Pitakpi – Xavier Belin, 2021

Xavier Belin‘s formidable first album, Pitakpi, is a brilliant realisation of the music of his eponymous quartet. The variations on ti-bwa are intelligent and showcase the talents of the four instrumentalists: Tilo Bertholo, Elvin Bironien and Alexis Valet complete the Caribbean rhythm section. Xavier’s piano playing fuses modern jazz with the ti-bwa tradition. The original compositions, from the rush of ‘Bagay Cho’ to the delicacy of ‘Chatouillage’, illustrate his mastery of melody and arrangement. Xavier Belin and his project are one to watch.