After being spoilt for choice last time out in Senegal, I always suspected it would be more difficult to compile a set list for the Seychelles - after all it is the smallest and least populated country in Africa. But I did not think it would be this hard.
I have searched far and wide but only found two sources of Seychellois music online - the always reliable Les Disques Bongo Joe for oldies and a Seychellois label called Noufans for the new stuff.
Those of you who joined us on our trip to Mauritius a few months ago may remember that we mentioned a Bongo Joe compilation called "Soul Sega Sa! Indian Ocean Segas From The 70s". Most tracks on that album are from Mauritius or Reunion but there are two from the Seychelles and they are our first two selections. The other three are from the Noufans catalogue which stretches all the way back to... 2021.
So basically there is a 40 year gap I have not been able to fill. Which is a shame because I am sure the islands must have produced plenty of fine music during that time, including by the 13 singers whose stars hang on the Seychelles' Wall of Fame in the capital Victoria.
I have only been able to find songs by three of the 13 artists and only one of them has made the cut. That is Joseph Louise from the island of Praslin who released his first record in 1976 and had a recording career that lasted over 35 years. He leads things off.
I have not been able to find out anything about the other bad boy from Bongo Joe, Jocelyn Perreau. But he is one of the veteran Seychellois artists whose songs are covered by current hotshot Clive Camille on his album "Gramophone Vol. 01" which came out last year - who knows, it might even be this one.
Our fourth selection topped the Seychelles chart for Molo last year and cemented his comeback after a period away from the music industry (or so it says here).
Also riding high at the moment is the MAR master Gatto who will be headlining at the swanky new Music Stadium in Victoria on 7 September. If you happen to be in the area why not pop along. Claims that Gatto can trace his lineage back to the Black Forest are yet to be verified.
"Ti Kreol Leo" - Joseph Louise
"Sega Manivelle" - Jocelyn Perreau
"Les Arive" - Clive Camille
"Ale" - Molo
"Mor Lo Mon Lipye" - Gatto
We kick off the videos with the fifth biggest selling song in France in 2005. It spent five weeks at #2 but was unable to displace Crazy Frog's "Axel F" which had a 13 week run at #1. Crazy French! The other videos all feature Wall of Famers.
A great effort but would it not have been easier to just pretend that the Seychelles are Indian?!
ReplyDeleteClearly my efforts to educate you lot about African geography and history have been in vain. The Seychelles are 800 miles from the African mainland, 1300 miles from the Arabian peninsula and a whole 1800 miles from the southernmost tip of India. They have never been ruled or occupied by India just the French, English and Arabs. Why would I pretend they are Indian?
ReplyDeleteI need to lie down.
The Joseph Louise track is a great accompaniment to the making of a tomato and courgette sauce.
ReplyDeleteas is the Jocelyn Perreau track
DeleteMaybe you can team up with one of those food channels and release a 'Music for making tomato and courgette sauce' compilation with your recipe on the back cover. If it takes off you could do a whole series featuring different sauces.
Deletefor some reason that first video is not available in my country of residence
ReplyDelete