Artist Bio:
Born in 1946, Rene Lacaille is the master of the spicy Sega rhythms of Reunion Island, a volcanic island paradise located deep in the southwestern Indian Ocean.
The embodiment of Reunion's vitality, Rene is a man steeped in his culture's celebration of life and good times. As early as age seven, he learned how to command a party when he accompanied his father to perform at weddings and dances throughout the island's many towns. This was rigorous training, because the musicians had to be versatile and capable of playing the paso doble, cha- cha, polka, waltz, bolero, Creole quadrille, Sega, and Maloya. Rene's talent and curiosity led him to master the bongos, drums, accordion, guitar, and saxophone. The countless nights that Rene spent playing professionally, combined with new music arriving from other shores, provided a variety of influences for him, and his own compositions would soon be informed by flamenco, salsa, twist, rock, jazz, and fusion.
In his twenties, Rene abandoned the accordion for the guitar, and formed the now-legendary group Cameleon, who were the first to invent electric Maloya, blending traditional Reunion music with modern Western timbres. Rene's "Sax Sega" would prove to be a hit with the Francophone market, and is still featured on flights by Air France. In 1979, Rene moved to France and continued his musical interests in jazz and fusion. In his 1996 release Aster, Rene draws on all of his preferred influences.
Soon after, he had a deeply moving musical encounter with the roots Reunion artist Danyel Waro, which re-kindled his interest in the accordion and Reunion musical traditions, thereby changing the direction of his musical life.
His recording La Reunion is warm and spontaneous, sprinkled with Sega and Maloya rhythms, perfumed with good humor, honey, and spice and with the effervescent addition of Danyel Waro.
Savor this patango, a delicious and spicy Creole dish which includes flavors from the whole world.
— Courtesy Calabash Music
