Philippe Lavil Essentials

Philippe Lavil is a man of two worlds. He was born in Martinique but emigrated to France as a boy; throughout his music-making career, his knack for infectious French pop tunes has brought enchanting flavor to the sun-kissed sounds of Caribbean island life. With steel drums popping up as often as guitar and piano, Lavil has been crafting summery sonic perfection since 1969, and while his calypso-infused style has gone in and out of vogue through the years, he's remained a faithful French ambassador of fun, a pop playboy crooning amid the ocean breezes and making you feel like you're sailing alongside him.