Waka – Roland Brival, 2003

In 2003, I was lucky enough to meet Roland Brival, who came to Guadeloupe to present his brand-new album, Waka, released by Isma’a. At the same time, the label was reissuing Brival’s historic Creole Gypsy, which already laid the foundations for his Creole Blues. I remember an improbable interview, sheltered in my car in the Centre des Arts parking lot, in torrential rain. I also remember that it was probably one of my first interviews, and that I wasn’t really up to it. I remember Roland Brival taking a long time to explain his music and the underlying concepts, which I was discovering almost live. What a balancing act. And on rereading, I find – with indulgence – that I didn’t do so badly. In large part thanks to his patience, for which I thank him warmly. The fact remains that Waka is a must-listen album, with a high-flying line-up (Vinceno, Nouel, Raspail, Montredon – not forgetting Steve Potts, Camel Zekri and Jalid Bouchara), where jazz fusion vies with infectiously energetic Caribbean funk, and creole blues is never far away. It’s certainly regrettable that this album didn’t enjoy the same public success as Creole Gypsy (but there’s always time, isn’t there?).