This October 16, 2025, at the Centre International de Séjour de l’Étang Zabricot in Fort-de-France, the Association Carrefour Barel Coppet (ACBC) is dedicating its cultural evening to José Privat.
The pianist from Martinique, a historic figure in the group Malavoi, will receive the Trophée Barel Coppet this evening for his entire career: more than forty-five years of humility and mastery.
The event is part of the Cultural Thursdays of the association, which each year honors a major figure in the local artistic heritage.
The Trophée Barel Coppet: deep-rooted recognition
Created by the ACBC, the Trophée Barel Coppet pays tribute to those who carry Martinique’s culture high.
Its name recalls the writer and humanist Barel Coppet, an advocate of dialogue between the arts, knowledge and civic engagement.
The awarding of the trophy to José Privat is in keeping with this tradition: celebrating the builders of a musical identity that is open to the world while remaining deeply attached to the land of its birth.
For many observers, this distinction is a matter of course.
Discreet but influential, behind his piano he has shaped one of the most emblematic sounds of contemporary Martinique.
José Privat: forty-five years of dialogue between tradition and modernity
Self-taught, José Privat began with the violin before turning to the piano, where he found his natural language.
In the 1990s, he joined Malavoi, the legendary group that redefined traditional West Indian music by blending strings, Creole rhythms and jazz influences.
Alongside Paulo Rosine, and then following in his footsteps, he became one of the guarantors of the group’s harmonic identity.
His many collaborations – with Édith Lefel, Gertrude Sénin, Beethova Obas and Luther François – testify to a career in which talent is expressed above all in the service of collective music.
His peers emphasize one constant: the precision of his gestures, the artist’s modesty and a rare rhythmic elegance.
Clin d'œil (2024): the maturity of a free musician
Released in April 2024 by Aztec Musique, Clin d’œil marks a major milestone.
Played entirely on the Hammond B3 organ, it features Ralph Lavital, Tilo Bertholo, Elvin Bironien and Tricia Evy, with the participation of her son Grégory Privat.
The album combines Caribbean swing, jazz and reminiscences of biguine in a style that is both sober and luminous.
The opening track, Coin Carbet, evokes his Foyal roots, while Toujou La and Clin d’œil continue the conversation between generations of artists.
For José Privat, this album sums up the spirit of a lifetime: to make heritages interact without ever freezing them.
An accomplished transmission
The pianist’s career takes on a more intimate dimension through his son Grégory Privat, a recognized figure in contemporary jazz and Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres.
Their musical complicity illustrates a successful handover: the father embodies the memory of biguine and mazurka, the son brings its modernity to international stages.
The award of the Trophée Barel Coppet to José Privat reaffirms this continuity, placing family transmission at the heart of Caribbean heritage.
The meaning of a tribute
The ACBC’s initiative goes beyond a simple award: it highlights the value of the patient work, often far from the spotlight, that keeps Martinique’s music alive.
In an ever-changing cultural landscape, José Privat reminds us that an artist can remain faithful to his roots while innovating.
His influence can be measured as much in the scores he signs as in the musicians he inspires.
The Trophée Barel Coppet thus takes on the value of a landmark: it unites the memory of a territory, the recognition of an audience and the gratitude of a generation to one of its masters.
Shared recognition
Tonight’s event brings together musicians, journalists, music lovers and former collaborators of the pianist.
On stage, a few notes are enough to remind us of the extent of a career woven of respect and passion.
Through José Privat, we celebrate a whole area of Antillean creation: that of demanding music, rooted in emotion, turned towards encounters.
The presentation of the Trophée Barel Coppet to José Privat is more than just an award: it’s a gesture of collective gratitude.
It’s a reminder that beyond fashions, Martinique continues to produce artists whose strength lies in their sincerity.
Tonight, in Fort-de-France, José Privat’s piano keys will resonate like an echo of an entire heritage, that of an island that knows how to say thank you to its musicians.
