Mushy Widmaier is a “modern jazz” piano player, but one with a certain undertone of both Haitian folklore and European art music – but all of it as ingredients of a digested and unified whole sounding unmistakably as Him. Mushy is capable of fitting in with groups of almost any stylistic observance and takes a most active and creative part in the proceedings. He seems to master a vast repertory, whether jazz standards, Haitian folk songs, popular dance music or originals.
Based mainly on a self-thought theoretic knowledge Mushy may apply anything from slight harmonic embellishments to a complete reharmonization including all kinds of extensions, substitutions and passing chords following each other. He realizes the specific possibility of the keyboard, not only regarding harmony but the subtle percussive potential of the instruments is just as important. A significant characteristic of Mushy individual style is his ability to set moods, structuralize the solos, to built those improvisations on Harmony derived from the theme but most of the time not being a clear form of repetition of the theme framework. Sometimes even recreating original melody (in the interpretations of folk songs), sometimes surprising, sometimes witty, where, those lead to a complete remodeling beyond recognition that any song may undergo being exposed to his perception.
The attendant serenity and maturity during later years with no record productions of his own since his last album “KOTE’OU” are certainly not attempts of explaining away anything like artistic stagnation. On the contrary, Mushy continues to expand his musical language. He is not just staying on firm ground but is, as any creative musician taking risks every now and then. Important achievements as a composer and arranger have been music written for Ballets, Theatre Pieces, Poetries, and Documentaries. These works are revealing more facets at each hearing.
Established as the enfant terrible of Haitian music, Mushy Widmaier embarked on a period of research into ways of writing music that would certainly shake the Haitian music tradition, the so-called “School of the New Generation” starting in 1982 , named after His Band Zekle was devoted to the ideals of changes and eradication that would emerge from any evolving society. And most of all for him, it has been the main goal in his musical life to fight for the acceptance of all musical genres in Haiti as being theirs. As he concluded one of his lectures on “Haitian dance: history and tradition.”:
“Haitian Music is, Song, Classical, Root, Dance, Contemporary, Traditional, Jazz and all musical genres originated from the Haitian soul. This variety constitutes the Opera of our History.”
Honors
Invited for the Jazz Workshop in Martinique “Fondation Culture Creation and the Centre Martiniquais d’action culturelle (1993)
Three times Jury Member of American Airlines Music Contest
Musical Composer Contest Award for the 150th Anniversary of Petion-Ville (Hymn) 1981
First Prize winner of International Contest “Phonurgia Nova” for Best Jingles, Best Radio Beds, Best News Themes 1997
Chosen by The Journalist & Critic Gerald Merceron (Jazz Mag) as being among the top 10 best Piano Player of the Caribbean
Associations
Founder of “La Societe Haitienne de Production “(Shap Music) – Haiti
Founder of “La Societe ZEKLE MUSIC “Haiti
Co-Founder of Metro-sound Co. / – Haiti
Co-Founder of Groups ZEKLE & LAKANSYEL – Haiti
Member of the “Societe des Auteurs et Compositeurs “– SACEM France
Founder and President of Fondation Musique & Art – 1997
Share Holder and Consultant of “Communication Professionals “(COMPRO)
Share Holder and Member of the Administration board of “Radio Metropole “(Port-au-Prince, Haiti)
