When we returned home after visiting Trinidad for Carnival last month a friend of mine immediately after saying hello asked me, “So what kind of mixtapes did you pick up?”. That statement alone rings true when it comes to all forms of Caribbean music where we have a dynamic which I don’t think exists in music from most other regions of the planet, our industry ‘over ground and ‘underground’ depends so much on the production of mixtapes and compilations worldwide. I believe the thought is that while fans, especially those internationally, may not feel so inclined to pick up an album from a particular single artist or group, they are very willing and ready to spend money to get a quick taste of exactly what’s going on from the hot artists and the hot tunes. I don’t see such a thing happening in the States and my mind will only allow me to think of something like the NOW compilations which feature some of the biggest hits from some of the biggest artists, but with no definitive match in terms of compilations. Of course, that’s not true in the mixtapes where a great deal of promotion is done, especially in Hip-Hop, but those mixtapes, unlike those from out of the Caribbean, are typically building towards an album release from a specific artist which is RARELY the case in our music. In terms of compilations, however, things are even more different. VP Records, the largest producer and distributor of Caribbean music in the entire world, even in spite of slowing down in the production of their compilations, still release quite a few. I would be willing to bet that most mainstream fans in the States know the name ‘Reggae Gold’ and can probably tell you that it is an album with the top Reggae hits from a given year. However, that same fan probably wouldn’t be able to tell exactly who Mavado or Anthony B or Fantan Mojah are and they are currently the artists with the big, new VP (and Greensleeves which they own) albums on the shelves now. The same fan willing to spend money to just get a taste won’t necessarily want the full ‘course’ from a single artist. The same could be said in the situation of Carnival. Sometime in the next two months or so VP will release its latest edition in its annual Soca compilation, Soca Gold 2009. Meanwhile, out right now are artists like Destra Garcia, KMC, 3Canal and even Kevin Lyttle whose music stocks the compilation. The same people rushing to buy the SG compilation, might not even be aware of their releases either, especially in Soca which isn’t even promoted as well internationally as Reggae and Dancehall. The bottom line being that for a great deal of casual fans of Caribbean music and even some of the hardcore heads, the compilations are simply the way to go.
For me, personally, every edition of Reggae Gold in recent memory and the last edition of Soca Gold and certainly this forth coming one haven’t been too much of a revelation. Paying as much attention as I tend to both genres they offer me little more than a better quality version of tunes that I already have spun ad nauseum for the past few months (and sometime even since the past year’s season in the case of Soca Gold). However, thankfully that isn’t all there is to Caribbean music, there are a ton of other popular genres as well, such as Zouk. While VP Records and Greensleeves have yet to pick up on Zouk as a very viable producing industry and genre so we haven’t to date seen Zouk Gold, that doesn’t mean that everyone else has. The most popular Zouk label in the world, for instance, the French based Section Zouk, obviously pays quite a bit of attention to the genre and it is to their responsibility, to a large degree, that goes the promotion and the discovering of new talents goes. Zouk is a predominately French and Creole speaking genre of music which can best be described as a lightened or ballad intensified version of what you’d expect to find in American R&B. It is very popular in many French speaking parts of the world such as France (duh), Afrikan French countries such as Algeria, Portugal and, most importantly here, throughout the French Caribbean. Of course there are places like Haiti, St. Lucia and Dominique as well (all of whom have very nice setups in terms of Zouk, especially Dominica with Michele Henderson, and there is apparently a nice English speaking Zouk contingent growing in St. Lucia), but the two main locales one would be looking for in order to REALLY find out what’s going on in Zouk in the world today would be either Martinique or Guadeloupe which, besides having a very burgeoning Reggae and Dancehall scene in both cases, have been virtual production factories of solid Zouk stars over the past few years. One would also look south to French Guiana (which we’ll call Guyane) who also has been providing quite a few nice artists as well, but as I said, Martinique and Guadeloupe. I myself have within the past year to eighteen months REALLY taken an interest in the vibes from Zouk as somewhat of a relaxation point to the heavy Reggae and Soca I usually listen to and I have found some absolutely DIVINE artists and songs. Incidentally, quite a few of the artists that I listen to tend to come under the banner of Section Zouk, thus when I found out that it was they who produced what is largely regarded as the genre’s preeminent compilation, Section Zouk All Stars, I was not at all hesitant about picking up the latest installment, the recently released Section Zouk All Stars Volume 6. The series is apparently released annually (although I believe they have missed a year or two near the beginning of it) and just as Reggae Gold, Section Zouk All Stars is a piece culled together of recent and forthcoming releases from the label’s signed talents. It also just so happens, thankfully, that besides having many of the artists that I listen, they also have a great deal of the BIG Zouk artists in the world altogether. The results, in this case, have turned out to be not only quite educational for me, but downright STUNNING at times as well.
Section Zouk All Stars Volume 6 is a very well put together project as one might expect. It definitely goes to show off the genre of Zouk and do so in its absolute brightest light because this is apparently the largest such compilation that the genre has to offer. Getting the offerings started is a group of two guys from Martinique (I THINK) Face A Face with one of their signature tunes Ghetto Face à Face. This group (like most acts on this album) had a recent album with Section Zouk, Forever Volume 4, and I had actually heard music being attributed to them playing quite regularly, so apparently their a big deal. Ghetto Face à Face isn’t one of my favourites here, but like most Zouk tunes, it grows on me quite a bit during its time. All in all, not too bad of an opening. ‘Not too bad’ goes to the heights, however, on the next tune when one of the first Zouk singers who I really began to enjoy drops in, the delicious Fanny (J) from out of Guyane, with the sugary sweet Je L’aime [I Love]. This tune is one of my favourites and may have been my absolute favourite from her own recent album, Vous Les Hommes from 2007. The thing just develops SO NICE and complex that, by the end its definitely a powerhouse of a tune and if you want to call it the best on the album altogether, you won’t get a fight here. Lastly completing the opening of Section Zouk All Stars Volume 6 is another familiar name, Warren, who I believe is a born Frenchie, with A La Folie which takes quite awhile, actually, to get going, but when it does, it too is quite nice. I’ve had this ‘avoidance’ of males singing Zouk (I had no such thing when I used to be a big R&B fan when living in the States) but I have to give credit where its due, the little I have heard of Warren has been quite impressive, A La Folie is no exception. Strong enough beginning altogether.
You would think that I, myself, had actually thrown together parts of the tracklist for Section Zouk All Stars given that so many of my favourite artists are present (even my absolute favourite). Going in order, first is the nearly perfect pitched Frenchie Elody Marquant with her tune Peu Importe Le Lieux from her recent album Etat D'âme. Marquant has like a ‘country twang’ to her voice at times and its charming, its cute. This song is downright spectacular at times, she sounds like an angel or something. Huge tune. Speaking of angels, my greatest Zouk discovery of 2008, Gwada princess Thayna, rolls in with the album’s second best tune altogether, Lettre Ouverte [Open Letter] the single from her recent OUTSTANDING debut album Nouveau Départ. This has been one of my favourite tunes of last year and I’m still loving it, you will too. Another very easy on the eyes Gwada, Jessye Belleval comes forth later with the biggest tune I heard on her Je M’envole album, the lovely Peut-Être Demain [Maybe Tomorrow]. That was another 2008 find for me, although it was originally brought forth in 2007 so I’m definitely looking forward to some new vibes from this princess in 2009. All ‘arguments’ on Section Zouk Vol. 6, however, are set done when my favourite Zouk artist currently, period, Gwada Kénédy brings forth the MASSIVE Reviens Moi from her Mon Oasis album from 2007. This song has grown on me so much since the first time I heard it and I was even impressed back then. Kénédy leads a pack including the likes of Thayna, Marquant, Fanny and Lindsey Lin’s as my favourite Zouk singer and tunes like Reviens Moi go a long way to showing why. DIVINE! The best tune you’ll find on this album, period. I’m also quite familiar with Tina from out of Guyane and Richard Cave from Haitian super group Carimi who join together for the sweet tune A Tes Côtés [At Your Side]. This sweet tune crosses over because it was actually released on Tina’s 2007 album Couleurs De Monde (which was kind of a concept album), which wasn’t a Section Zouk project, but was a hit, so maybe we can expect to see the diminutive (30 year old who could pass for 16) Tina this year on a SZ album of her own. Incidentally, that album from Tina was produced by one Zouk star Ali Angel, who checks in himself with his Panne De Coeur, which, at least to me appears to be missing something, for my tastes (but it was a bit hit). Speaking of producers, undoubtedly my favourite Zouk producer and a Zouk legend in his own right, Kaysha is on board with his English tune, Something Going On. I’ll swear I don’t too much rate this tune, but I’d be lying, its definitely grown on me and coming from the man who produced a few of my favourites in 2008 (including Thayna) it is a big effort (and check out the most popular Zouk album on the planet right now, Kaysha’s Forever Young monster). Another couple of names I know through Kaysha and his Sushiraw label, Mika Mendes and Elizio (who is apparently ALWAYS on this compilation) also check in with their efforts, Dimensao and Plus Loin Plus Haut, respectively. To my ears young Mika outshines his slightly more familiar label mate but Elizio (who I rate more as an artist altogether) doesn’t deliver a bad vibes in his tune either. Going forth, the new name here to me who makes the biggest impression is Axelle, who I, frustratingly so, DO NOT KNOW A THING ABOUT (besides being from Guadeloupe (and that she may have sang for Zouk Machine) ). As it stands, however, her tune Mo Pa Bizwen is WICKED and I’ll definitely be keeping an eye on SZ’s release schedule to see if she’ll have a forthcoming album soon. Gessy Nataly and Cindy (D’Fi) are joined by Michael (WHO?) on Section Zouk All Stars Volume 6 final REALLY good tune, Entre Toi Et Moi [Between You And Me]. Then are three TERRIBLY AVERAGE tunes bottomed by veteran Laury’s Je Trouverai [I Think] where he sings as if he would really rather be doing something other than singing. That all goes down before apparently very young and unknown to me Darielle comes in to right the ship with her fairly impressive tune Ce Que Tu Veux. I’ll be on the look out for more from the very ‘American sounding’ singer in the future as she sends Section Zouk All Stars Volume 6 out on a good enough note and sets the stage for this year’s Volume 7.
Overall, going into this as little more than a COMPLETE novice and I’m fairly satisfied with it. As I mentioned, its always been my thought to avoid the guys who sing Zouk, for the most part, and while I’m still sticking with that for the most part (although, my current favourite Zouk tune is a by a guy: Kaysha’s ICE COLD Si Tu T’en Vas) and the girls really do outshine them here, I may be open to a few more artists than previously and honestly, that’s exactly why this type of album exists. Section Zouk All Stars, just Reggae and Soca Gold is a series sent out to ‘capture’ new and newer fans and bring them back more consistently to the vibes of Zouk (and especially, in this case, Section Zouk, the label). Volume 6 in this series being my first full on experience with it, I have to say it should prove successful and hopefully Zouk music can have a breakout year in 2009, showing yet another beautiful side of the most wonderful place on earth.
For me, personally, every edition of Reggae Gold in recent memory and the last edition of Soca Gold and certainly this forth coming one haven’t been too much of a revelation. Paying as much attention as I tend to both genres they offer me little more than a better quality version of tunes that I already have spun ad nauseum for the past few months (and sometime even since the past year’s season in the case of Soca Gold). However, thankfully that isn’t all there is to Caribbean music, there are a ton of other popular genres as well, such as Zouk. While VP Records and Greensleeves have yet to pick up on Zouk as a very viable producing industry and genre so we haven’t to date seen Zouk Gold, that doesn’t mean that everyone else has. The most popular Zouk label in the world, for instance, the French based Section Zouk, obviously pays quite a bit of attention to the genre and it is to their responsibility, to a large degree, that goes the promotion and the discovering of new talents goes. Zouk is a predominately French and Creole speaking genre of music which can best be described as a lightened or ballad intensified version of what you’d expect to find in American R&B. It is very popular in many French speaking parts of the world such as France (duh), Afrikan French countries such as Algeria, Portugal and, most importantly here, throughout the French Caribbean. Of course there are places like Haiti, St. Lucia and Dominique as well (all of whom have very nice setups in terms of Zouk, especially Dominica with Michele Henderson, and there is apparently a nice English speaking Zouk contingent growing in St. Lucia), but the two main locales one would be looking for in order to REALLY find out what’s going on in Zouk in the world today would be either Martinique or Guadeloupe which, besides having a very burgeoning Reggae and Dancehall scene in both cases, have been virtual production factories of solid Zouk stars over the past few years. One would also look south to French Guiana (which we’ll call Guyane) who also has been providing quite a few nice artists as well, but as I said, Martinique and Guadeloupe. I myself have within the past year to eighteen months REALLY taken an interest in the vibes from Zouk as somewhat of a relaxation point to the heavy Reggae and Soca I usually listen to and I have found some absolutely DIVINE artists and songs. Incidentally, quite a few of the artists that I listen to tend to come under the banner of Section Zouk, thus when I found out that it was they who produced what is largely regarded as the genre’s preeminent compilation, Section Zouk All Stars, I was not at all hesitant about picking up the latest installment, the recently released Section Zouk All Stars Volume 6. The series is apparently released annually (although I believe they have missed a year or two near the beginning of it) and just as Reggae Gold, Section Zouk All Stars is a piece culled together of recent and forthcoming releases from the label’s signed talents. It also just so happens, thankfully, that besides having many of the artists that I listen, they also have a great deal of the BIG Zouk artists in the world altogether. The results, in this case, have turned out to be not only quite educational for me, but downright STUNNING at times as well.
Section Zouk All Stars Volume 6 is a very well put together project as one might expect. It definitely goes to show off the genre of Zouk and do so in its absolute brightest light because this is apparently the largest such compilation that the genre has to offer. Getting the offerings started is a group of two guys from Martinique (I THINK) Face A Face with one of their signature tunes Ghetto Face à Face. This group (like most acts on this album) had a recent album with Section Zouk, Forever Volume 4, and I had actually heard music being attributed to them playing quite regularly, so apparently their a big deal. Ghetto Face à Face isn’t one of my favourites here, but like most Zouk tunes, it grows on me quite a bit during its time. All in all, not too bad of an opening. ‘Not too bad’ goes to the heights, however, on the next tune when one of the first Zouk singers who I really began to enjoy drops in, the delicious Fanny (J) from out of Guyane, with the sugary sweet Je L’aime [I Love]. This tune is one of my favourites and may have been my absolute favourite from her own recent album, Vous Les Hommes from 2007. The thing just develops SO NICE and complex that, by the end its definitely a powerhouse of a tune and if you want to call it the best on the album altogether, you won’t get a fight here. Lastly completing the opening of Section Zouk All Stars Volume 6 is another familiar name, Warren, who I believe is a born Frenchie, with A La Folie which takes quite awhile, actually, to get going, but when it does, it too is quite nice. I’ve had this ‘avoidance’ of males singing Zouk (I had no such thing when I used to be a big R&B fan when living in the States) but I have to give credit where its due, the little I have heard of Warren has been quite impressive, A La Folie is no exception. Strong enough beginning altogether.
You would think that I, myself, had actually thrown together parts of the tracklist for Section Zouk All Stars given that so many of my favourite artists are present (even my absolute favourite). Going in order, first is the nearly perfect pitched Frenchie Elody Marquant with her tune Peu Importe Le Lieux from her recent album Etat D'âme. Marquant has like a ‘country twang’ to her voice at times and its charming, its cute. This song is downright spectacular at times, she sounds like an angel or something. Huge tune. Speaking of angels, my greatest Zouk discovery of 2008, Gwada princess Thayna, rolls in with the album’s second best tune altogether, Lettre Ouverte [Open Letter] the single from her recent OUTSTANDING debut album Nouveau Départ. This has been one of my favourite tunes of last year and I’m still loving it, you will too. Another very easy on the eyes Gwada, Jessye Belleval comes forth later with the biggest tune I heard on her Je M’envole album, the lovely Peut-Être Demain [Maybe Tomorrow]. That was another 2008 find for me, although it was originally brought forth in 2007 so I’m definitely looking forward to some new vibes from this princess in 2009. All ‘arguments’ on Section Zouk Vol. 6, however, are set done when my favourite Zouk artist currently, period, Gwada Kénédy brings forth the MASSIVE Reviens Moi from her Mon Oasis album from 2007. This song has grown on me so much since the first time I heard it and I was even impressed back then. Kénédy leads a pack including the likes of Thayna, Marquant, Fanny and Lindsey Lin’s as my favourite Zouk singer and tunes like Reviens Moi go a long way to showing why. DIVINE! The best tune you’ll find on this album, period. I’m also quite familiar with Tina from out of Guyane and Richard Cave from Haitian super group Carimi who join together for the sweet tune A Tes Côtés [At Your Side]. This sweet tune crosses over because it was actually released on Tina’s 2007 album Couleurs De Monde (which was kind of a concept album), which wasn’t a Section Zouk project, but was a hit, so maybe we can expect to see the diminutive (30 year old who could pass for 16) Tina this year on a SZ album of her own. Incidentally, that album from Tina was produced by one Zouk star Ali Angel, who checks in himself with his Panne De Coeur, which, at least to me appears to be missing something, for my tastes (but it was a bit hit). Speaking of producers, undoubtedly my favourite Zouk producer and a Zouk legend in his own right, Kaysha is on board with his English tune, Something Going On. I’ll swear I don’t too much rate this tune, but I’d be lying, its definitely grown on me and coming from the man who produced a few of my favourites in 2008 (including Thayna) it is a big effort (and check out the most popular Zouk album on the planet right now, Kaysha’s Forever Young monster). Another couple of names I know through Kaysha and his Sushiraw label, Mika Mendes and Elizio (who is apparently ALWAYS on this compilation) also check in with their efforts, Dimensao and Plus Loin Plus Haut, respectively. To my ears young Mika outshines his slightly more familiar label mate but Elizio (who I rate more as an artist altogether) doesn’t deliver a bad vibes in his tune either. Going forth, the new name here to me who makes the biggest impression is Axelle, who I, frustratingly so, DO NOT KNOW A THING ABOUT (besides being from Guadeloupe (and that she may have sang for Zouk Machine) ). As it stands, however, her tune Mo Pa Bizwen is WICKED and I’ll definitely be keeping an eye on SZ’s release schedule to see if she’ll have a forthcoming album soon. Gessy Nataly and Cindy (D’Fi) are joined by Michael (WHO?) on Section Zouk All Stars Volume 6 final REALLY good tune, Entre Toi Et Moi [Between You And Me]. Then are three TERRIBLY AVERAGE tunes bottomed by veteran Laury’s Je Trouverai [I Think] where he sings as if he would really rather be doing something other than singing. That all goes down before apparently very young and unknown to me Darielle comes in to right the ship with her fairly impressive tune Ce Que Tu Veux. I’ll be on the look out for more from the very ‘American sounding’ singer in the future as she sends Section Zouk All Stars Volume 6 out on a good enough note and sets the stage for this year’s Volume 7.
Overall, going into this as little more than a COMPLETE novice and I’m fairly satisfied with it. As I mentioned, its always been my thought to avoid the guys who sing Zouk, for the most part, and while I’m still sticking with that for the most part (although, my current favourite Zouk tune is a by a guy: Kaysha’s ICE COLD Si Tu T’en Vas) and the girls really do outshine them here, I may be open to a few more artists than previously and honestly, that’s exactly why this type of album exists. Section Zouk All Stars, just Reggae and Soca Gold is a series sent out to ‘capture’ new and newer fans and bring them back more consistently to the vibes of Zouk (and especially, in this case, Section Zouk, the label). Volume 6 in this series being my first full on experience with it, I have to say it should prove successful and hopefully Zouk music can have a breakout year in 2009, showing yet another beautiful side of the most wonderful place on earth.
Rated 4/5 stars
Section Zouk
2008
Hello,
ReplyDeleteI found your blog from some of your reviews on Amazon.com, and your lists. Just wanted to say "thank you" for what you are doing--appreciate all the info, and maybe one day I'll have all the stuff on those lists! :)
Take care,
Marcus
Give thanks Marcus.
ReplyDeleteAppreciate the drop in and the kind words same way.
Bless,
BALANCE
RasAchis
This is great! For a change you can get some informative,sensible comments on the most beautiful music in the world!!
ReplyDeleteGive thanks my friend.
ReplyDelete