This Month : Makarios Cesaire - Lead guitarist for the New York All Stars.
He started playing the guitar at the age of five,
and by his early teens he was already touring
abroad with a couple of Haitian gospel groups. At
the same time, he sought to improve his guitar
skills even further. He drew his influences from the
great guitar players Jimmy Hendrix, George
Benson, Pat Matino, Dadou Pasket, Ti Police, Jean
Claude Jean and Robert Martino. In the late
eighties, he moved to Florida where he began to
experiment with Rock 'n' Roll, Jazz and other
musical styles that over the years would
contribute to the shaping of one of the most
versatile contemporary Haitian guitarists.
As a testament to his musical prowess, Makarios
has collaborated with an incredibly long list of
artists. His past musical accomplishments include
collaborations with popular musicians Wyclef Jean,
Emeline Michel, Papa Djoube, Reel Kila, Dante ,
Fred Paul, and others. His work is featured on a
great deal of albums from groups such as Lakol,
Ska Sha, Phantom, Zin, etc. He has also toured
with several major artists; most recently it was
with international R&B star Mary J. Blige on her
2001 Jamaican tour.
Despite his arduous schedule, Makarios has found
time to earn his bachelor's degree in economics at
the Brooklyn College of the City University of New
York where he graduated in 1994. His love for
music, however, has overshadowed his academic
background and he remains foremost a musician.
So, with his large skill set, he has gone beyond
the status of a performer into the production
business. His label "Makarios Productions" has
produced several artists worldwide from Tokio,
Dakkar, London, Paris as well as the U.S.