Tonton Macoute

According to Haitian Creole mythology, Tonton Macoute is a boogeyman, an urban legend used to scare children. This centuries-old myth became a reality in 1959, however, when Haitian dictator Francois Duvalier created a paramilitary outfit called the Militia of National Security Volunteers, also known as Tonton Macoutes. Instead of frightening misbehaving youths, these Tonton Macoutes terrorized a nation. What does all this have to do with an early ‘70s British jazz-rock ensemble? Well, outside of a shared name, not much. In fact, Tonton Macoute’s self-titled debut, first released in 1971 on the short-lived Neon label, is anything but scary. A largely instrumental collection of jazz-styled prog-rock, this seven-song lp features plenty of horn breaks—the saxophone is particularly prevalent—and the Holy Trinity of progressive-influenced hard rock: Multiple time changes, complex rhythmic patterns and extended song structures. Sadly, the band's challenging, more complicated numbers--"Don't Make Me Cry," "Just Like a Stone" and "Flying South in Winter" among them--failed to find an audience and the group dissolved within a year. The label followed suit; Neon Records shut its doors in 1972.

Notes: Here is an audio-only YouTube clip of “Don’t Make Me Cry” by Tonton Macoute: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3IuZGwBts78.