Les Frères Déjean

The story so far.

Written and edited by Smokiller

Les Frères Déjean is a konpa band from Pétion-Ville that came up during the mini-jazz movement, first under the name Les Frères de Pétion-Ville. The Haitian Times credits brothers André Déjean on trumpet and Fred Déjean on saxophone with shaping its horn-led sound, and Wikipedia dates the group's formation to 1963 under maestro Lyonel Déjean. Its first album, Haïti, did not arrive until 1974. Bouki ac Malice from 1977, carrying Débaké and Arrêté, is regarded as a milestone, and later records include L'univers in 1979, Hommage aux disparus in 1985 and Sové peyi nou in 1992. Fans also remember Marina, Mots Créoles, Maléré and L'Humanité. A writer at The Haitian Times recalls the band splitting after a promised Montreal gig went wrong, with Isnard Douby regrouping members as System Band. André Déjean, a trumpeter, trombonist, songwriter and arranger who served as musical director, died on September 11, 2026, at 75.