Mahaut mourns passing of former Belles Combo keyboardist, Jeff Destouche

Jefferson “Jeff” Destouche, the former keyboardist for the now-defunct Belles Combo of Mahaut, died in New York, USA, on April 14^th, 2020.  He was 72 years old.

Jeff, at the time, was living with his dedicated, faithful and caring wife Alphonsin and their three children in New York. Alphonsin whonwas married to Jeff for 34years, said of his passing: “We can’t believe that he’s really gone. Jeff was a good husband and father and a true friend. We will miss him dearly”.

As she recounted their meeting and life together, Alphonsin reminds us of this gentle giant of a man.

“Jeff and I met in 1977 when I joined the DCP family. We were married in January of 1986 and was blessed with three children. We had 34 wonderful years together and he was a dedicated family man,” she fondly reveals. “He was smart and had a good sense of humour. He lived a good life and will be missed by all his family and friends.”

Jeff who was best known for his pioneering work with the Belles Combo, formerly Embers, was the father of 7children, 8 grandchildren and 1 great grand-child, a beloved and highly respected community leader, sportsman, consummate musician and a father-figure to many young men of the Mahaut community. He was known to be godfather and mentor to a large number of young men, many of whom have gone on to become successful professionals and leaders in Mahaut and on the national stage.

Born in Mahaut in 1947, Jefferson “Jeff” Destouche, was the only son and last child of Mason and Rita Destouche. His father was a well-known and highly popular village tailor and fisherman. His mother, who died while he was still very young, was the aunt of Francis Esprit, bassist with Belles Combo and Peter Glen Etienne, currently employed with Caribbean Confederation of Credit Unions in St. Kitts.

Glen, who grew up in the shadow of his elder cousin, spoke with much admiration of the man who was a father–figure to him.

“He was my mentor and trusted friend who ensured that I stayed on the straight and narrow. To enforce his commitment and responsibility for my upbringing, he served as my godfather in Confirmation. Even when we established our separate families and settled in our own homes we were still very close,” Glen recounted. “He stood as godfather for my son, Nathan in Baptism and I did the same for his son Bradley. After he migrated to New York the close relationship was still maintained. We used to exchange whatsapp messages daily. “

Jeff attended the Mahaut Government School, which was located in Massacre at the time, and then went on to attend the St. Mary’s Academy in the 1960’s.  As a young man, he played cricket and football. He was known as an elegant stroke-player and useful slow bowler who played in popular Mahaut Cricket teams along with well-known persons like Asinol John, Franklyn Bardouille, Henson Victor, Herman Bertrand, Dennis Riviere, Evans “Bebe” Roberts and Mortley John and later, Peterson Bardouille, Francis Esprit and Desmond Dublin.  After leaving the Academy, Jeff would go on to work with his good friend and cousin Mortley John, with whom he formed a formidable partnership working in the automobile industry for several years. He and Mortley would work with his other very close friend, Allan George at the Shell Garage on Goodwill Road, before he embarked on a long stint as an operator at the Dominica Coconut Products (DCP) factory in Belfast.

However, his life would change forever after he joined the then Embers Combo, the forerunner to the mighty Belles Combo of the 1970’s and 80’s, and helped to usher in one of the most exciting and dynamic periods in the history of the village of Mahaut.  Embers which was formed by guitarist extraordinaire, Mike Moreau, along with Henwood Powell, Kenrick Henry, Lennox John Baptiste, Mortley John and Cecil Rusty Henry, was in its infancy when Jeff joined around 1969. He first played the rhythm guitar, providing solid support to Mike and helped in building the foundation for what would eventually emerge as one of Dominica’s leading bands. He would go on to be the band’s keyboard player, contributing much to the rhythm section of the band over a period of close to thirty years.  During that time, Jeff became an entrenched member of Belles Combo alongside Mike Moreau- lead guitar, Jeffrey Hill-rhythm guitar, Rusty Henry, Hughes Jno Baptiste and Augustus Bertrand on drums, Percelle Christian and Furley Ismael on Trumpet, Gerald Thomas on Sax and Cletus Halibut Abraham on lead vocals

Jeff’s life, like all the others who played in Belles Combo (renamed after sponsorship support from the then DCP Factory) is indelibly marked by the success and pioneering work of the band, to a new musical phenomenon and the shaping of a new music culture in Dominica and the Eastern Caribbean islands. They helped introduce a new dynamic in music, incorporating elements of hard work, dedication to their craft, and a great passion for professionalism. Their music was heavily influenced by the music played on radio stations and from the recordings of US bands and popular music of that period.

Jeff’s life story and that of Belles Combo, are indeed linked to the making of a culture and a deep commitment to a musical journey that would impact not just a community but entire generations, countries, and a people yearning for an identity and the ability to overcome the challenges of the post-colonial period.  Belles Combo, like many of the other musical and cultural groups of the period before the attainment of independence in 1978, brought on a new realization that culture had a critical role to play in uniting people, in bridging the social and political divide and helping to give hope in the face of much hopelessness.  Music had a special and powerful place in the shaping of a new Dominica, and Jeff and Belles Combo played a big part in that history.  Belles Combo straddled different periods of Dominica’s music history, firstly as a Combo, playing mostly covers and instrumental music, then to the period where they played covers and introduced vocals to their sound, and to the Cadence-lypso era incorporating elements of the creole music, producing their own music and singing in both English and Creole.

Jeff Destouche was a student of music and a strong and powerful exponent of dedicating oneself to his craft. As his cousin and former bands-mate, Francis Esprit, would attest, “Jeff was not a fancy player or the most creative keyboard player, but he was a solid and efficient player who worked well with the rest of the team and gave his best’.  According to Francis, “Jeff was just a cool guy, a really nice person, but don’t get on his wrong side”.

Jeff was known as a stern yet very friendly and compassionate individual.  In terms of his playing days with Belles Combo, Francis believed that Jeff was at his best on the last album recorded by the band, where he displayed his full range and gave possibly the performance of his long and distinguished career with the band.

The Belles Combo keyboardist was a big part of a long musical journey, spanning close to three decades. In the early years, they played at private parties in Goodwill, Morne Bruce, Pottersville and in Roseau.  As the band grew and became more powerful and popular, they would take their music to a wide variety of spaces, including leading halls, hotels and village/communities centres. The band would have played in almost every nook and cranny around Dominica. They were extremely popular in Portsmouth, Paix Bouche, Grand Fond and the East coast, Point Michelle and Marigot.But they were perhaps best known for their exploits at jams at the Fort Young Hotel, Saaman Tree in Rockaway, Aquatic Club, Grotto, at Barclays Bank and other major venues in Roseau and around Dominica, but moreso, at the famed Seamoon Club in Massacre, at the time owned and managed by Tony Campbell where they played every Sunday night to packed crowds of enthusiastic fans and dance lovers.

The band would go on to tour several Caribbean islands, creating a name for themselves and giving great exposure to the Dominican musical sound. Theirs was a unique sound, influenced by the funk and rock music of the period, and would go on to shape their own musical identity and sound. Their brand of Cadence-lypso music testified to their uniqueness among the wide variety of musical styles from Dominica during the 1970’s and 80’s. They were heirs to the crown worn by the Gaylords in the 1960’s, but played during the heights of the Swinging Stars, De Boys and Dem, Exile One, Grammacks, Naked Feet, Midnight Groovers, Liquid Ice, Black Affairs and the many bands who occupied a place in this unique space in the history and evolution of Dominica’s great years of music. They made you want to dance, they made you enjoy music in a manner and style that hitherto was impossible to imagine.

Jeff and Belles Combo would first tour St. Croix for the 1972 “Friendship Week”, to be followed by another tour of that US territory in 1973. In the intervening years, they toured Martinique on numerous occasions, as well as Grenada, St. Lucia, Guadeloupe, Antigua, St. Maarten, St. Thomas, Columbia (to represent Dominica at an International Music Festival), and Toronto and New York. With a formidable repertoire and a large body of work, Belles Combo was a force to be reckoned with.

Whilst their discography consisted of only three studio albums and two 45’s, Belles Combo’s contribution to Dominica’s music and culture cannot be measured simply in term of records and albums.  Theirs was a contribution to be measured by the impact they created on the national psyche and on the evolving culture of the 1960’s, 70’s, 80’s and even today.  They gave us many years of powerful and wonderful music which kept us dancing, singing, and reminding ourselves of their unique place in the history of the island of Dominica.

As we mourn the passing of Jeff Destouche, we are reminded of the tremendous contribution he made to his community and country, as a leader, a dedicated father and husband, godfather, sportsman, musician, friend, colleague and as a Dominican patriot who will be remembered for his generosity of spirit and his influence on those whose lives he touched.

To the family of Jeff, we extend our deepest sympathies and wish to thank you for giving us this special human being for his exceptional service and his humanity. Please be comforted that while he is no longer with us in the flesh his spirit will live on forever.

Below is a compilation of some of Belles Combo’s biggest hits.