Dédé Saint-Prix

Born in Le François, Martinique, in 1953, Dédé Saint-Prix has since the early 1980s developed work centered on chouval bwa, a traditional Martiniquais music linked to popular fairs, which he blends with broader Caribbean forms such as zouk, charanga, compa, or ragga and hip-hop accents. A singer, composer and flutist, Dédé Saint-Prix initially worked as a teacher before dedicating himself entirely to music in 1991. After stints with the groups Sélecta Martinique and Malavoi, he later founded with Bago Balthazar the Pakatak project, oriented toward rhythmic research and Afro-Caribbean traditions. His discography includes notably Dede Saint-Prix and Avan-Van (1983), Mi Sé Sa (1988), Afro-Caribbean groove (1997), Arrête ton délire (1999), Fruits de la patience (2005) and Melanj (2007). On stage, Dédé Saint-Prix defends music based on polyrhythms, vocal calls and the movements between Martiniquais popular repertoires and contemporary Caribbean expressions. His career also includes a significant pedagogical dimension, with master classes in Afro-Caribbean percussion and several years of teaching at the Conservatoire d’Angoulême.