Singer Christelle Durandy grew up in Guadeloupe.
She played percussion and danced with her family’s folkloric group there.
But what Christelle Durandy really wanted to do is sing. So, she left the family nest and moved to New York.
That’s where she hooked up with jazz musician Paul Carlon and his band.
Christelle Durandy is part of the Paul Carlon Octet.
Carlon himself is from New York. But he spent some time in Cuba and Brazil.
And he wanted to combine the rhythms he heard there into his jazz compositions.
While Durandy provides the vocals, Carlon provides the sax.
Paul Carlon has been active in the New York Latin jazz scene for 15 years.
His octet has been together for six of those years. The band’s sophomore CD came out this month.
It’s called “Roots Propaganda.”
Music by the Paul Carlon Octect closes our show today.
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