Born in 1952, Albert Nadeau was a French-Caribbean singer, organist and songwriter from Martinique, known for blending local Caribbean rhythms with funk, soul and reggae inflections. After fronting the local group Les Léopards, he recorded a small but potent set of tracks in the late 1970s that showcased his raw, emotive voice and taste for groove-driven arrangements. At the heart of that period stands “I Am Black” from his 1977 solo LP. The track is a slow-burning tropical-funk/soca cut built around a loping groove, organ-based chords and Nadeau’s gritty, passionate lead vocal. Musically it sits between biguine-tinged island rhythm and 1970s funk/soul. Though it never entered the mainstream charts, ‘I Am Black’ — admired for the way it bridges Caribbean musical tradition with the Black Power and soul currents of its era — has in recent years become one of the most sought-after Caribbean songs.