André Déjean, a founding member of Les Frères Déjean, has died at 75. The post Konpa loses André Déjean, founding member of Les Frères Déjean appeared first on The Haitian Times.
NEW YORK- André Déjean, a founding member of Les Frères Déjean de Pétion-Ville whose trumpet helped define the sound of one of Haiti’s influential konpa bands, died Friday, Sept. 11, 2026. He was 75.
For generations of Les Frères Déjean fans, his death brings back the songs that made the band a fixture of Haitian popular music, including “Marina,” “Débaké,” “Arrêté,” “Mots Créoles,” “Maléré” and “L’Humanité.”
Les Frères Déjean emerged from Pétion-Ville during the rise of the mini-jazz movement with André on trumpet and Fred on saxophone. The group was initially known as Les Frères de Pétion-Ville before becoming Les Frères Déjean. They were among the Haitian bands that helped shape konpa during the rise of the mini-jazz movement.
In a biography published on Vibz Nation, Déjean identified himself as a trumpeter, trombonist, songwriter and arranger of the many of the band’s hits. As the group musical director he helped build the band’s distinctive sound and contributed to a body of music that became part of Haiti’s konpa repertoire. His death marks the loss of a musician who helped shape the sound of an important period in Haitian popular music.
His work extended beyond Les Frères Déjean. Déjean’s webpage biography says he accompanied international and Haitian vocalists, including Nelson Ned and Ansy Dérose, during his career. It describes a musician who moved between trumpet and trombone while continuing to write and arrange music.
His career also connected him to the Haitian diaspora. After moving to the United States, he continued performing and remained closely associated with the trumpet. His biography recounts an encounter at a Manhattan music store in which the owner, himself a trumpeter, gave him a trumpet after hearing him play a solo from the hit song “Marina.”
Déjean cause of death and funeral arrangements had not been announced.
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