Two weeks ago, Yves André dit Fanfan Ti Bòt confirmed that Herman Nau had suffered a stroke. Urgently admitted to a hospital in New York, the legendary drummer and co-founder of the group Tabou Combo sadly succumbed. Herman passed away on Sunday July 25, 2021, according to reports in the West Indian and Haitian media.
On the eve of the 66th anniversary of Compas Direct, Herman, who left his mark on Haiti’s most popular musical genre, has passed away. Aged just 73, Herman bids us farewell after an immense career.
His beginnings in music
Music was in his blood from an early age. He was a trumpet player at the Lycée National de Pétion-Ville, formerly Lycée François Duvalier. The famous saxophonist Fred Dejean played with him at the lycée.
With his childhood friend Albert Chancy, he founded the group “Los Incognitos”. in December 1966. The following year, the group was renamed “Tabou combo” at Mr. Douillon’s request, in order to take part in the Radio Haïti contest. In this contest, Tabou won the prize of “Best young band”. It was the start of a long and exciting adventure.
Herman left Haiti of his own free will on August 18, 1970, one day after Albert Chancy’s departure. He helped the other musicians (Fanfan, Shoubou, Kapi, Jean-Claude…) join him in New York to continue with the project. The rest is history!
Family life
Herman Nau had married Marie José Chancy, the younger sister of his friend Albert and Adolphe Chancy, the band’s former bassist. With Marie José, he gave birth to several children, including Rudy Nau, ex-drummer with Carimi and current drummer with Tabou Combo.
After his divorce from Marie José, he wrote and sang the song “À moitié”. This song appeared on the album “Zap Zap” released in 1991. His relationship with his children was very intimate, despite his divorce from their mother. Before his death, Herman was living in Guadeloupe with another woman.
Herman’s severity
Hermann was recognized as a dictator within Tabou Combo. He managed the musicians with a master’s hand. He was a prefect of discipline within the group. His relationship with Shoubou was always very tense for over 50 years.
“When you want to bring about change, you mustn’t be afraid of having enemies”, he has always insisted in his many interviews.
“Herman always told me that he was often a tormentor at Tabou,” says journalist Nazaire Joinville, a close friend of the deceased.
“One day, guitarist Ralph Condé climbed the podium with a glass of alcohol, Herman threw the glass away and told Ralph that alcohol is forbidden on the Tabou podium”, a little anecdote confided to Nazario during a private meeting.
Tabou’s musicians believe that if it weren’t for Herman Nau’s discipline and severity, Tabou Combo wouldn’t have had all this success.
His absence from Tabou
Between 2001 and 2004, Herman abandoned his fellow Tabou Combo musicians to accept the post of Secretary of State for Youth and Sport under President Jean Bertand Aristide. Former President Aristide called him personally after the 2001 carnival to entrust him with this post.
Tabou Combo produced several albums and shows without Herman during this period. Unhappy with this decision, the musicians of Tabou Combo criticized him in a veiled way in a song entitled “200 dola” on the album “Taboulogie” released in 2003.
Herman Nau may not have been an excellent lyricist and composer, but he left his mark on almost every Tabou Combo album. He was responsible for all the band’s major shows. It was he who conceived the mythical show at the Zenith in 1998 for Tabou’s 30th anniversary.
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