LOVE AND KA DANSE (2 vinyls) Edition Deluxe

Description

"Kassav's legendary first album reissued for the first time! Released 40 years ago, Love and Ka Dance marked the beginning of one of the greatest musical adventures in French music, elevating the zouk orchestra to the status of a global phenomenon.Let's go back to 1979. It all began when Pierre-Edouard Décimus, musician and founder of the group 'Les Vikings de la Guadeloupe,' met Antillean musician Freddy Marshall. Inspired by the funk and US disco that was rampant at the time, and local music, particularly that played in carnivals, both agreed on the idea of modernizing Guadeloupean music while highlighting the richness of its heritage.The two visionaries, convinced of the merits of their idea, hired the best musicians, including bassist Jacob Desvarieux, who would later become a pillar of the group. With the group assembled, they decided to go to Paris to record their first album in one of the best studios of the time. It was there, in November 1979, that Kassav's story would be sealed.Titled 'Love and Ka Dance,' the album was released at the beginning of the following year. And like many avant-garde works, this record did not find its audience, too funky for the Antillean public and not disco enough for the metropolitan public. The history of zouk could begin.'Love and Ka Dance' was completely innovative for its time. Its funky rhythm section blended divinely with the percussion of the Saint Jean drums, a set of traditional Guadeloupean drums, and the ka drum of master Velo. Led by typically Antillean chants and melodies performed by Freddy Marshall, the entire album is an ode to dance and a celebration of Guadeloupe's musical heritage.This album marked the beginning of a unique adventure that would profoundly transform Guadeloupean music. Kassav would leave its mark on an entire generation and popularize the zouk phenomenon internationally.Quite rare at the time for a French production, 'Love and Ka Dance' was released in the USA on the Chancy label, which for the occasion requested that three new tracks be recorded to make the album more disco, so that it could appeal to the American public. This first attempt would be followed the following year by a second equally innovative album, 'Lagué Moin,' which will be reissued soon.'Love and Ka Dance' has been entirely remastered. And for the first time, both versions of the album are found on the same disc: the original Guadeloupean version and the three tracks from the version released in the USA." - PAN AFRICAN MUSIC (25/04/2019).