By the 1940s, the big bands were the norm. Compas was born circa 1955 with the help of Nemours Jean Baptiste who with his saxophone lead his band and coined the phrase "konpa Direk". Among the music and dances that developed in the wake of the dominant African styles was the Haitian Compas, much like the Dominican merengue though with a melodic sense that gives it a feel similar to early 20th-century ragtime music.

This cultural event ranked 8th in 2003 and continues to climb Billboard Magazine's charts. Last year's performers bridged the generation gap. The Harmony Records team feels, the addition of Magnum Band, Brothers Posee and Sweet Micky gave the fans a potpourri of compas styles and Haitian sounds.