HiFi Calypso

HiFi Calypso is the second album by French writer, actor, filmmaker and singer Karl Zéro, backed by the Jamaican reggae band The Wailers.

Karl Zéro's first album, Songs for Cabriolets y Otros Tipos de Vehiculos, was a collection of covers of international pop standards of the 1940s and 1950 (including "Perfidia" and "(I Love You) For Sentimental Reasons").

For his next album, he set his mind on recording calypso songs, and started looking for a reggae band.

It turned out that Downie used to watch Zéro's weekly TV show, Le Vrai Journal.

[1] The final track list reflects both influences, which includes the French classic "Salade de Fruits" or the obscure Leslie Scott and Irene Williams song "Crazy Like Mad", amongst the calypso classics "Coconut Woman" and "Mama Look at Bubu", both made famous by Harry Belafonte.