Elles (Fanm Djòk Gwiyan) – Louis Caristan, 2008

🎸🎶🌴🎷🎹 In 2008, guitarist Louis Caristan came up with his first album dedicated to women. Elles (Fanm Djòk Gwiyan) features exclusively original compositions by the Guyanese, with a blend of smooth jazz, swinging zouk flavours and warm arrangements with generous horns (Allen Hoist, Philippe Slominsky, Michaël Joussein…). Patrick Marie-Magdelaine immediately springs to mind, and Caristan’s compositions can be described as Caribbean Cool Jazz, or Claude Vamur’s Kolo Ka. Louis Caristan has entrusted the keyboards to Thierry Vaton, and Mike Clinton’s bass relies more on drums than on discreet programmed drums, rounding out the sound of the rhythm section, which is also supported by Emile Romain. The guitar is ethereal, often acoustic, but knows how to turn electric when necessary. Elles (Fanm Djòk Gwiyan) is a fully-fledged addition to the tradition of Creole jazz made in French Guiana, and will be followed by two other albums to date.