Kassav'

Guadeloupe, Martinique

Biography :

 

The inventors of zouk has just celebrated its 30th birthday! 

The adventure began in Guadeloupe in the minds of Pierre-Édouard Décimus, then a member of the group Les Vickings, and Freddy Marshall, a West Indian singer and musician. The two partners called upon Georges Décimus, the brother of Pierre-Édouard and a bass player, and Jacob Desvarieux, a guitarist and arranger, with an ambitious goal: adapting the island’s popular music to modern tastes. This was how a ingenious blend of traditional sounds, rock and funk gave rise officially to zouk. Since the 1960s, the word has designated an evening of dance. In 1979, there emerged the first album, Love and Ka Dance, and the name Kassav was adopted permanently, in reference to kassave, a manioc cake mixed with coconut. After that date, the group gradually took shape. Some members joined the founders, while others headed elsewhere. From then on, the jolly folks of Kassav poured our their albums, concerts – and hits. 

An early step came in 1984 with Kassav’s first international hit, Zouk-la sé sel médikaman nou ni (Zouk is our only drug). This song projected the group’s fame beyond Caribbean boundaries. The most famous of Guadeloupeans headed into an adventure lasting decades, with concerts all over the world to perform for their increasingly numerous and varied audiences.

In early 1986, they celebrated their first golden disc in front of 40,000 people assembled in Guadeloupe. The albums Vini Pou and Majestik Zouk, issued in 1987 and 1989 respectively, went platinum, and some of the following CDs were golden discs, In 1987 and 1988, the group received the Victoire de la musique (French musical awards) in the Best French Group category and, in 1989, earned the Prix de la Francophonie in Quebec. Zouk has thus built a choice spot for itself in the French-speaking musical landscape.

Today the group consists of Jocelyne Béroard, Georges Décimus, Jacob Desvarieux, Jean-Philippe Marthély and Jean-Claude Naimro. Kassav respects its members’ careers, giving free rein to those wishing to conduct personal projects. Jocelyne Béroard’s first album, recorded in 1986, became the first female golden disc in the West Indies. Group members would later record about 30 solo albums and 15 together. Their latest triple album celebrating their 30th anniversary, out in 2009, is called Saga.

The group now consists of Jocelyne Béroard, Georges Décimus, Jacob Desvarieux, Jean-Philippe Marthély and Jean-Claude Naimro. Respectful of its members’ careers, Kassav leaves an opening to those who wish to conduct their personal projects. Jocelyne Béroard’s first album, recorded in 1986, was the first female golden record in the Caribbean. In all, the group’s members have recorded 30 solo albums and 15 together. Their latest, in 2009, is called Saga and was produced under the Disques Nuits d’Afrique label. This was a way for the inventors of zouk  to celebrate the group’s 30-year mark in its career!

 

Kassav'

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