Coupé Cloué

Who was Coupé Cloué?

Jean Gesner Henry, popularly known as Coupé Cloué, was a Haïtian singer, guitarist, and bandleader. He was known for defining a style of Haïtian compas music he called kompa mamba, and for the sometimes bawdy innuendo used in his songs. During his career, he was one of Haïti's most prominent musicians, and found much success in West Africa as well.

As a young man, he received a classical music education and worked as a cabinetmaker before becoming a professional soccer player. It was from soccer, playing defense for the Port-au-Prince club Aigles Noirs, that he acquired his nickname, "Coupé Cloué" or "cut and nail".

He began performing on guitar in 1951, and in 1957 he formed the band Trio Crystal, which he later renamed Trio Select, along with another guitar player and a maraca player. Their first album, one of the dozens Henry released during his career, was released in the late 1960s. In the early 1970s the group expanded from its original three, and renamed itself Ensemble Select. That decade also saw an increase in his use of racy spoken preaching and storytelling in addition to singing during songs; this became one of his trademarks.

In 1978 Henry toured extensively in Africa, greatly increasing his international prominence. His popularity in West Africa was especially boosted by similarities between the rhythms and sounds of Henry's music and indigenous African soukous music. It was there that Henry earned the nickname Roi Coupé, or King Coupé. During the 1980s and early 1990s, Henry continued to perform and record prolifically.