Emeline Michel: "The guest is king!"

Lincoln Center's Target Free Thursdays at the Rubenstein Atrium hosted an extraordinary performance by Emeline Michel and guest artists last evening. This gorgeous performer has been called "the Joni Mitchell of Haiti," but the singer she most reminds me of is Benin's and Brooklyn's great Angélique Kidjo. That should give you a sense of Michel's incandescent warmth, energy, generosity and motivational power--as well as her world-hugging sound. Besides Kidjo, I'm reminded of a couple of other artists I've loved--Rubén Blades and Angela Bofill.

At a time of great sorrow and challenge for the people of her remarkable home island, Michel asserts a desire to show us a Haiti beyond the pain, "to share the art," as she says, "to bring community together." Well, last night she drew so much of the New York metro area branch of the Haitian community--as well as lots of non-Haitian admirers--that the Atrium's security had to deny admission to anyone who made the mistake of arriving less than about 45 minutes early for an 8:30 show. A lot of unhappy people--some of whom had expected friends to save seats--were left out on the sidewalk.

For Michel, as is the Haitian way, "the guest is king." She takes quite seriously--and lightheartedly--her mission to entertain. Those of us lucky enough to get in had a sensational time from start to finish, a lesson in how Haitians "embrace the tragedy, embrace when times are good," according to Michel. If a voice can teach, by example, how to be resilient, how to rise and transform, it is this one--a free, exalted voice like a sleek seabird catching a thermal, gliding with her wonderful band providing lilting, percolating matrix. Her special guests--Haitian-born jazz saxophonist Buyu Ambroise and jazz vocalist Pauline Jean, a native New Yorker of Haitian descent--contributed to the program's soulful depth and passion.

If you missed this show, don't worry: Summer offers another chance to catch up with Michel. Bill Bragin--Lincoln Center's imaginative Director of Public Programming, invites you to Ansanm (In Love We Stand), featuring Michel, Beethova Obas, BélO, Zili Misik and Peniel Guerrier in collaboration with the Mikerline Dance Company on July 29, 7:30pm, at Lincoln Center Out of Doors, Damrosch Park Bandshell. Click here, and check back in June for more details.