Tet Kale Records was established in 1999 by musician/producer Jephte Guillaume as an outlet for releasing the brand of Afro-Haitian rhythms and jazz-influenced dance music for which he has already received global acclaim. Tet Kale's releases continue in the tradition of Jephte's own much-loved and sought-after recordings and productions for labels such as Kaleidiascope, Project X, Spiritual Life Music, Wave, Epic, Sony/550, LaFace, Life Line Japan, Flower and JVC Japan and Isma's (France), merging house beats, Haitian Vodou rhythms, jazzy improvisation, conscious lyrics and the spiritual revelry of Brazilian samba.
It is less often than once-in-a-million, but on extreme rare occasions, someone comes forward who is able to bring to the public the deepest and most personal aspects of their experience...and universalize it. For the audience that soaks up the gifts of such an expression, the world is a larger and richer place, reflected through a different mirror.
This phenomenon describes the beautiful work of Producer/Artist/Composer/Multi-Instrumentalist/Remixer/DJ: Jephte Guillaume , and the releases on his label: Tet Kale Records.
Since his musical beginnings in Haiti, Jephte Guillaume has been a producer-in-the-making. His growing years in Haiti germinated in the midst of devotional drums, song and dance through the Vodou tradition, and were contrasted by his family's profound connection to Gospel Music, through the church. With Jephte's understanding of his own musical roots, and his intense involvement - performing as a bassist on the US/World stages - in Gospel, R&B, Soul, Rock, Hip Hop, Jazz, AfroBeat, Funk and Dance music, an alchemy was brewing in him to create a new groove concept that now stands on its own as the Tet Kale sound.
Tet Kale Records all came out of Jephte's love affair with Dance music. On his label, he represents himself as Artist, as well as the likes of Wesley, Yurai, and Jean-Claude Lamarre...some of his artists are new-on-the-scene, and others well-established. What he brings to every release on his label are relentless grooves, percussion arrangements that are unique beyond description and rich orchestrations with exquisite texture and sensuality. With the instrumentalists and vocalists all at the top of their game, every new single comes out alive with soulfulness. No matter what the release, you can dive in as listener...and find yourself wishing that the song would never end!
So why did he go to the trouble to start his own label? As Guillaume puts it: "I write music to move and to touch people...so I wanted to be able to decide when to get it out!" In other words, after he started to make his mark, and make the impact that he did on the Dance scene, there was no category to describe his sound, so, the best solution was to invent a place for himself.
With many well-loved releases on Spiritual Life Records, (" The Prayer (Priye- a) ", "Ibo Le Le" and "La Kou A"), as well as countless compilations around the world, Jephte is an internationally revered name in the Deep House Music World, and is renowned as the creator of Vodou House!!! His music is always in demand...and his vast audience is seeking out the Tet Kale releases in their growing stylistic dimensions.
What makes Tet Kale Records so special is the integrity and intelligence with which its artists are presented. The artfully situated Haitian musical elements, as a constant motif running through the Tet Kale releases, remind us that it is indeed Universal Culture that is the healing force in humanity! In these times we need all the joyous reminders of our humanity that we can get! The hard-core talent of Jephte Guillaume is bringing forward his deep reality through Tet Kale records...and that reality is this: Great music is Here To Stay!