Cha Pistache – Fal Frett, 1985

🇲🇶 🎹 🎷 🌴 💿 In 1985, Fal Frett continued the saga of a certain smooth Caribbean jazz of excellence, which had begun a decade earlier with the Bernard brothers (Alex, Jacky, Nicol), with the album Cha Pistache. The eponymous instrumental title would later be adapted into a song by Marijosé Alie in 1990. The arrangements are marked by the now omnipresent synthesizer. Yet, the album remains rooted in the Caribbean, often Latin-infused, with Ralph Thamar lending his voice with conviction. Robin Vautor and Luther François complement each other, engaging in a dialogue between flute and saxophone, while Jacky Alpha alternates between drums, percussion, and vocals on The Rain Is Coming. Memorable tracks include the catchy melody of Santa Mama, sung by Thamar over a sometimes hypnotic groove, the Latin jazz of Nokirêv Por Siempre, and the swinging Creole jazz of Mazouk Sidérale. Cha Pistache would, however, mark a pause in the group’s discography, at least in terms of phonographic production, with their next album, Déferlante, not arriving until 1994. It is also the only album by the group released under the Celluloid label.