🎷🚗🎶🇬🇵🎹 It must have been a good time at the time, making the journey from Pointe-Ă -Pitre to Basse-Terre by coach, to the sound of the saxophone of young Emilien Antile, then an assistant driver, who took advantage of the journey to practise. An enthusiastic musician, he played in Brunel Averne’s El Calderon orchestra, with two famous friends, AndrĂ© Condouant and Henri Debs. Then came the trip to Paris, to rub shoulders with Robert Mavounzy’s jazz. With his friend Al Lirvat, he frequented the Cigale, the Canne Ă Sucre… In 1970, he recorded his first album, entitled Mr Sax (here, the 1979 reissue). Accompanying him were Alain Jean-Marie, Tony Faisans, Serge Landre… a renowned trio who had just recorded the pianist’s first Piano Biguine. The album is a celebration of West Indian classics, including biguine, quadrille, waltz and mazurka, and firmly establishes Antile’s reputation. A Su Plage La is probably one of the album’s best-known hits, with Alain Jean-Marie’s piano playing a major role. The saxophonist then moved to Dakar to teach, but had to be rushed back to Paris in 1980, where he died prematurely from illness. Emilien Antile had a profound impact on West Indian music and remains one of the emblematic figures of the period.
Mr Sax – Emilien Antile, 1970
