics that reflected their true emotionsduring this ordeal. It broughttears and ral lied an entire nation behind them The song was well pro duced with some very potent lyricsbehind the voiceof'Ti Manno. It was an instanthit. He sang the track with an enormous amount of emotionsof pain, fear and feelings that they endured. MusicallyD.P gave us a peak into the future of konpaand what a true full band should resemble. They had two keyboardistsRaul DenisJr. and ClauditFre mont.Twopercussionplayersand three singerslimanno as lead Vocals PerezAlvarez Lesly Dauphin (authorof , "David") as background vocals.

In 1975 a young band emergedon the scene from the break up of "Les Difficilede Pelion-ville", and gave birth to one of the greatestband in konpa's history. D.P Express,the first letters are initialsfor Difficile de Petion ville, as they were unable to retain the old name. They took konpa direct to another level from their first hit "M'pap Pran Contact." This particular song established D.P. as a band to be reckoned with. Off the bat, they intro duced a new form ofkonpa an up-tempo stylethat rejuve nated konpa, and perhaps changed its course. Presently Konpa loversare still reminiscingover , D.P. Express. The band from its inceptionbrought us to tears with one of the all time greatestkonpa hit single and album "David:' D.P. Expressremains incarcerated in our minds, and resonatesinto the hean of true Konpa Direet fans. Within the same band, we come aeross one of konpa'sgreatestperformers' singer/composerof all time, none other than Antoine RossiniJean Baptist- better known as "Ti Manno." He took the band to its highest peak with his abilityto move the crowd. The band broughtus some very good konpa tunes, behind an arse nal of good musicians, and management,which elevated konpas direet from the mini djazz style ofkonpa to a new more advanced sound. They playedan up- tempo style that many bands during their time could not keep up with the speed of the D.P train. They introduceda trio of in . struments,such as the trumpet, trombone and keyboard in Haitiankonpa'shistory, thereby creatinga new sound and style. The wind section became a permanent fixture in theirrepertoire in order to maintain with other Caribbean bands that were playingwiththese instruments in their songs. They introducedus to their first hit between 197 5 1976 with Eddy Wooley on guitar and band leader, fol lowedby one of the greatestbass playerin konpa's direct history during his time: none other than Jean Robert Her rissea k a "Porky." On drums or " batterie" we found AI mando Keslin, with PhillipeDenis on percussion

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The song showed their love for their country Haiti. During the summer of 1980, D.P. Express released one of the best-produce d Konpa albums ever entitled "David " after their single. The album was near per fection . It prove d that they were masters of their craft. The whole album from ' E,E,E,E to Sesso,' would become an imprint for konpa music . Many can unde niab ly argue that "David" is one classic album and one of the best that's ever produce d. This album became the ticket that allowed the fast pace train to take off. By this time, the ban d was very popular in Haiti, New York and the Caribbea n. They were selling out arenas and party after party. One occasion was their party at the old Olympia Palace in Queens New York where the place was jam packe d inside and outside the line snaked aroun d blocks to see Ti-Manno and D.P. Express. The marriage betwee n D.P Express and their super star singer did not last forever. It was short lived. The band's short rise to popu larity can be at tributed to Ti Manno dramatic stage presence and energy would come to an abrupt end. This was as a result of his demand for more money. He felt he was the man behind their success . Management rebuked at the idea and allowed their super star artist to leave . Ti- Manno would later form his own band The Gemini All Stars. The train had not completely derailed. As a matter of fact, it continued to speed on its path of suc cess. Their sixth album "Reflechi" in 1981 had a brand new flavor and voice . The album featured hits such as "Grace." Pasca l Albert was lead singer Alva rez and Dauphin also sang lead on some tracks . The band went through a phase were many of the origina l members left or were replaced with new musicians, but their core remained the same . In "Pran Plezi Nou", management meaning Papite Halloun, who ran the band as part of his business empire brought Mario Germain as a second bass player. They doubled up on Keyboard with Ansito and Ti Police as their new gui tarist. D.P continued to release very good and solid albums that kept the train going "Barier" in 1983. "Tete Kale" in 1984 and, "Anba Anba"; circa 1985. The band by now had a complete make up with musi cians like Patrick Casseus , Nixon Clermo nt Benito Philogene, Larose Dieudonne and many other great musicians . The D.P. Express train rode the rail of kompas music from 1975 to 1991. They captivate d audiences with eleven well-prod uced albums along with great "karnival hits" and a slew of talented musicians who created a new path for konpa music . The train of konpa many of us loved, fmally derailed by 1985. After giving a stellar performance dur ing the last great karnava l in front of the Presidential Palace many would see the last of the band .

Their stellar performance earned the ban d a sub stantial amount of money from Preside nt Duvalier- which eventu ally broke the band apart . Management wanted to invest the money in the band, while band members wan ted to disburse the money between themselves for their hard work. Politieal turmoi l also affected the outcome of the band. While on tour in the U.S some nine members did not retum to Haiti with the band they ineluded at the time musicians : Polinycc "Ti Polis" Nozile. Ansito, Gary Manigat, Lyone1 "Yon Yon" Simeon, Mario Germain, Patrick Casse us they all are featured in the "Tet Kale" album Volume 9. Those musicians staye d in the States and created G.P. ~::; Express, and Gemini Plus with '!. - _ Ansito . They created two great albums before returning to Haiti Circa 1989. Standing on its last leg D.P. attempted to resurface with their last album in 1991 "D .P. Re tournin" The album was not well embraced. The ban d was depleted of members and a complete failure . The band eventually reached its last stop . Although, D.P. Express is no longer in existence but their legacy has found its place in konpa direct hall offame. Many new generatio n bands are cur rently imitating the style of D.P. Some have attempted to sound the same as D.P. Konpa lovers all across Haiti and the Diaspora are still yearning for their soun d. Their hit "David" still remains a hit as of 2007 . Recently, many online kompa fans were debat ing on various sites the greatest single of all time. "Davi d" was cited as one of the most popular single in the fifty years history ofKonpa. It can clearly be stated that D.P. Express is the best and greatest konpa direct band that ever lived . They serve d as the bridge between the mini djazz bands and style that attracted many fans to konpa and the connec tion to the Nou velle Generatio n of modernize instruments and sound. Their young, innova tive, and catchy soun d elevated konpa music to an unreachable hierarchy. The in ception of this fast pace train on the scene in the mid seven ties continues to resonate in the mind and heart s of Konpa Lovers today. They left us with a legacy of unsurpassed hits and a school of well-crafted mus i cians, along with kompa greatest star, Ti Manno . The Green and white flag that wavere d on Champ De Mars during many karnaval remain captivated in our world ofkonpa music . Kompa lovers from all over must pay homage to such great band. Fans ofkonpa continue to reminisce over perhaps Kompa Direct greatest band D.P. Express "Toujou sou konpa."
Special thanks to Jean Claude Vivens aka the kompa historian and professor for your suppo rt and insight.
By Josh . Polony Polokoupa"

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