Exil – Ralph Thamar, 1987

🎤🎶🎹🎺🥁 Ralph Thamar needs no introduction. He got his start with Marius Cultier before making a name for himself with Malavoi – whom he recently reunited with for their latest album Masibol. He then embarked on a solo career, marked by a first album, Exil, released in 1987. It may be criticized for being a bit short and more of an EP than a proper album. But four so good tracks. Exil, of course, the title track, but the rest is also worth the diversions. An energetic, highly orchestrated zouk, with the sometimes electronic sounds of those 80s, but always spot on. And when you’ve got Manu Katché and Michel Alibo on the rhythm section, what’s not to like? Especially as the rest of the cast is of the same caliber, from Jocelyne Béroard to Jean-Claude Naimro, not forgetting Douglas Mbida, Claude Vamur, Georges Décimus and others. The dreadful brass section of Bolognesi, Hovsepian, Belhocine et al… In short, a solo debut with fanfare to surround the charisma of Ralph Thamar. There was a time when Ralph ran a small club on the heights overlooking the sea in Trois Rivières, Guadeloupe. He used to play host to the island’s bands and was always happy to join in with the music at the end of the evening. I still have fond memories of it! And it’s already been 20 years!