Pan-Caribbean Sound From the System Band

The System Band didn’t need to warm up the audience at the Music Machine on Saturday. Thirty seconds into the 13-piece Haitian group’s set, a steady stream of couples was en route to the dance floor, setting the tone for the second night of the New York-based band’s local debut.

The Haitian compas style became something of a Pan-Caribbean sound in the System Band’s hands. The keyboard melodies frequently recalled the steel drums of Trinidad, the 4/4 bass drum and loping bass pulse brought zouk to mind--not surprisingly since compas was a big early influence on zouk . But the horn parts and overall ambience of the music had a pronounced Latin tinge, although a more rounded sound than the sharp, angular lines of, say, salsa.

The group’s focus on the dancers and the spirit of the moment--be it reflected in on-stage clowning, ebullient dance steps or a middle-of-the-road lounge touch--enabled the System Band to weather the set’s rough edges and ragged patches. And the Formula One’s potent opening set indicated that the local compas unit has arrived as a pretty formidable force in its own right.