Go Zouk! Mind you, there’s nothing in common between the first two Karata albums. And for good reason: these are two groups with the same name. Nothing more. Thus, in 1983, the first is the highly original fusion of Swanha Desvarieux’s lyrical vocals – under the less commercial name of Cida Coquin – with her brother Jacob’s Caribbean funk. The second, by the other Karata, Kimbe Kow, came out in ’88, with Manu Lima, Dominique Gengoul and Michel Alibo. A supercharged zouk sung by Jean-Michel Jean-Louis, accompanied by Edith Lefel, Jean-Paul Pognon, Marie-Céline Chroné, Jean-Luc Alger, and with the inevitable Hatot, Bolognesi, Jiausserand and Russo horns. Kimbé Kow is a bit special for me, as I’ve been lugging around the first two tracks from the fire (Sa Mwen Few, Ansamn’ Y Pé Fèt) on old cassettes recorded on the radio for decades – and without having identified their author until recently! Another special feature of the album, and one worth noting, is Mouvman, a particularly fine instrumental Afro-zouk that closes the first side. The tension doesn’t let up on side 2, with two electric zouks, packed with acrobatic breaks, explosive brass… In short, a scorching five tracks, rummaged this summer in the stocks of the excellent Shelter Record Store.
Kimbe Kow – Karata, 1988
