Highly talented Afro-French composer, bassist and vocalist Sélène Saint-Aimé returns with her second full-length release for the Komos Jazz label, titled POTOMITAN, exploring her Caribbean cultural roots.

This phenomenal 11-track recording was strongly influenced by insightful conversations Sélène had with her paternal grandmother, while spending many months in Martinique during the pandemic. Featuring tanbouyé masters Sonny Troupé (Ka drums, Guadeloupe) and Boris Reine-Adélaïde (Bèlè drums, Martinique), the music blends Caribbean-rooted percussion rhythms and layered horn melodies with Sélène’s earthy double bass lines and beautiful scat vocals. The recording has a strong spiritual hypnotic otherworldly feel throughout, that pulls you in like a meditative trance.

Making up the the rest of the band on this session is Cuban saxophonist Irving Acao, trumpeter Hermon Mehari, cellist Guillaume Latil, and violinist Mathias Lévy.

From start to finish, POTOMITAN is an absolutely stunning recording that successful fuses together Sélène Saint-Aimé’s Caribbean roots with spiritual jazz improvisation. Definitely one of the year’s best albums!

› LISTEN: Gilles Peterson Interviews Sèléne Saint-Aimé

Sélène Saint-Aimé’s full-length album ‘POTOMITAN’ is released on March 25, 2022.

Sélène Saint-Aimé — ‘POTOMITAN’
(Komos Jazz)

1. Arawak Uhuru
2. Béliya
3. The Bird
4. Indigo Bay
5. Mélisande (à mamie Jacqueline)
6. Potomitan
7. Mawu : Omens & Prayers
8. Akayé
9. Ézili
10. Bezaudin
11. White Birds, Silver Tree

BUY RECORD

• Jazz
• Spiritual Jazz