Tumbélé!
Biguine, afro & latin sounds from the French Caribbean, 1963-74
Soundway presents Tumbélé! “Biguine, afro & latin sounds from the French Caribbean, 1963-74” – a look at the unique and overlooked sounds from the islands of Guadeloupe and Martinique.
Lilting biguines, heavy gwo ka drums and tumbélé rhythms collide with the sounds of the carnival. Haitian, Congolese and Puerto Rican influences are added to the pot in a percussive celebration of Afro-Caribbean spirit.
Martinique and Guadeloupe are overseas départements of France, situated in the Eastern Caribbean island chain of the Lesser Antilles. Successive waves of immigrants and a strong French colonial presence have combined to produce a strong musical culture that takes in African and latin rhythms alongside Jazz, calypso and the local biguine style.
Often overlooked in the English speaking Caribbean, the scattering drums and soaring clarinets of the biguine ruled the airwaves and dancefloors of Martinique and Guadeloupe in the 1960s.
This album showcases the vibrancy of the scene on the islands in the ‘60s and ‘70s – a scene that would go on to develop the all-conquering sound of zouk in the ‘80s. Uptown bands like Ensemble La Perfecta and Les Loups Noirs combine heavy rhythms and psychedelic effects in an inimitable style – check out the crazed Jet Biguine for a better idea! The deep and introspective sounds of Monsieur Dolor and Guadeloupean hero Robert Loison show the deep African roots of the music – songs born out of the plantations, with an insistent rhythm and mournful vocals that are unique to these islands.
Overlooked outside of Paris, Montreal and the French Caribbean for many years, this collection redresses the balance by presenting the vital sounds of Martinique and Guadeloupe – missing pieces of the musical jigsaw puzzle of the Caribbean.
“The music is a revelation”
MOJO
“The perfect primer for anyone looking for a new aspect to West Indian music beyond reggae and dub”
Clash Music
Download the album here:
Track List
1. Jeunesse Vauclin – Barel Coppet et Mister Lof
2. Jet Biguine – Les Loups Noirs D’Haïti
3. Pas O Soué La – Abel Zénon
4. Manzè Mona – Raphaël Zachille
5. Henri Te Vlé Mayé – Robert Mavounsy Quartet
6. La Vie Critique – L’Orchestre Jeunesse de Paul-Emile Haliar
7. Mussieu A Têt’a Poisson La – Orchestre Combo Zombi et Michel Yéyé
8. Oriza – Les Kings
9. Colas-la – Claude Rolcin et Le West Indian Combo
10. Ti Fi La Ou Té Madam’ – Anzala, Dolor, Vélo
11. D’Leau Coco – Les Leopards
12. Jojo – Ensemble La Perfecta
13. Dima Bolane – Le Ry-co Jazz
14. Edamise Oh! – Lola Martin
15. Chombo Meringue – Les Aiglons de Basse Terre
16. Son Tambou La – Les Gentlemens
17. Chonga – L’Ensemble Abricot
18. Fileo – Francisco
19. Panty – Monsieur Dolor et Les Guitar Boys
20. Jean Fouillé, Pie Fouillé – Robert Loison
Related:
thanks a lot for giving us the chance to hear this killer music.
i really like the music from french caribbean.
i can’t wait!!!!
jb from Quebec, canada
(jb on August 27th, 2009)[...] The song “Jeunesse Vauclin” by Barel Coppet leads of the double LP. Originally the title track to his 1972 Hit Parade release, it’s a great lead, but no one-song can do justice to the depth and variety of talents on this comp. You should buy it. [...]
(Tumbélé! Or how a putting a retro Afro-Latin band on your record cover will make me listen | Impose on September 4th, 2009)[...] Hugo Mendez est passionné par les musiques des Antilles. Il y a quelques temps, pour le compte du label britannique SoundWay Records, il est venu se plonger dans les racines des musiques créoles de Martinique et de Guadeloupe où il a rencontré musiciens et spécialistes. Il est retourné à Londres avec une moisson de vieilles pépites musicales auxquelles il s’est chargé de donner une seconde vie. Le résultat est une compilation qui vient de sortir sous le titre « Tumbélé! Biguine, afro & latin sounds from the French Caribbean, 1963-74″. On y retrouvera avec bonheur quelques uns des grands orchestres références de ces années : la Perfecta, Robert Mavounzy, Barel Coppet ou encore Ryco-Jazz parmi de nombreux autres, ancêtres du zouk qui arrivera à la décennie suivante. L’album est en vente sur le site du label à l’adresse suivante : http://www.soundwayrecords.com/news/forthcoming-releases/tumbele.html. [...]
(le Bananier bleu » Tumbélé compilation on October 10th, 2009)[...] this free track to download from Soundway Records’ new compilation, Tumbélé! “Biguine, afro & latin sounds from the French Caribbean, 1963-74”. The Soundway label are expert diggers and collectors of rare grooves from across the globe, as [...]
(Free MP3: Abel Zénon - Pas O Soué La | Earz Mag on October 14th, 2009)[...] Barel Coppet et Mister Lof – Jeunesse Vauclin (Tumbélé! Biguine, afro & latin sounds from the French Caribbean, 1963-74) [...]
(Thursday Nov 5/09 Playlist « The Music of My Mind on November 6th, 2009)[...] Abel Zenon “Pas o Soue La” from Tumbélé: Biguine, Afro and Latin Sounds from the French Caribbean, 1963-1974 (released 10/13) [...]
(Star & Micey, Syntaks, Abel Zenon, and Frank Schweikhardt | One Track Mind on November 8th, 2009)Thank you very very much for this great cd (lp). I can hardly wait for a second and third volume. do you have plans in that direction? I do hope so!
Jan.
(jan on November 29th, 2009)[...] de chegar a temer pela saúde da Soundway, Miles Cleret voltou com a força toda e uma série de edições que vincam a vocação arqueológica da Soundway. As [...]
(Nigéria, outra vez | 33 – 45 on February 19th, 2010)[...] afro, disco, funk, salsa et noix de coco,un grand voyage sonore, goutez par exemple la complile Tumbélé avec ses grosses pièces obscures des Antilles, vous ne serez pas déçu du voyage ou bien les [...]
([ WESH GROS club < ] » Blog Archive » MIXES ROOTS DE CHEZ ROOTS CHEZ SOUNDWAY & SOFRITO ET L’ETE AVANT L’HEURE !!!! on April 12th, 2010)Great job and my hat goes off to you once again! But was I the only one to notice that tracks 14 and 15 are erroneously listed? ‘Chombo Meringue’, by the Aiglons de Basse Terre, is actually track 14 and Lola Martin’s ‘Edamise Oh!’ is track 15. Digital stores repeated the lapse.
(João Santos on June 14th, 2010)[...] gem from the above Soundway compilation, this track is noteworthy for its swirling organs and hypnotizing sax solo. It’s sensual and [...]
(Buena Vista Social Club (and other striking sounds of Latin influence) « Ultra Sound Lounge on June 16th, 2010)