Folies

Folies is solid, mainline zouk love by one of its most enduring artists. Jean Claude Mondesir can always be counted on to please dancer and listener with zouk that has depth and plenty of swing. This album, although short at under a half-hour, finds him employing the Cameroonian bass player Guy N'Sangue and two other noted vocalists, Harry Diboula and Jean-Luc Guanel, formerly of Kwak. Jean Claude Mondesir's own voice is blessed with a velvety, tropical sensuality. It is no wonder that he is very popular with the women of Martinique and Guadeloupe. From the opening lines of "Ceou Mwen Le," zouk lovers know that this is the real thing, recorded with style and aplomb. He manages to bring drive and considerable momentum to simple zouk love licks where many others artists fall short. State-of-the-art sound along with enough variation in the songs make this album stand out from the zouk love pack. Recommended.