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Kassav' is a French Caribbean band formed in Guadeloupe in 1979. The core members of the band are Jacob Desvarieux, Jocelyne Béroard, Jean-Philippe Marthély, Patrick St. Eloi, Jean-Claude Naimro, Claude Vamur, and Georges Décimus (who left to form Volt Face and returned). Kassav' have issued over 20 albums, with a further 12 solo albums by band members.

Kassav'
Origin	Paris, France
Genres	Zouk Cadence-lypso Kadans/Compas
Years active	1979–present
Labels	GD Productions/Sonodisc, Epic, CBS, Warner France (distribution)
Members	Jocelyne Béroard Jean-Philippe Marthély Jean-Claude Naimro Georges Décimus
Past members	Patrick Saint Eloi Pierre Edouard Décimus Claude Vamur Jacob Desvarieux (deceased)
Website	http://www.kassav-official.com/

The music of Kassav' is an extension of cadence-lypso or compas bands, such as Grammacks, Exile One, Les Aiglons and Experience 7 of the 1970s.[1]

History

Kassav' was formed in 1979 by Pierre-Edouard Décimus (former musicians from the Les Vikings de Guadeloupe) and Paris studio musician Jacob Desvarieux. Together and under the influence of well-known Dominican, Haitian and Guadeloupean kadans or compas bands like Experience 7, Grammacks, Exile One, Les Aiglons, Tabou Combo, Les Freres Dejean, etc., they decided to make Guadeloupean carnival music recording it in a more fully orchestrated yet modern and polished style. The name of the band is Antillean Creole for a local dish made from cassava root.

Kassav' is the creator of the fast carnival zouk Beton style. The French Antilles' Kassav' was the first to apply the MIDI technology to cadence and fused the genre with funk, and Makossa.

Music of Guadeloupe and Martinique:

• The gwo ka, traditional music of Guadeloupe, of which there are 7 versions (rhythmic)
• The bélé, traditional music from Martinique, of which there are 11 variants (rhythmic)
• The biguine music of Martinique
• The chouval bwa, traditional music of Martinique associated with the city of Saint-Pierre
• The mazurka and quadrille, European music of the French Antilles
• The Compas, modern Haitian méringue popularized by Nemours Jean-Baptiste in 1955
• The cadence rampa (kadans), alike compas, a modern Haitian méringue popularized by Webert Sicot in the very early 60s that spread to the Caribbean
• The cadence-lypso of Dominica cadence popularized by Exile One with Gordon Henderson and also interpreted by groups such as Grammacks with Jeff Joseph as a senior member. Experience 7 was a Guadeloupean cadence band formed in the mid-1970s, led by Guy Houllier and Yves Honore.

Most authors credit Décimus, his brother Georges, the band's bassist and Desvarieux as its inventors. Their first album was Love and Ka Dance (1980). The band gained popularity in their much-heralded live performances in Paris's Club Zenith and toured widely. For a band ostensibly operating in a "narrowly focused" Caribbean dance-based new genre, their success and influence on other artists was remarkable, although they were most influenced by a veritable cornucopia of other styles as noted above.

Kassav' continued to gain popularity both as a group and by several members' solo recordings, eventually peaking in 1985 with Yélélé, which featured the international hit "Zouk la sé sèl médikaman nou ni" (meaning "Zouk is the only medicine we have" in French Antillean Creole). With this hit song, zouk rapidly became a widespread dance craze in Latin America and the Caribbean, and was popular in Europe, Africa, and Asia. Zouk performers became known for wildly theatrical concerts featuring special effects, stage spectacles and colorful costumes. One important contribution of Kassav' in concert was the appearance of featured dancers on stage with the band; these dancers were in many ways as much a part of the band as any musician. Kassav' has been noted by its acolytes and aficionados as a dance band par excellence.

Among the strengths of Kassav' that helped lead to the group's success were and are its members' superior musicianship, songwriting and production skills, and worldwide audiences eager for lively dance music more sophisticated than the disco/techno-based styles that otherwise dominated dance music charts in that era. The especially gravelly singing voice of Desvarieux, Décimus's driving bass, Naimro's and Joseph's inventive keyboards and superior drum-machine-based and Vamur's solid jazz-inflected live percussion, along with dance party-inspiring simple French-creole lyrics are among unique Kassav' "trademarks". During his tenure with Kassav', St. Eloi's soaring vocals were another unique ingredient, and the romantic vocals of Marthely and Naimro's as well as Béroard's very strong vocals, a plethora of fun songs, and significant guest appearances including by Stevie Wonder and others are important parts of the Kassav' mix.

They have appeared with Admiral T, a famous reggae dancehall singer, and many other popular artists. Singer-songwriter/keyboardist Jean-Claude Naimro also appeared with world beat artist Peter Gabriel. Lead vocalist Jocelyne Béroard has also had a number of successes both solo and as a guest with other artists, being the first woman artist in the Caribbean to win certain music awards; she continues to perform with Kassav' and as a solo artist.

Jocelyne Béroard's stunning "amateur" photography of natural scenes and people seen from her unique traveling-artist perspective's island-paradise visuals[2] could be cited among their songs' inspirations. The band's songs with a "political" edge or insinuation are typically double-entendre in the African-American and calypsonian traditions well known in Caribbean dance music from which the music of Kassav' evolved.

Kassav' released another CD in 2007, All U Need Is Zouk, to substantial acclaim with another successful world tour. Nearly 30 years later the same musicians are still arguably great performers .

Originally formed solely of Guadeloupean artists (Decimus, Desvarieux, St-Eloi), within a few years Kassav' also embraced band members of Martinican ancestry (Béroard, Naimro, Marthely); their music is mostly compas that delved deep into synthesized sounds after exploring many acoustic timbres, with rhythms based fundamentally in a gwo ka (French Caribbean folkloric drumming/chanting) context, especially in earlier recordings. It has been suggested that their success was largely outside of the large U.S. music market due to a nearly total absence of English lyrics; instead, they use a very localized version of Créole Français unique to Guadeloupe and Martinique, very distinct from European French or even Haitian French Kreyòl. Their choice of language however did not limit their artistic vision, and it remains carnival-like and eminently danceable; the success of Kassav' was ongoing in the 2010s.

On 30 July 2021, Jacob Desvarieux, 65, passed away at the University Hospital of Abymes in Guadeloupe. He had been medically induced into a coma for almost a month. His death was attributed to COVID-19 by media reports.[3][4][5][6]

Musicians

Current

• Vocals: Jean Philippe Marthely (1981–present), Jocelyne Beroard (1980–present)
• Keyboards: Philippe Joseph (1994–present), Jean Claude Naimro (1980–present)
• Drums: Thomas Bellon (2012–present)
• Saxophones: Claude Pironneau (1999–present)
• Bass: Georges Decimus (1979–present)
• Trumpets:
  • Fabrice Adam (1994–present)
• Trombone: Hamid Belhocine (1982–present)
• Backing vocals: Marie-Céline Chroné et Marie-Josée Gibon

Past

• Drums: Claude Vamur (temporarily replaced by Hervé Laval, although Vamur did not leave the group)
• Percussion: Patrick Saint-Elie
• Percussion: César Durcin (died 11 February 2016) [7]
• Saxophones: Claude Thirifays
• Trumpets: Jean-Pierre Ramirez, Freddy Hovsepian (1982–2021) (died 12 February 2021) [8]
• Trombone: Claude Romano
• Backing vocals: Catherine Laupa
• Keyboards: Douglas M Bida
• Bass: Frédéric Caracas, Pierre Edouard Decimus, Guy n Sangué et Stéphane Castry
• Vocals: Patrick Saint Eloi 1982 - 2002 (died 18 September 2010)[9]
• Vocals: Jacob Desvarieux 1979 – 2021 (died 30 July 2021)[10]

Guests

• Vocals: Zouk Machine, Jean Luc Guanel, Princess Lover, Tanya Saint Val, Shoubou, Philippe Lavil, Daly, Passi, Tony Chasseur, Jocelyne Labylle, Tribal Jam, Edith Lefel, (died 20 January 2003),[11] Ralph Thamar.
• Backing Vocals: Claudine Pennont, Suzy Trébeau, Sylvie Aïoun, Jean-Jacques Seba
• Drums: Jean-Philippe Fanfant, José Zébina, Jérome Castry
• Percussion: Dédé Saint Prix, Albert Vigne
• Keyboards: Ronald Tulle, Thierry Vaton, Didier Davidas
• Guitars: Thierry Delannay, Ryco Loza (died 24 February 2022),[12] Jean Christophe Maillard
• Saxophones: Allen Hoist, Alain Hatot (died 16 December 2020),[13] Bruno Ribeira

Discography

Albums

Studio albums

• 1979 Love and kadance
• 1980 Lagué mwen
• 1981 Kassav n°3
• 1982 George Décimus with Kassav' (joint album George Décimus / Kassav')
• 1983 Kassav
• 1983 Kassav n°5
• 1983 Passeport
• 1984 Ayé
• 1985 An-ba-chen'n la (2× Gold)
• 1987 Vini Pou (Gold and Platinum)
• 1989 Majestik Zouk (2× Gold)
• 1992 Tékit izi (2× Gold)
• 1995 Difé

Year	Album	Peak positions
		FR [14]
1996	Cho	43
2000	Nou la	41
2004	K Toz	31
2007	All U Need Is Zouk	58
2013	Sonjé	32

Live albums

• 1987 Kassav au Zenith
• 1990 Le Grand Méchant Zouk
• 1993 Live au Zénith
• 1996 Kassav cho
• 2005 Carnaval Tour 2005 (FR #124)
• 2006 Le Grand Méchant Zouk

Compilation albums

• 1987 Les Grand Succès de Kassav vol.1
• 1987 Les Grand Succès de Kassav vol.2
• 1998 Kassav Gold
• 1998 Un toque latino
• 1999 Le Meilleur de Kassav : Best of 20e anniversaire
• 2002 Les Indispensables de Kassav
• 2003 Légendes Kassav
• 2006 Best of
• 2006 Kassav: Les années sonodisc
• 2009 Saga (3 CD with 53 remastered numbers and 4 unedited) (FR #45)
• 2012 Le meilleur de Kassav' (FR #20)

Singles

(Selective, charting)

Year	single	Peak positions	Album
		FR [14]
1988	"Sye bwa"	19
	"Solei"	40
1989	"Sé dam bonjou"	45
1990	"Wép wép"	44
	"Ou lé"	43

DVDs

• 1999 Les 20 ans de KASSAV à Bercy
• 2005 Carnaval tour
• 2006 Le grand méchant zouk
• 2008 All u need is zouk tour
• 2009 Nuit créole les 30 ans de KASSAV au Stade de France

Discography (members)

Year	Album / EP	Credited to
1982	Oh Madiana EP	Jacob Desvarieux
	Misik Ce Lanmou	Patrick Saint-Éloi
1983	La Vie EP	George Décimus
	Banzawa	Jacob Desvarieux
	Ti Coq	Jean Philippe Marthély
1984	À la demande	Patrick Saint-Éloi
	Yélélé	Jacob Desvarieux & George Décimus
1985	Touloulou	Jean Philippe Marthély
	En Balatè	Jean-Claude Naimro
	Bizness	Jean Philippe Marthély & Patrick Saint-Éloi
1986	Gorée	Jacob Desvarieux & George Décimus
	Siwo	Jocelyne Béroard
1991	Milans	Jocelyne Béroard
1992	Bizouk	Patrick Saint-Éloi
1994	Zoukamine	Patrick Saint-Éloi
1996	Marthéloi	Jean Philippe Marthély & Patrick Saint-Éloi
1997	Digital dreads	Jean-Claude Naimro
1998	Lovtans	Patrick Saint-Éloi
	O péyi	Jean Philippe Marthély
1999	Euphrasine Blues	Jacob Desvarieux
	A l'Olympia	Patrick Saint-Éloi
	Délikatès	Jean-Claude Naimro
2002	Live en Martinique	Jean Philippe Marthély
2003	Madousinay	Jocelyne Béroard
2006	Koulè lanmou	Jean Philippe Marthély
2008	Kolo ka	Claude Vamur

Joint with others

• 2006 Partie pour zouker (Lorie & Jacob Desvarieux)
• 2007 Fòs a péyi la (Admiral T, Jacob Desvarieux & Jocelyne Beroard)

References

External links

• Official website
• Kassav' discography at Discogs
• Kassav' at IMDb

На других языках

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- [en] Kassav'

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[es] Kassav'

Kassav' es una banda francófona de zouk, formada en 1979 en Guadalupe (Isla francesa del Caribe) por Pierre-Edouard Décimus y Jacob F. Desvarieux.

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