Kassav' - Biography
Few groups are so intimately identified with a genre of music as Kassav’ is with zouk, a new style of Caribbean music they began to explore in 1979. The brainchild of producer/arranger Pierre-Edouard Décimus, who had been a leader in the successful group Les Vikings de Guadeloupe, and producer Freddy Marshall, Kassav’ began as a studio project. The name they chose draws inspiration from the distinctly Caribbean staple food cassava, a mixture of manioc and coconut. From his base of Paris, Décimus set out to update the carnival music of the French Caribbean along with his bassist brother Georges and another fellow Guadeloupian, studio guitarist Jacob Desvarieux. They began to record what would ultimately be the first Kassav’ record, Love and Ka Dance (1980 Celluloid). The first track, “Kassav,” is a ten-minute percussive carnival romp that gives notice that a new musical force has arrived.
Throughout the seventies the compas or konpa sound of Haitian groups such as Tabou Combo was the dominant French Caribbean popular music. Singing in French Creole Kassav’ drew from a wide palette of Caribbean music including compass, diverse folkloric traditions, calypso, reggae and contemporary soul and funk. As they continued to experiment in the studio, they added more musicians to the fold. Singer Jocelyne Beroard joined the chorus for their second release, Lagué Moin (1980 Celluloid), which gave them their first hit, “Soleil.” They quickly became the favorite of the French Caribbean Diaspora centered in Paris. Décimus and Desvarieux continued to write most of the songs but on their third release, simply titled No. 3 (1981 3A), they brought singer Jean-Philippe Marthely and keyboard wiz Jean-Claude Naimro on board.
With their growing reputation preceding them, they set off in 1981 on a tour of the Caribbean with an ambitious live show complete with dancers and effects. Their fourth album, No. 4 (1982 3A), otherwise known for the track “Eva,” made further inroads into the French market. Singer Ralph Thamar brought his song “My Doudou” to their fifth album, No. 5 (1983 Celluloid). He would then embark on a successful solo career. Their sixth release, Passeport (1983 Sonodisc) followed in quick succession with an instrumental version of “Oh Madiana” and the cut “Zombi.”
The group functioned as a collective, and given their distinct identities and popularities they began to release solo albums backed by the group. Jacob Desvarieux, easily identifiable with his large stature and distinguished gray hair and beard, scored a big hit with the title track from his 1984 release Banzawa (Sonodisc). His husky gruff vocals strain at the edge in contrast to the smooth melody and relentless beat. The track “Banzawa” launched zouk as a new vital force in the Francophone music world. The title track from his follow-up, Oh, Madiana! (1985 Sonodisc), gave he and his fellow Kassav’ crew further success.
Georges Décimus introduced singer Patrick Saint-Eloi into the group with his solo project Avec Kassav’ et Cie (1984 Sonodisc). Singer Jean-Philippe Marthely had a big hit with his self-titled release (1983 Sonodisc) and the lead track “Ti Coq.” By 1984 the group released its seventh recording known as Aye (1984 Sonodisc). That same year they played extensively in Martinique and Guadeloupe during carnival, returning again in the summer during which they also made their first trip to Haiti.
In December of that same year under the names of Jacob Desvarieux and Georges Décimus they released a hugely significant record known for its first track, Yélélé (1984 Sonodosic). In a nod to arena rock, the album art shows the two toting guitars, ecstatic and center stage, feet shrouded in fog with two grass-skirt clad women dancing behind. In addition to the success of the first track, the album unleashed a song that would echo out of the Caribbean ghetto and become a bona fide world music hit- “Zouk-la-sé Sel Médikaman Nou Ni.” The title that translates, “Zouk is the only medicine we need,” is repeated in group harmony like a mantra as the infectious rhythm stretches for over five minutes.
In early 1985 singer Marthely released another album, Rete (Sonodisc), and keyboardist Naimro put out En Balaté (Sonodisc). Both of those title cuts became hits for the Kassav’ family. Propelled by surging popularity, they set out on their first tour of Africa in March. The chance to connect to the motherland and their enthusiastic welcome in the Ivory Coast made a profound impression. They returned to Paris where they performed a series of sold out shows at the famous Zénith in June. In July they hit the road again on a long tour that would take them to many new environments including Algeria, Togo, Benin, Niger, Burkina Faso, the Ivory Coast, and Angola where they performed to 30,000 fans. Then they went to Guyana before ending the year back in the Antilles like conquering heroes.
Inspired by their African tour, Desvarieux and Décimus released Goree (1986 Sonodisc). The title reflects on the notorious island off the coast of Senegal that was the first stop for slaves leaving Africa. Despite the somber theme the album showcases their mastery of high-energy dance music. That same year singer Beroard released her hugely successful Siwo (Sonodisc) and helped spawn a new Caribbean-tinged ballad genre- zouk love. The album made her the first woman from the French speaking Caribbean to earn a gold record. They performed to 40,000 back home in Guadeloupe, toured throughout Europe and revisited Africa. Back home in Paris they thrilled more that 250,000 who turned out for the first organized Caribbean carnival there.
As their endless party continued to grow they extended their annual sold-out run at the Zénith in Paris to 10 straight days. They signed to CBS records and brought out their first international release, Vini Pou (1988). It took only two weeks to earn a gold disc in France. Extending their touring reach to the United States, Canada and Japan they also received the Victoire de la Musique award given to the most popular band in Paris.
In 1989, they became the first French Caribbean group to perform in Russia. Majestik Zouk (1989 CBS) celebrated their 10th anniversary with boundless energy and quickly went platinum.
The CBS contract put an end to the solo records by Kassav’s core members for several years until Beroard released the solid Milans (1991). Singer Marthely had a big hit with Black Jack (1991 Sonodisc), a collaboration with Antillean keyboard maestro Ronald Rubinel. Founding member Décimus left the group and was replaced by bassist/composer Frédéric Caracas. In 1992, they made their silver screen debut in the film Siméon by Euzhan Palcy and composed the theme song, “Mwen alé.” That track was included in their next release Tékit Izi (1993 Sony International) that also contains a nod to dancehall reggae in “Lévé Tet Ou.” Continuing to tour, they cemented their stellar reputation garnering the Best Group award from the West Indies Awards in New York City and the AfriCar Award given in Abidjan.
Beroard sang the title cut on Dife (1995 Columbia), another strong effort that featured guest stars Ray Barretto on congas and Stevie Wonder in a cameo on harmonica. As the band kept a regular touring schedule with biennial stops at the Zenith in Paris, Beroard and Desvarieux were honored as “Officiers du Mérite” by the President of Senegal in 1996. Singers Marthely and Saint-Eloi made the French hit parade with Martheloi (1997 Sonodisc). Keyboardist Naimro released the timely Digital Dread (1997 JCP) and the group, often at their best in concert, released a live recording made in 1996, Cho (Sony 1998).
Long popular in the Spanish speaking Caribbean, Kassav' decided to make a pitch to the Spanish market re-recording versions of their popular songs in studios both in Cuba and Miami. The impressive result, Un Toque Latino (1998 Sony), sung mostly in Spanish, skillfully fuses zouk with salsa rhythms and textures. For their 20th anniversary they released Le Meilleur de Kassav (1999 Columbia), which included several previously unreleased tracks. They celebrated with two sold out shows at the largest stadium in Paris, Bercy, and performed shows in Boston and New York City.
Kassav’ entered the 21st century with Nou La (2000 Sony) and toured extensively in the Caribbean. More accolades followed, and in 2002 Saint-Eloi left the fold and the whole group decided to take a break. They regrouped in 2003 after more solo projects from various band members and released K’toz (2004 Warner Music France). Hitting the road again they performed to 60,000 in Cape Verde and made another excellent live recording, also on DVD, the aptly titled Carnaval Tour (2005 Warner Music France). Maintaining their high production standard, they delivered another brass-swinging, rhythm driven record with All You Need is Zouk (2007 Warner Music France).
Kassav’ are as much a concept as a collective of brilliant, hard-working musicians and must be credited as the major catalyst in the dynamic, Caribbean fusion of music known as zouk. More than anyone else, they firmly planted the French Caribbean in the world consciousness while conquering the world’s most international music scene in Paris. The fluid nature of the collective allowed them to prosper as the members recorded their own projects while maintaining the group trajectory for almost 30 years. They celebrate the language and culture of the Caribbean and are a huge source of pride for the French Antilles and the African Diaspora at large.