Ailing, Roger M. Eugène, known as Shoubou, 78, remains stoic. He resists—against the wear of time, against faltering memory, against presbycusis, that detestable “coal” capable of dulling the purity of certain vocal grains.

The legendary singer of Tabou Combo, who has been living in a retirement home for some time, was expected on stage at “Chez Mireille Restaurant,” somewhere on Long Island, New York, for a tribute organized on Saturday, December 20, 2025.