Magnum Band

The story so far.

Written and edited by Smokiller

Magnum Band is a compas direct group launched on June 24, 1976, Saint Jean's Day, at the Masonic temple L'Arche de Noé in Miami, according to Le Nouvelliste. Brothers André "Dadou" Pasquet and Claude "Tico" Pasquet founded it under the slogan The Only Difference. Dadou had played with Tabou Combo in the early 1970s, and The Haitian Times describes the band's sound under his leadership as a smooth blend of konpa, jazz, funk and pop. Key releases named in that report include Cherché La Vie from 1980, Afrika from 1986 and Live at Berklee, recorded in Boston and released in 1992, while Le Nouvelliste counts 38 albums including Dadou's solo work. Songs fans tie to the band include Paka Pala, Pike Devan, Jehovah and Expérience. Dadou Pasquet died in Miami in November 2025 at the age of 72 after a long illness, news that RCI greeted as the loss of a monument of Haitian compas.