Emeline Michel April 26, 2008

Emeline Michel is the reigning queen of Haitian song. She is a captivating performer, versatile vocalist, accomplished dancer, songwriter and producer. "Filin" (Cuban for "feeling,") is a musical style born in the 1940s out of the smokey late-night meetings of Afro-Cuban musicians who were combining bolero and son with jazz in Centro Habana, Cuba. Composers like Jose Antonio Mendez, Cesar Portillo de la Luz, Frank Dominguez and singers Elena Burke and Omara Portuondo created a cool undercurrent in Cuban music - passionate, personal songs accompanied by free-style guitar, bass and percussion. Singer/songwriter/guitarist Juan-Carlos Formell, who was born during this movement, is continuing in this tradition by developing a new repertoire of songs that brings the concept of Cuban cool to a new place.