Daniel Brevil
Haitian Vodou drumming
Daniel Brevil was born into a drumming family. His father, Joseph Brevil, a respected community activist, houngan (Vodou priest), and accomplished drummer, was Daniel’s first teacher and source of knowledge, wisdom, and inspiration. As a young boy, Daniel would accompany his father to the all-night ceremonies in the Vodou temples of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, where he was in much demand.
As a student, Daniel deepened his knowledge of Vodou, the religion of the Haitian people, and its drumming, dancing, and singing, as he attended Ecole Nationale des Arts, Haiti’s premiere school of the arts. He is the former Artistic Director of Artcho/Ayikodans Company and Tamboula, two of Haiti’s premiere folkloric dance troupes. He is the Musical Director of Rara Tou Limen Haitian Dance Company. Over the past 25 years, Daniel has worked to foster an understanding of Haiti, its traditions, and its distinct cultural expressions. As of 2014, Daniel is also the Ensemble Director of Haitian Drumming at Mills College in Oakland, CA.
Apprenticeship Program
2012
Daniel was a master artist with apprentice Kendrick Freeman. Their apprenticeship focused on deepening the apprentice’s knowledge of approximately twenty rhythms of the Port-au-Prince regional repertoire.