Edmond Mondesir was born in

Fort-de-France Fort-de-France (, , ; ) is a Communes of France, commune and the capital city of Martinique, an overseas department and region of France located in the Caribbean. History Before it was ceded to France by Spain in 1635, the area of Fort-de-Fra ...

(

Martinique Martinique ( ; or ; Kalinago language, Kalinago: or ) is an island in the Lesser Antilles of the West Indies, in the eastern Caribbean Sea. It was previously known as Iguanacaera which translates to iguana island in Carib language, Kariʼn ...

) in 1948. Professor of Philosophy, talented writer and composer, he is also a recognized singer and an awarded « tanbou

bélé A bélé is a folk dance and music from Dominica, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Haiti, Martinique, Saint Lucia, and Trinidad and Tobago. It may be the oldest Creole dance of the creole French West Indian Islands, and it strongly reflects influenc ...

» musician.

Biography

After finishing his philosophy career he returned to his birthplace with the conviction of the existence of a rich musical tradition in

. He then participates in many traditional groups and starts to investigate in the North Martinique's provinces searching for the authentic Bèlé. After this starting road, he creates with Léon Bertide the group Bèlènou in 1980 and records his first Bèlé's album, with his own compositions and a traditional touch. In 1983, it comes out their second album, consecrated to modern instrumental Bèlé. Between 1980 and 2002 Edmond Mondésir makes nine productions, divided between traditional Bèlé and modern Bèlé, between sung bèlé and instrumental Bèlé. During their 25 years career he performed with his group on the Martinica's most prestigious stages. The artist's fame expands all over the

Caribbean The Caribbean ( , ; ; ; ) is a region in the middle of the Americas centered around the Caribbean Sea in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, mostly overlapping with the West Indies. Bordered by North America to the north, Central America ...

and Latin America, and it was in a Cuban festival where he found the inspiration for the song "Santiago". In 2003, he receives the SACEM award as a homenage to his whole work. Today, Edmond Mondésir is an important pillar in the Bèlé music in Martinique. He is, at the same time, a defensor of this music's authenticity and the executor of its modernization about the Bèlé spirit's integrity. But more than an artist, he is a cultural militant that has been fighting for thirty years for the Maritinican to be proud of their cultural identity and get it back. The first album with Manuel Mondésir: « Emosion Bèlè - Les chants du père, la musique du fils » (2006) made and arranged by his son Manuel is the symbol of a bridge between two generations, an exotic and calm trip over a music with roots and multiple aspects. In 2008 the second collaboration with Manuel Mondésir : « Emosion Bèlè 2 - Hommage à Ti Emile ». It's a tribute to one of the greatest singer of bèlè Ti Emile (1925–1992). In 2009, he released two albums "Sé Pou La viktwa Nou Ka Alé" and "Nou Pa Pè". 2011, marks the reissue of "Emosion Bèlè" emastered album and credited with 5 new titles for the first time available in Franceand the European tour of the artist. In March 2011, Edmond Mondesir receives the "Prix France Musique des Musiques du monde 2011" award.

Discography

Bélénou discography

* 1980 : Bèlènou (Lanné Tala) * 1983 : Bèlènou (Chimen Tala) * 1987 : Syèl Kléré * 1990 : Emosyon Tambou-a * 1992 : An ti van frémi * 1998 : Janbé Lizyè * 2000 : Retrospektiv

Edmond Mondésir discography

* 1995 : Mélodi Bèlè * 2002 : Manmay Bèlè * 2006 : Emosion Bèlè - Les chants du père, la musique du fils (with Manuel Mondésir) * 2008 : Emosion Bèlè 2 - Hommage à Ti-Emile (with Manuel Mondésir) * 2009 : Sé Pou La Viktwa Nou Ka Alé * 2009 : Nou Pa Pè * 2011 : Emosion Bèlè (reissue remastered with 5 new tracks)

Bibliography

* 2004 : Les jours Innocents (aux Éditions Lafontaine).

References

External links

myspace.com/edmondmondesir

* ttp://www.cridupeuple.com/Emosion-Bele Edmond & Manuel Mondésir - Le cri du peuple
ARTISTES WOZLINES PRODUCTIONS

Vibrations Caraibes - Les Mondésir

Africultures - Biographie

MILO POKO MO
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mondesir, Edmond Living people Martiniquais musicians 1948 births