Albert Nadeau, Brother Mudada - I Am Black / Forward Ever (Analog Africa 45 Series)

Albert Nadeau was a French-Caribbean singer, organist and songwriter from Martinique whose recordings from the late 1970s fused local rhythms with funk, soul and reggae influences. Best known for his raw, impassioned delivery and organ-led arrangements, Nadeau left behind a small but striking body of work. ‘I Am Black’, taken from his 1977 solo album I Am Black, stands as his defining statement: a slow-burning tropical funk and soca-inflected cut built on a loping groove, biguine-tinged rhythm and a fiercely expressive vocal. Long admired for its blend of Caribbean tradition and the wider political and soul currents of its era, the track has become one of the most sought-after recordings to emerge from the region.

On the flip, Brother Mudada (born Alan Fortune) represents a lifetime devoted to calypso’s role as social and cultural commentary. Active since the early 1960s, the Trinidad & Tobago artist is celebrated for songs rooted in perseverance, collective struggle and forward momentum. ‘Forward Ever’ is one of his most influential works: a resolute anthem urging patience, wisdom and solidarity, delivered with the authority of a seasoned cultural voice whose impact has been recognised across the Caribbean.

Together, these two tracks form a potent pairing of message-driven Caribbean music, grounded in rhythm, resistance and enduring spirit.