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Flashmag May 2019 www.flashmag.net
A question that always comes back. the secret of Kassav's longevity, what is it?
Well a good casting. We chose people not only who could bring us something on the musical level, but also people often with good attitude, for the cohesion of the group. We did not need to complicate our lives with difficult peoples.
It's not easy to choose a key moment in such a long, vibrant career, but if you had to pick one of your best and one of your worst moments, with Kassav, what would it be?
The worst, is probably when Patrice St Eloi died. The best probably our first concert at the Zenith in Paris, our first tour in Africa.
You have played in Latin America, in the United States and in Africa, the hubbub of black culture. Today, after 40 years and more of a musical career, what does it make you to know that you have contributed, to bring together peoples by showcasing the black culture in the world?
This is a bit why we make music, connect peoples from different backgrounds. We do not make music to listen to it alone, but for people. When we make music, people listen to us and it allows them to know more about who we are and probably to exchange with us. Music is a kind of cultural bridge. When our music brings people together, we are happy, and we understand that we do not do it for nothing.
Anyway, you succeeded to showcase Guadeloupe and Martinique and Zouk of course.
Absolutely.
It is also true above all, that Kassav, is the result of a secular musical effort, seen your influences. But have you ever wondered that if Kassav did not exist what would be Afro Caribbean music?
Well I think there would have been something else I suppose. You know there are a lot of people who came and left. So, if it was not us, it would have been someone else.
One of your biggest fan bases is Africa, and some African musicians like Douglas Mbida have long been part of your workforce. By the yardstick of your music you have conquered the African public, in your opinion why Africa loves you so much?
Well, it’s simply because we are Africans. And that music we do, they recognize themselves in it. This is the most obvious answer. In vain, we can invent other things, we can argue for hours, but in the end the West Indians are Africans who because of the history we know, live outside of Africa.
You mentioned Coupé Cloué earlier, all these peoples are very well known in Africa for the same reasons. And, by the way, African artists are very much appreciated in the Caribbean as well.
For those who do not know it personally, you spent a part of your childhood in Senegal ( Africa ) where your mother offered you, your first guitar.
There is now a museum dedicated to Zouk in Angola, I know you have given lectures in universities, I remember that Jocelyne Beroard gave some lectures at Cornell University here in the US. It's true we cannot expect more from you but music, but have you ever thought of creating a zouk academy so that the younger generations can take inspiration from it to continue the adventure?
No, when you are a musician, that does not mean that you are also a carpenter or a plumber. There are some people who are megalomaniac enough to do almost everything. if it works, So much the better for them. We try to do what we do well. They have already created a museum of Zouk, that’s fine, if we can give them a helping hand from time to time, perfect but this is not our job.
If they created a music department for Zouk at the Sorbonne would you give lectures there?
If we have the talent and the vocation to do it, otherwise we can give conferences from time to time on our music, to share our experience. Courses require a strict academic approach and it is a demanding job.