8762: RAM in the UK. Richard Morse reports

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

RAM just finished a wonderful tour in the UK. We did approximately thirty 
shows in the thirty five days we were there. We kicked it off with a live
gig 
at the famous BBC recording studios, thanks to Andy Kershaw, who is a big
fan 
of Haitian music (and the Oloffson, I might add) and we finished it off
with 
an unbelievable show at Queens Hall in South Bank. Whether the crowds were 
small (sometimes as small as 30 or 40 people) or big, up to four or five 
hundred, the reaction was always the same, the joy that comes with dancing
to 
Haitian music. Occasionally we would run into Haitians who are actually 
living in the UK. One woman brought us to her home for food and drinks
after 
the show. Patrick Boucard, from Jacmel, who helped sponsor the tour has 
opened an Art Gallery in Bath called Erzulie Gallery. Jacqualine Labrom,
who 
organizes tours between the UK and Haiti, and is also a list member,
showed 
up at one of our more surreal moments in a small theatre in the middle of
no 
where. I think she was happy that I wasn't making off handed political 
commentary. I did teach many of the audience members the Haitian greeting 
"Comment Nou Ye; Nou La!". 
In Denmark we played at the Roskilde festival. Unfortunately the second
half 
of our show coincided with a set by Bob Dylan. The folks who stayed with
us 
were treated to a rara that they probably won't forget for a while. 
For those of you in the UK, our new record "Kite Yo Pale" is being 
distributed by Discovery and you should be able to get it at your local 
record store. And for now its back to Haiti and the Oloffson "si AA vle" 
Richard Morse