La Compagnie Créole

A zouk group from the French West Indies, La Compagnie Créole scored a string of hits in the 1980s. Comprising Martiniquan singer Clémence Bringtown, Guyanese guitarist and singer José Sébéloué, Martiniquan bassist Julien Tarquin, Guadeloupeans Guy Bevert (drums, percussion) and Arthur Apatout (guitar, present until 1991), the group sang in Creole before gaining popularity with tunes performed in French. In 1976, they released their first album, Ba Mwen An Ti Bo, named after a biguine classic, followed in 1982 by Blogodo. The Carrère label's Vive le Douanier Rousseau! (1983), from which they extracted two of their biggest hits, "C'est bon pour le moral " and the title track, which were acclaimed throughout France and adopted as anthems for festive gatherings. This golden period continued with the album Le Bal Masqué (1984) and its homonymous title track at No. 6, while the first single "Bons baisers de Fort-de-France" reached No. 24 in the newly-created Top 50. One of the most popular variety artists of the decade, La Compagnie Créole renewed its repertoire with hits such as "Ça fait rire les oiseaux " (No. 17 in 1986), "Ma première biguine-partie" (No. 15) and the albums La Machine à Danser (1987) and Cayenne Carnaval (1989). After racking up gold and platinum discs, the zouk band continued in a more modest vein, while the compilations that followed were always well received by the public. New albums include Le Mardi Gras (1992), La Fiesta (Souris à la Vie) (1995), Je Reviens Chez Vous (1997), L'Album (1999) and O! Oh! Obama! (2008) and took part in two consecutive seasons of the Âge tendre, la tournée des idoles tour, between 2009 and 2011. The following year saw the release of new versions of "Le Bal masqué " with Colonel Reyel and Lynnsha, and of "C'est bon pour le moral" with Moussier Tombola, both included on the album En Bonne Compagnie (2012). The albums Carnavals du Monde and Les Forces de l'Amour follow in 2015 and 2019. On September 3, 2023, José Sébéloué died in Metz, Moselle, at the age of 74.

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