Biography
Antoine Rossini Jean-Baptiste, born Emmanuel Jean-Baptiste, and better known as Ti Manno was one of if not the most beloved and well known Haitian singer. His lyrics were avant-garde, he sang about the condition of the Haitian people, sexism, sexual harassment, power harassment, discrimination.
Ti Manno started playing music with small bands before joining the group " Diables du rythme de Saint-Marc". In the 1970s he migrated to Boston and began playing with Ricot Mazarin for a very popular band called "Volo Volo", he left Volo Volo and later convinced by Arsène Apollo joined "Les Astros de New York".
In 1978 he was the lead singer for DP Express one of the biggest and most popular Haitian band at the time. Ti Manno left DP Express in 1981 and formed his own group "Gemini All Stars" his group released five albums altogether.
Sadly in late 1983 he became very sick in New York with an untreatable illness. The Haitian community and music producers gathered together to raise money to try and save the super star. "Operasyon men Kontre" set off and raised well over $15,000 toward Ti-Manno's hospital care. On May 13, 1985 the legendary Antoine Rossini Jean Baptiste aka Ti Manno died in St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital Center.
On May 18, 1985, right after the death of Ti Manno, thousands of fans flooded the Eastern Parkway funeral hall in New York City where his viewing was held. Many artists, family members, media personalities and fans attended his viewing and funeral at St. Matthew's church Eastern Parkway (Brooklyn), which was conducted by his brother who was a priest, to pay their respect. He is buried at Calvary Cemetery (Queens, New York).
Ti Manno (June 1, 1953, in Gonaives, Haiti - May 13, 1985, in New-York) was a singer, guitar player, keyboard player, and percussionist.
