Ernie's El Dorado Pt 11 - French Guiana

Our final stop on our trip around the Americas for this year brings us to French Guiana. Strictly speaking it is not a country but a part of France (where they presumably call it Our Guiana) but leaving it out on those grounds would be to deny you the chance of hearing the local music and deny me the chance of mentioning my holiday there in 2002.

French Guiana is 99% jungle with the result that the vast majority of the population live on the coast. One of the very few towns in the interior is Saint-Georges on the banks of the Oyapock river, which forms the border with Brazil. These days they have a bridge over to Brazil and the wild west town of Oiapoque but when I was there you had to rely on water taxis like the one in the photo.

The town of Kourou on the coast is the location of the European Space Agency's primary launch site. The flight path of the rockets takes them over Devil's Island, where the old solitary confinement cells have been reclaimed by nature - undoubtedly one of the most atmospheric places I have ever visited

 

But enough about me, its time for some music. And who better to start us off than Henri Salvador. Born in Cayenne, he became very big on the boulevards of Paris, with a glittering career in the 1950s, 1960s and well beyond as a songwriter and performer. The song I have chosen has been credited by Antonio Carlos Jobim with inspiring him to slow down samba and invent bossa nova.

  

Our next artist chose to stay in French Guiana and become a star locally. The young Daniel Sinai left Les Corsairs, renamed himself Dany Play and swept all before him in the 1970s. This track dates from 1972. I found it on a compilation called "Disque La Raye - 60's French West Indies Boo-Boo-Galoo".

Sticking with the pop sounds, La Compagnie Créole released their first album in 1982 and enjoyed regular chart success in France and other French speaking countries for the rest of that decade. This is the title track from an album released in 1989. They are still going and only last year appeared on the French version of 'Masked Singer' as a giant hand.  

Another active veteran now. Chris Combette released his first album in 1995 and according to his biography "he has been captivating audiences for decades with his enchanting blend of Caribbean, jazz, French and African music". I'm not going to contradict Mr Little Comb. Today's track comes from his most recent record, 2024's "Laissez faire les Anges".

From CC's "enchanting blend of Caribbean, jazz, French and African music" to a "Guyanese Afropunk some Brazilian flautist". We are talking of course of Yann Cléry and the lead single from his 2023 album "Yann Solo". True to his word, he goes all in on the flute. 

We have a couple of examples of indigenous music for you all next. The Bushinengue is a term given to the various peoples in French Guiana and Surinam who are descended from groups of African slaves who escaped and fled into the interior. Their music is heavily percussion led. 

Angi Fusi features on the 2019 compilation album "Les Bushinengé – Nèg Mawon De Guyane". Wan Ton Melody are on there as well although this track comes from their 2012 album "Peace And Love". I know absolutely nothing else about either artist.

Which brings us at last to the MAR slot. There was no shortage to choose from thanks to the good folks at French Guiana's very own Natural Sound 973 label. I have opted for Jahman T and this track from his 2011 album "Switi Dei".

"Dans Mon Ile" - Henri Salvador

"Mais Tu Sais" - Dany Play

"Cayenne Carnaval" - La Compagnie Créole

"Lévanjil Dan Bouch" - Chris Combette

"Afropunk" -  Yann Cléry

"Songé" - Angi Fusi

"Blesi" - Wan Ton Melody

"Rastafari" - Jahman T