Kassav'
The zouk scene evolved from a studio project by Guadeloupian Pierre-Edouard Decimus, who had moved to Paris in the late 1970s following an extremely successful career as co-leader of the legendary cadence band Les Vikings de la Guadeloupe. Enlisting the services of his brother Georges and Paris studio wizard Jacob Desvarieux, himself a Guadeloupian, Decimus began to forge a new sound that treated Antilles musical traditions with state of the art recording technology available in Paris. By 1984 the three had settled on a stable line-up of musicians and singers (now representing both Guadeloupe and Martinique), made their first live performance (in Guadeloupe), and achieved their first massive radio success with "Banzawa" from a Desvarieux solo album. Parties in the Antilles are called "zouks," and since Kassav's new records were the music of choice at the zouks, their music came to be called "zouk music." By 1985 nearly every Antilles musician was jumping on the zoukwagon and a whole new style of music was born.
Supported by a horn section, two dancers, extra keyboard, drummer, and percussion, the core of Kassav' is Jocelyne Beroard, Jacob Desvarieux, Jean-Philippe Marthely, Patrick St. Eloi, Jean-Claude Naimro, and Georges Decimus (who quit the band to pursue a career with a new group); Pierre-Edouard Decimus would come and go at whim, never performing live, but often resurfacing as a songwriter. Through the release of Majestik Zouk, the band has released ten studio albums and one live album. Each bona fide member of the band has also released solo albums that were supported by the entire band. In fact, since 1987, all re-pressings of the back catalog of solo releases has had the name Kassav' added to the cover in bold letters. Add various carnival projects under the pseudonyms Soukoue Ko Ou and Turbo II, and the total number of Kassav'-related albums approaches 30.
Their early releases were certainly experimental in nature, as Desvarieux and the Decimus brothers searched for the right mix of musicians and musical elements. The best of the solo and carnival efforts can be found under the discography entries for the particular bandmember or carnival project. It's indisputable that most of their dramatic groundbreaking sound occurred on their early- to mid-'80s solo releases. Of the official Kassav' albums, all are interesting in that they provide a view into the development of what became the zouk sound. The formula from which the whole Antilles zouk scene evolved had kicked in by their sixth release, so from there on specific preferences are merely a matter of personal taste. Kassav' co-founder Jacob Desvarieux died on July 30, 2021 at the age of 65.
© Gene Scaramuzzo /TiVo
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Discografía
39 álbum(es) • Ordenado por Mejores ventas
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Sé'w nou Enmé, le concert
World music - Editado por Zouk el 13/12/2024
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Hice Bien Quererte
World music - Editado por Play Two el 18/03/2022
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Kitsuné: Kass Limon
House - Editado por Kitsuné Musique el 18/07/2011
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Yélélé
Jacob Desvarieux, Georges Décimus, Kassav'
World music - Editado por Note A bene el 15/12/2007
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Kassav 30 ans Live au Stade de France
World music - Editado por Note A bene el 7/12/2009
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An-Ba-Chen'n La
World music - Editado por Wagram Music el 3/12/2007
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Zouk La Sé Sel Medikaman Nou Ni - EP
World music - Editado por Note A bene el 17/07/2014
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Majestik Zouk
Pop - Editado por BMG Rights Mgmt France SARL el 1/01/1989
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Vini Pou
Pop - Editado por BMG Rights Mgmt France SARL el 1/01/1987
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Kassav' No. 3
América latina - Editado por Hibiscus records el 1/01/1981
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Live au Zénith de Paris 2016
World music - Editado por Zouk el 9/12/2016
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40ème anniversaire - Le concert
World music - Editado por Note A bene el 28/02/2020
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Le Meilleur de Kassav'
Pop - Editado por BMG Rights Mgmt France SARL el 1/01/1999
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Chiré Douvan: Best Of
World music - Editado por Zouk el 27/05/2016
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Ou Lè - Single
Kassav', Jacob Desvarieux, Toofan
World music - Editado por Note A bene el 5/04/2019
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