Should David Martial‘s music be snubbed? That would be a pity, if it’s only due to the overdose of Célimène that swept through the hits parade of the 70s. First, David Martial has been an institution for sixty years. Few can boast as much. When he arrived in France in the late 50s, he joined Louis Boislaville’s Groupe Folklorique Martiniquais. He played in Parisian clubs, but it wasn’t until he returned to Martinique – and before Célimène – that he finally found success. He knew how to surround himself, and pianist Roland Louis was often at his side. In 1972, the phenomenal success of his definitive hit came as a surprise, or at least its intensity – and we can only rejoice for its author. Thereafter, David Martial continued on his way, as on 1978’s Tout Créole, again with Roland Louis, but also Guy Houllier, Gérard Pommer, Edouard Benoit, Yves Honoré and others. The album alternates genres, from biguine cadence to reggae, bèlè, ti-bwa and compas. There’s even a blues track, on which he is accompanied by Georges Arvanitas. That’s all there is to it. And a special mention for the cover, featuring a painting by Saint-Louis Blaise.
Tout Créole – David Martial, 1978
