Port-au-Prince jazzes it up as PAP Jazz  Fest triumphs with unforgettable 18th edition

PORT-AU-PRINCE — After two postponements and mounting uncertainty, the Port-au-Prince International Jazz Festival—known as PAP Jazz—returned in full swing on April 5 and 6, celebrating local artistry and cultural resilience in the heart of the Haitian capital. Security concerns kept away International music lovers and artists who usually flock to Haiti on this extravagant occasion. 

This 18th edition, held under the theme “Pap Jazz It Up,” unfolded at the Karibe Hotel’s convention center in Pétion-Ville, transforming a city under siege from insecurity into a stage of musical creativity and resistance.

“We tried everything,”  Milena Sandler, executive director of the Haiti Jazz Foundation, told The Haitian Times about the festival’s realization in Port-au-Prince this year, despite the odds. 

“We explored alternatives, but ultimately, we had to confront reality and focus on our local artists,” Sandler said. 

Since its inception in 2007, PAP Jazz has hosted various renowned artists from across the globe. Notable performers include legendary Haitian icons like Emeline Michel, who has graced the stage with her soulful voice, and Joël Widmaier, the festival’s artistic director and a celebrated figure in Haitian jazz. Internationally, the festival has welcomed acclaimed musicians like Branford Marsalis, Dee Dee Bridgewater and Richard Bona, showcasing its global appeal and commitment to high-quality jazz performances.

A lineup powered by homegrown talent

With Port-au-Prince under the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration’s travel ban, the 2025 edition of the PAP Jazz Fest could not count on global figures and jazz music lovers from abroad. This was the first time no international artists participated due to escalating gang violence and insecurity.

Instead, the stage belonged entirely to Haitian performers, who turned the absence of global stars into a showcase of local brilliance.

“This year, we had to do it with local artists only, and we succeeded greatly,” singer Joël Pierrevil, known by his stage name as Joël Akoustik, told The Haitian Times during a post-show interview.

Among the standout moments was a powerful slam-jazz performance titled “Les amours, balles perdues”—a collaboration between poet Ricardo Boucher, slammer Eliezer Guerismé, artist Badio Pandache and musician Joël Widmaier.

Vodou rhythms meet jazz improvisation

The Vodou group “Nanm” —an emerging rasin ensemble—blended traditional Haitian spiritual rhythms with jazz elements, earning praise from both the crowd and the festival’s organizers.

“I’m grateful for the local artists who had to manage to mix jazz with their style,” Sandler rejoiced.

Meanwhile, Clyde Duverné and Therly Job kept the spirit alive during the festival’s late-night sessions at Quartier Latin, a cherished after-party tradition that even insecurity couldn’t cancel.

A cultural escape in turbulent times

Day two of the festival underscored the deep emotional need for cultural gathering in a city besieged by fear. For a few hours, Port-au-Prince residents were transported—dancing, clapping, and singing along to artists who gave them more than music. They gave them hope.

“It’s not just a music festival, it’s a form of resistance,” said Gladimy Jean, an attendee. “People were thirsty for this moment.”

That evening, Joël “Akoustik” Pierrevil, along with Alexa Cherrélus, Fameuse Maude, Jean “Kéké” Bélizaire and Johnson Saint-Cyr, delivered a stirring interpretation of Bélo’s hit “Kote Moun Yo”—a fitting tribute to the absent, the lost and the searching.

Musical unity: jazz meets rara and hip hop

The eclectic soundscape continued with a set by DJ Gaëtan “Kolo” Collaud and friends, including Hernso “Ti Tanbou” Chéry, Kerven “Kabysh” Lebrun, Kéké Bélizaire and Joël Widmaier. The performance fused hip hop, Haitian percussion and jazz into a hypnotic mix.

Another crowd favorite was the rara band “Follow Jah”, which performed lively transitions between sets, stirring nostalgia and joy among festival-goers.

“It was the first time I’d seen Nanm on stage, and they captivated the audience—especially their guitarist,” said Sarafina Pierre, a festival-goer. “There was also the rara band who really set the mood.”

PAP Jazz Festival’s future rests on resilience

In 2023, Cap-Haïtien hosted PAP Jazz for the first time, bringing together local, national and international artists during the weekend of January 20-22. The event, moved from the capital due to ongoing violence and rampant kidnappings, drawing throngs of fans to a stage stationed at Carénage Boulevard. Throughout the weekend, local talents also showcased the country’s jazz, rara, konpa and other music formats.

Despite a smaller organizing team, Sandler said she was overwhelmed by the success of the 2025 edition.             

“I didn’t expect the public to come out in these difficult circumstances. All the activities were sold out,” she said. “It took a lot of hard work and effort to organize this edition, and I’m more than satisfied with the result.”

She credited sponsors, embassies, volunteers, artists and participants with making the event possible and reaffirmed that the Haiti Jazz Foundation will continue “taking it one step at a time” as it prepares for the 19th edition in 2026.

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