INTERVIEW: Roots trio Delgres combine history with the present day
Photo: Delgres’ debut album is called Mo Jodi. Photo courtesy of PIAS / Provided by Cindy Byram PR with permission.
Delgres, the Paris-based roots trio, have a unique way of combining the issues of the modern day with several historical examples and figures. On their debut album, Mo Jodi, which will be released Friday, Aug. 31, musician Pascal Danaë sings in both Creole and English, letting listeners know about his ancestry in Guadeloupe and how it connects to the important theme of freedom.
On Tuesday, Sept. 25, the band will bring their musical stylings to Joe’s Pub in New York City. Other stops on their U.S. tour include gigs in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Illinois, Massachusetts and California. Before the concerts, in anticipation of the album’s release, Delgres will also take to Facebook Live and interact with their fans.
“We’re going to be doing some live stuff … live interviews on Facebook a few days after the album’s release,” Danaë said in a recent phone interview. “We’ll have fans ask questions. We’re very excited to see what they think of the music.”
The band’s name is derived from Louis Delgrès, a Creole officer in the French army who died in Guadeloupe in 1802 fighting Naopoleon’s army. Napoleon was attempting to reinstate slavery on the island, and Delgrès fought back, according to press notes from the band.
History not only informs the name of the trio, but also their music, which is topical, political and reflective. “The whole album talks about the quest for freedom,” Danaë said, “the freedom to be who you are. It’s also about finding yourself. What you have to take into account is who you are as a human being.”
Danaë and his bandmates, Baptiste Brondy and Rafgee, display this reverence for freedom, family and culture on such tunes as “Respecté Nou,” “Mr. President” and “Pardone Mwen.”
The songs were written by Danaë and showcase his family’s roots in Guadeloupe and his experiences growing up in France. “I bring all those elements of culture and history into my personal quest,” he said. “I really enjoy it. I felt at one point in my life I needed to go deep into the meaning. I needed to take the time to stop and listen.”
When Danaë performs in front of a crowd, his excitement and joy multiplies when singing these songs. When listening to Delgres’ music, one can also hear traces of New Orleans and Louisiana influences. The music of the American South — whether it be jazz, blues or zydeco — has long inspired Danaë. “Since I was a kid, I’ve turned on the radio and heard zydeco and some squeezebox,” he said. “That music is a cure for me.”
Honoring his roots and these many musical influences, Danaë sings partially in Creole on the album. He believes that singing in this language, and placing those lyrics on top of bluesy melodies, helps him better connect to the music.
Even though there are numerous historical references on Mo Jodi, make no mistake about it, songs and concerts by Delgres are not mere history lessons. At the heart of the music is a desire to entertain. Danaë wants the audience to have a good time. “You don’t want to go to a concert and feel like someone is telling you what to say or what to think,” he said. “This [music] displays who we are and the pleasure we have playing it. … If someone wants to think more deeply, that’s cool. We want to keep it entertaining.”
Danaë first fell in love with music because of his family. His father played the violin (“He had a song for every situation in life,” he said with a a laugh), and his sisters were always singing around the house.
“This is really something that’s been cooking for a very long time,” he said. “This means the world.”
By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com
Delgres’ new album is called Mo Jodi. The band will play many of the new songs on tour in the United States in September and October. Click here for more information and tickets.
