It has been said by many that there is nothing new in music, that it's
all been done before; all that is left is to adopt a past style, a
past sound of music and wear it like a retro outfit from a vintage
clothing store. That certainly appears to be true when almost every
hyped band makes this old school music head (and a lot of new
schoolers, too) think "where have I been bored by this before?" One
band after the other trots out '70's hard rock, '60's folk and punk
rock that's thirty years old. Some artists try to blend different
styles and at least gets an A for effort. Unfortunately, such attempts
usually reveal other problems like no strong musical identity and a
distinct lack of observations and commentary regarding real life and
the human drama. It adds up to being less of more of the same.

Karlex, a Haitian-American living in France, creates music that is,
like a rich, flavorful coffee: strong, deep, and well blended. He
calls his sound Afro Groove. The music is smooth and subtle, with
songs that are structured around Curtis Mayfield meets Bob Marley
rhythm guitar parts, funky dub-wise bass and agile drumming. It all
combines to create a poly-rhythmic stew. Karlex' deep, rich vocals
surf the churning musical wave. He has quite a lot to say about
things, too.

http://www.karlexmusic.com

[Karlex Antoine] Six songs written for this album are about very
personal themes of Love, love lost and redemption. At the time I
recorded this album, my life was a real mess and I was trying to think
positively so I could go ahead with it. In that sense, the live track
on the CD, "Joker Man," is the most personal song on the album. It may
appear upbeat, but when you listen carefully, the song speaks of the
loneliness of the human condition, the exhaustion from the efforts to
fit in.

[Mark Kirby] His efforts to be one of those running the rat race
brought him to a crossroads in life, where he could go the so-called
safe route or follow his heart.

[Karlex Antoine] After having lived comfortably for a few years
working in the business world, the question came back with some
urgency, "Am I going to stay away from what I truly love doing? What
will I think about myself when it will be too late to get back?" Three
years ago, the circumstances were right and I just grabbed the chance
to make music my primary focus. I believe I have something to say,
something to share with others. I feel there are people out there who
feel exactly the way I do; the only difference is I put it in music,
so there is a need to find them and share this music.

[Mark Kirby] Karlex' unique sound comes from growing up in Haiti. His
uncles were musical performers and his mother conducted the local
church choir. Like many Caribbean nations, Haiti was also influenced
by American music. This was especially true for Karlex, many of his
family had moved to the States in the 60's & 70's. Summer trips to see
family in New York, opened him up to the world and to a great big
universe of music.

[Karlex Antoine] When I was growing up in Haiti, we were always
surrounded by music and it was very eclectic: from the French variety
to Gospel, from Haiti's Kompa music to the Beatles the Stones and the
Motown sounds. This has had a lasting influence on me, in the sense
that I want to take my music to all kind of places.

[Mark Kirby] What are your primary influences, musical and non-
musical? How do these influences come out in your music?

[Karlex Antoine] For sure, I have some favourite artists or musicians
that have influenced me more than others: Bob Marley, The Rolling
Stones, and the Haitian singer/guitarist Dadou Pasquet, among many
others. I draw vibrations from so many different styles of music and
people. I am inspired by the books I read and the radio talk shows I
listen to.

[Mark Kirby] The African influence, more pronounced in Haitian culture
and other islands of the Caribbean, comes in many ways. On the title
track "Ghetto Fabulous," a cross-rhythmic shuffle played by the drums
blends into the bouncy beat of the song. It's a signature feature of
African music to have a rhythmic intro. The beat, the groove and the
arrangements on this and other cuts on this CD, show that all those
years listening to a variety of music paid off; as the song's hip hop
sensibility is leavened by a catchy melody and chorus and the
understated work of the other musicians. As with nearly all of his
songs, the message is positive and empowering, "I'm ghetto fabulous /
I am black beautiful / you're my Venus / certainly as beautiful..."

Your writings show that you contemplate spirituality and the nature of
reality. Have you drawn any conclusions? If so, how have these ideas
and revelations influenced and shown up in your music?

[Karlex Antoine] RESPECT for every culture and belief. The sense that
chances are that I will die with so many unanswered questions, but
with the hope that in another life I will have a chance to say,
"That's it!" Sometimes this will be seen clearly in songs like "Let's
Harmonize" or "Farewell Angel." Sometimes it will be just a little
hint, "Does he hear? Does he feel? One voice in a million," in the
song "Joker Man." But mostly, I feel like a responsibility to promote
positive vibrations.

[Mark Kirby] Karlex, above all else, is an excellent songwriter. He
has taken to heart the John Lennon dictum regarding songwriting: keep
it simple, say what you mean and make it rhyme. Like the Beatles, Neil
Young, and others have proven, a great song can be just as beautiful
and strong when performed on voice and piano or guitar. Karlex' songs
have that superior quality.

[Karlex Antoine] "I've Got News for You" is about freedom and
tolerance of other people's culture and vision of life. It was, in
part, inspired by the way some people look at urban culture, by
Toussaint Louverture the former slave and black general and by Martin
Luther King, Jr. The song "Sometimes" started as a song about the
frustration of not always having the words to express your feelings
and how things are not always what we perceive them to be. Then, I
wrapped the main idea within the story of a couple's relationship;
with the dark side of an individual that is not always revealed, not
necessarily a bad person. But, I believe in each of us there is light
and dark and that we should accept each other's better.

[Mark Kirby] Both the artist and this writer agree that the soulful
"Farewell Angel," a song that is popular on Africa Radio 1 and whose
video is in heavy rotation on Europe 2 TV, is our favorite on the
album. The piece is totally stripped down to the singer/songwriter's
essence of guitar and voice. "It was written the morning of my
father's funeral," he states. With lyrics such as "I've got no angel
to watch over me / I got no prayers to be heard / who listens anymore"
and "In my bed I curl up / like the boy I used to be" he captures the
grief of loss without weeping and wailing, the quiet sadness of how
these moments play out beyond the weeping and wailing.

In addition to liberal use of the Internet and other standard ways to
promote his music, Karlex has another unique idea for promoting and
bringing his music to the world at large: a tour of France using the
train as a roving music venue.

What was it like doing a tour on a cross-country train? How did the
idea to do this come about?

[Karlex Antoine] The French TGV high-speed train tour was from April
30th to May 6th on the Paris/ Montpellier/ Perignan line. I was so
excited. We played our repertoire differently just for the train. The
show took place in the Bar iDZinc and was decorated to reflect my
world. The idea came because iDTGV is a concept that was developed by
France's SNCF to be an entirely different way to take the train. When
a friend of mine presented them with the idea, they loved the music
and decided to go for it.

[Mark Kirby] What is your live show like?

[Karlex Antoine] The live tour reflects more what I want to do and
what the next album might be like: more funky, Afro Beat & world
oriented as well as very energetic and edgier. Most of all, my voice
has bloomed and the shyness that I felt while recording the album has
faded away. I had been away from playing music, and I needed to get my
confidence back. I am a performing artist and I feel that I need to
win my public with my live shows.

[Mark Kirby] Whereas many musical artists - Kanye West and The Killers
to name two - indulge in rap style braggadocio, Karlex remains down to
earth and humble. When asked how he would describe himself as an
artist, he replied, "I don't know if I am an artist, I would love to
be one but I am so ordinary. I think I am just a guy who can write
songs. I am just trying to share that with people and hope they will
be interested, or may feel a connection because they sometimes feel
exactly what I am talking about."

Article by Mark Kirby