Al Lirvat

Albert Adolphe Lirvat, known professionally as Al Lirvat, was born on February 12, 1916, in Pointe-à-Pitre, Guadeloupe. He began his musical journey as a musician, bandleader, and composer of jazz and Caribbean dance music. He composed "Touloulou" at the age of sixteen, which became a classic in Antillean repertoire. In 1935, Lirvat moved to Paris and collaborated with Pierre Louiss. After serving during World War II, he was recognized as France's top trombonist by the Hot Club de France in 1943. He joined various orchestras, including La Cigale (1955-1961) and invented the wabap genre in the 1950s, blending bebop with biguine. Lirvat accompanied notable artists like Édith Piaf and Joséphine Baker. Notable albums include Wabap (2002). Among his awards are the Prix Maracas D'Or in 1978 and Chevalier de l'ordre national du Mérite in 1998. Lirvat passed away on June 30, 2007, in Paris.