When I arrived in Guadeloupe, Jocelyn Ménard had already been living there for a few years and was well-known in the local jazz scene. He had come from his native Canada with his saxophone and the firm intention of immersing himself in this new adopted land. We would come to listen to him at Autour de Minuit, in the middle of the sugarcane fields, accompanied by the d'Huy brothers, Raymond Grego, Christian Amour…

His first project, Guanada , already set the tone for this encounter between North American and Creole jazz, born from a shared history of deportation and cultural exchange. Since then, Jocelyn has multiplied his hybrid projects to better immerse himself in these identities and offer innovative interpretations. Dance, gwoka, jazz, storytelling, and theater: he has explored all these avenues, always with respect and evident pleasure.

Vibes A Péyi Là brings this journey to life with brilliance and passion. Here, Jocelyn no longer seeks to merge worlds: he makes them breathe together, in a single, free, and luminous breath. Around him, Sonny Troupé on drums and Klod Kiavué on ka and percussion ensure the grounding in tradition, the living heritage of Kimbòl and Gwakasonné, linked by the solid bass of Régis Thérèse, who honed his skills with Caraib II Jazz.

Jonathan Jurion, who masterfully blends jazz and gwoka and is often heard performing with Jowee Omicil, plays some of the keyboards. He shares them with Jean-Michel Lesdel, creating a sound that oscillates between Caribbean tradition, classical music, and jazz. Finally, Jocelyn wisely invited Leedyah Barlagne, a singer who rarely performs, to lend her warm and vibrant voice to his compositions.

Vibes A Péyi Là is a vibrant, richly textured, and colorful tapestry, a heartfelt journey to Guadeloupean soil, where gwoka converses with jazz and sometimes ventures into zouk, always with elegance. I am happy and proud to be a privileged witness to this, alongside these musicians, most of whom I have had the pleasure of knowing for a long time. - Christophe Jenny, August 2025.