The Legendary Journey of Robert Martino

On February 15, his birthday, Robert Martino sat down with Le Nouvelliste for an interview retracing his journey as a musician. Initially a bass guitar enthusiast, Martino rode the mini-jazz wave launched by Shleu Shleu, went on to create Les Gypsies and Scorpio Universel, and later, with Top-Vice, pioneered the “digital compas band” format featuring drum machines. Over the years, he became the quintessential guitarist of Haitian music. Though he still listens to Carlos Santana and Jimmy Page, his solos have left an enduring mark on compas direct for generations. From his first band in 1966, Les Difficiles, to his current ensemble Robert & Friends, his career spans more than fifty years of Haitian music. This edition revisits the extensive interview with Robert Martino originally published on May 28, 2020.

Le Nouvelliste
Par Le Nouvelliste
01 Aug 2025 | Lecture : 21 min.

Robert Martino (R.M.): A humble man, a peaceful soul, a musician. I was born in Haiti in 1951 to an Italian father and a Jordanian mother. My mother was born in Bethlehem and my father in Italy. They immigrated to Haiti and met in Gonaïves, where they married.

My brothers and sisters were born in Gonaïves. At that time, it was a major city with a lot of activity.

I was born in Pétion-Ville, Pont Borno, number 2. I attended Saint-Louis de Gonzague, Bird College, and later Pénette. V

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