Wesli’s musical journey has gone from stringing up an oil can with nylon fishing line to winning a Juno for World Music Album of the Year.
Born Wesley Louissaint in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, he has grown into his role as a prolific songwriter, guitarist and producer. Uniting a large cross section of Montreal talent, his music links Haitian voudou and rara with roots, Afrobeat, and hip-hop. Guest spots on his albums include the likes of Tiken Jah Fakoly, Paul Cargnello, and Malika Tirolien. He has toured under the GlobalFest banner with the Caribbean All Stars.
Since being crowned the Revelation Radio-Canada for 2009–2010, Wesli has gone on to win the Babel Med Music Prize (2010), SOCAN’s Hagood Hardy Award (2016), an award from the Académie Charles CROS (2019), a Juno for World Music (2019), a Félix for Album of the Year in World Music (2019), and a CFMA for World Solo Artist of the Year (2020). He has toured across North America, Haiti, Colombia, Brazil, and Europe, and participated in WOMEX, Mundial Montréal and Cape Verde’s Atlantic Music Expo.
Wesli’s unstoppable creativity led to two album releases in 2015: the star-studded Immigrand alongside the more traditional Ayiti Étoile Nouvelle. Rapadou Kréyol (2018) will be followed by an electronically‑infused album to be released internationally by Cumbancha in autumn 2021.
Check out their website here
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11:00 AM | From Out of Left Field Down By The Bay 11:00 AM 12:00 PM Tio Chorinho with Flavia Nascimente & Porch Couch(H) Ritmi Vibranti Down By The River 11:00 AM 12:45 PM Italian music and dance with Kaláscima with Andrea Ramolo & Beppe Gambetta The Great North Road Down by the Bay 12:10 PM 1:10 PM David Francey(H), Archie Fisher with Garnet Rogers, Daniel Schmidt, and Lennie Gallant Bryden Gwiss in Concert Down By The River 1:00 PM 2:10 PM Making Arrangements Down By The Bay 1:20 PM 2:20 PM Little Misty and Vinta Of Meteors and Men Down By The River 2:15 PM 3:15 PM Meteor Heist & Men Without Pants Songs from a Hat Down By The Bay 2:30 PM 3:30 PM Treasa Levasseur (H), david sereda, Andrina Turenne | Francophonie Down By The Bay 11:20 AM 12:30 PM Élage Diouf, Andrina Turenne, Lennie Gallant(H) Shawna Caspi In Concert Down By The River 12:00 PM 1:00 PM Treasa Levasseur in Concert Down By The Bay 12:40 PM 1:20 PM The Vaudevillian Interactive Washboard Workshop Down By The River 1:00 PM 1:45 PM The duo supplies 40 musical washboards, 80 metal thimbles and teach the whole group how to play the washboard. All ages, abilities welcome Porch Couch in Concert Down By The Bay 1:45 PM 2:25 PM Man on Fire Down By The River 2:00 PM 3:00 PM Lloyd Speigel & david sereda Livin' in the Metro Down By The Bay 2:45 PM 4:00 PM Kobo Town, The Fretless and Ego Spank (H) Men Without Pants in Concert Down By The River 3:00 PM 4:00 PM | |
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3:30 PM | Balfolk Dance with Vinta Down By The River 3:30 PM 5:00 PM Guitar Heroes Down by the Bay 3:45 PM 5:30 PM Lloyd Spiegel, Terra Lightfoot (H), Murray Pulver (Ego Spank) | ||
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5:30 PM | Youth Discoveries Showcase Down By The Bay 5:30 PM 7:00 PM Paige Warner, Daniel Schmidt, Nora Stephens, Lennon and Matthew, Men Without Pants, Siobhan Bodrug | ||
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7:00 PM | Friday Pay Down By The Bay 7:10 PM 8:10 PM david sereda (H) & Diyet and the Love Soldiers | All Strings Attached Down By The Bay 7:00 PM 8:10 PM Porch Couch, Bruce Molsky & Vinta(H) Lennon and Matthew In Concert Down By The Bay 8:20 PM 8:50 PM | |
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8:30 PM | Watching the World Go By Down By The Bay 8:30 PM 9:40 PM Porch Couch, Shawna Caspi, and David Francey (H) | ||
9:00 PM | Madeleine Roger in Concert Down By The Bay 9:00 PM 9:40 PM The Vaudevillian in Concert Down By The Bay 9:45 PM 10:30 PM | A Summerfolk Farewell with Élage Diouf Down By The Bay 9:00 PM 11:00 PM | |
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10:00 PM | Andrina Turenne In Concert Down By The Bay 10:00 PM 10:40 PM with special guests Ego Spank | ||
10:30 PM | Paige Warner in Concert Down By The Bay 10:40 PM 11:20 PM | ||
11:00 PM | Ego Spank In Concert Down By The Bay 11:00 PM 11:55 PM Meteor Heist In Concert Down By The Bay 11:59 PM 12:50 AM | ||
11:30 PM | Kobo Town in Concert Down By The Bay 11:40 PM 12:40 AM |