Kassav
@ Pigeon Island, St. Lucia Jazz Festival
8 May 2009

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Biography to be updated.

Review

As the crowd started to drift away after the Amy Winehouse shambles, I wanted to grab the microphone and plead with the audience to stay and see my all-time favourite group from the Caribbean.

Little time was wasted before they appeared on stage with the still beautiful lead female vocalist ‘Jocelyne Béroard’ in their midst. Band members stood resolute, peering into the large crowd as if they wanted to apologise to each individual patron for the previous ‘unprofessional performance’. They knew they had to boost the crowd from the get-go.

The regional crowd had surged forward quickly, cheering (with relief?) as they sprung into the vibrant zouk that they are so well known for. ‘Ooh la, ooh ley’ had them singing along loudly as they waved and swayed. I looked around and saw some of those who were leaving suddenly turn around and gradually stop in their tracks.

Kassav band members’ language of preference is French/Creole. However, this has not limited their artistic vision, which remains largely carnival-like and very danceable. Kassav are a class act and always have been – no need to be exhibitionists to gain patron approval here, or anywhere in the Caribbean (as far as I know). The male singer alone, with his deep throaty voice, sends shivers up the spine.

Every kassav song is an anthem here. Patrons sang along throughout - almost drowning out band members. At one point the male singer shouted out dance instructions to the crowd, it was amazing to see this huge swell of people moving in unison - to the right, then the left in zouk-style fashion.

Kassav finished with their inevitable ‘Zouk la sé sèl médikaman nou ni’ (zouk is the medicine for us all), a huge cheer erupted from the audience which seemed to go on for ever as they took their regal bow stage front. This medicine had worked.

Carole Clemesha & Robin Francis
© Michael Valentine Studio Ltd.