Delgrès, the Caribbean Blues Alchemy

Delgrès, a golden nugget

Their sound coming from the Mexico Gulf mixes Blues, Caribbean rythms, Jazz from Louisiana's bayous, spiced up with Kompa*.

 

 

An outstanding musical personality, both powerful and sensitive, a true wonder to listen to over and over and over. Delgrès is to Blues and the Caribbeans what Tom Waits is to Jazz and Americana or what the Neville Brothers stand for Louisiana and the Soul music.

That's how enthusiastic we are.
Ses rythmes et ses paroles nous embarquent dans un voyage au coeur des racines antillaises, là où éclate la révolte contre l’esclavage. Vivre libre ou mourir, c’est la devise de Louis Delgrès. Le son est profond, la batterie a des rythmes incantatoires, la guitare dobro des résonances métalliques, le sousaphone des vibrations profondes, la voix chaude de Pascal Danaë a un timbre doux et voilé.
Rythms and lyrics take you on a journey back to the very roots of the French Caribbeans, where the revolt against slavery breaks out. Live free or Die, that's Louis Delgrès' motto**. The sound is rough, drums have an incantatory quality, the Dobro guitare metallic echos, the sousaphone deep vibes, the warm-hearted voice of Pascal Danaë a soft texture.

Samples of the Mo Jodi album 

A Métis album that speaks of revolts, anger against the powerful and also the sweets of life far from simplistic clichés too often associated with the West Indies and West Indians. Pascal Danaë, author, composer, singer and guitarist has produced this album which shows a great artistic maturity and a rich and multiple musical experience.

Recorded after three years of working and touring together, it sounds like a live concert.

The path of Pascal Danaë

Pascal Danaë, Guadeloupean, grew up in the suburbs of Paris in a large family. Even if the family guideline is to raise him speaking French-only, he is bathed in the Caribbean Creole tongue. Used to live in a multiple language environment, he flies off to London in 1997, with a degree of musicology in his luggage.

He sings, plays guitare and composes the music and the lyrics of his own songs. For ten years, he also colllaborates with famous musicians such as Gilberto GilPeter GabrielYoussou N’DourNeneh CherryMorcheebaManu KatchéLaurent VoulzyAyọ.

He co-writes Tell me Why et Kilyoum, two tracks of the album Mesk elil by the Algerian singer Souad Massi, best album 2006 at the BBC Awards and at the Victoires de la musique.

 

In 2007, his first solo album is released London Paris. Just magic! The pure melody enhances his voice over a acoustic guitare background. Such is the moving song Sorry

In 2014, the album CD Rivière Noire is released

Rivière Noire (Victoire de la Musique 2015) is his first group project, conducted together with Jean Lamoot and Orlando Morais. Its style is closer to the African roots of Brasilan music.

With his two friends, drummer Baptiste Brondy and Rafgee, specialist of the tuba and the sousaphone, Pascal Danaë has found his soul mates with whom the alchemy works its magic.

What about now? 

Delgrès was nominated at the Victoires de la musique 2019, last March. 
Mo Jodi has been reissued in an Extended Gold version with 5 new additional tracks, among which Vivre sur la route with Jean-Louis Aubert.

Numerous cooncerts in perspective

* What is the Kompa?

The Kompa is a music born in the popular bals in the 50ies, thanks to Jean-Baptiste Nemours. It mixes Haïtian traditions, meringue from Dominican Republic, and calypso venu de République Dominicaine et calypso from the British West Indies. 

A couple of leads to discover the Kompa

 

  • Double album Compilation Haïti Direct of several bands among which The Vikings de la Guadeloupe, the Loups Noirs, Tabou Combo and many others..

** The story of Louis Delgrès

In Guadeloupe, slavery had been abolished by a decree of law voted by the Convention gouvernment after the French Revolution in 1794. But in 1802, Bonaparte re-established slavery in the colonies and sent a fleet of 3500 soldiers to Guadeloupe. The men and the women, who had been free for 8 years, decided to rebel and fight to preserve their freedom, whatever the price to pay.  The rebellion was organized under the leadership of Louis Delgrès, colonel of the French army assigned to the protection of Guadeloupe, and his friend Joseph Ignace. Unfortunately, the fight is uneven. The army outnumbered the rebels causing their defeat. Hundreds of Guadeloupeans prefered dMalheureusement le combat est inégal. Face à l’armée, c’est la défaite.Hundreds of Guadeloupeans would rather die than live in chains. Thousands of people will be deported to Louisiana, the birthplace of the blues...
Christine Lara tells this historical episode in her book "Au prix de la mort", tragedy published at Mon Petit Editeur.
The painter and sailor Titouan Lamazou designed the here-above stamp to pay hommage to Louis Delgrès in 2002.
(The map of the Mexico Gulf shown here is from 1789.)