Laurence Gastine at La Bellevilloise
Laurence Gastine is an author, composer, singer, saxophonist and poet. Born in Martinique and raised in Guadeloupe, she inherited her passion for music from her father, Alexandre Gastine, author, composer, singer, guitarist and double bass player, who worked with the Deb’s label, and from her maternal grandfather, an accordionist.
She began playing the saxophone at the age of 15 and trained with Marcel Louis Joseph, Ricky Ford, Sulaiman Hakim, Steve McCraven and Doudou N’Diaye Rose, then at Arpej and IMEP in Paris.
Her music, which she describes as Jazz Soul EtniK, is a fusion of soul, funk, West Indian music, jazzy African, Brazilian and Indian influences. Her inspirations range from James Brown and Tina Turner to Kassav and Fela Kuti. His forthcoming album, Rythme de vie : Résilience, embodies this diversity and his ability to move people through his art. Musicians such as Cheick Tidiane Seck and Pee Wee Ellis, James Brown’s saxophonist and arranger, have added their talents to this opus.
This year she is publishing a collection of poems, Instants et Moments de vie, as a prelude to the release of her album.
