Ben and the Platano Group

Ben and the Platano Group were a French Latin-funk ensemble that released the 1970 Barclay album Paris Soul.

Members: Ben [Ben sa tumba et son orchestre], Evaristo Nata [Roger Lecussant]

Background

Ben and the Platano Group formed in Paris by 1970 when percussionist–bandleader Ben Bakrim teamed with pianist-arranger Roger Lecussant, who used the name Evaristo Nata.

Bakrim, born in March 1925, had led Ben et sa Tumba and the Tropical Rhythm Kings since the mid-1950s on Pacific and Barclay. His groups recorded mambo, cha-cha-cha, merengue, and rumba material, while Bakrim also directed the dance orchestra at the Lido on the Champs-Élysées.

Lecussant worked as a pianist and orchestra leader in Paris, with 1957 recordings behind singer Guy Severyns for RCA. He also fronted the Club Lido Orchestra on Under Skies of Paris. Bandleader Manuel Iturria led a sextet on Latin-dance recordings for Festival by the same period and joined Lecussant among the composers for the Platano sessions.

Additional players came from the Paris nightclub circuit, including musicians active at the Lido. Lecussant arranged the material under the Evaristo Nata name. Bakrim led the ensemble from the percussion section. In 1970, the musicians assembled for the Paris Soul sessions with engineer Charles Rochko. Joachim Roy assisted with tape assembly under Barclay art director Jacques Lubin.

Discography:

• Paris Soul (1970)