An extraordinary voice, an emblematic figure of music and a sacred monster. The singer, musician, producer and co-founder of the West Indian groupKassav ‘Jacob Desvarieux died this Friday, July 30 at the CHU de Guadeloupe in Pointe-à-Pitre, following an infection linked to Covid-19, at the age of 65 .
The artist, diabetic, was hospitalized on July 12 after a check-up related to his kidney transplant. He had tested positive for Covid-19 during this visit, then placed in an artificial coma to administer the necessary care, had indicated the production of the group Kassav ‘, which had also announced to cancel all the concerts planned. His condition would have suddenly worsened last night, according to Guadeloupe 1ère.
“That is the zouk”
Born in Paris on November 21, 1955, Jacob Desvarieux grew up in Guadeloupe where he quickly turned to music. In 1979, he turned the music scene upside down with Pierre-Edouard Decimus and Freddy Marshall by founding the West Indian group Kassav ‘- which would welcome Jocelyne Béroard, Jean-Philippe Marthely, Jean-Claude Naimro, Patrick Saint-Eloi – and above all a few years later. a new musical genre, the only one invented since the post-war period. Praised by American jazzman Miles Davis, the group traveled the world for more than 40 years, winning numerous gold records and selling millions of albums. Jacob Desvarieux has also worked on personal albums and composed for other singers.
“The West Indies, Africa and music have just lost one of its greatest Ambassadors. Jacob thanks to your art, you brought the West Indies closer to Africa. Dakar where you lived is crying to you. Goodbye friend, ”tweeted Senegalese singer Youssou Ndour, a major figure in world music.
“The French are losing today a talented artist, and a voice known to all,” responded on Twitter Sébastien Lecornu, the Minister of Overseas, while, on social networks, the tributes of anonymous and relatives the singer and musician, well known in the West Indies, flocked.
I am sad to learn of the death of Jacob Desvarieux, legendary singer of the group #Kassav‘.
The French are losing today a talented artist and a voice known to all.
My thoughts are with his loved ones, to whom I send my deepest condolences.– Sébastien Lecornu (@SebLecornu) July 30, 2021
“Tonight, the whole of Guadeloupe mourns one of its greatest ambassadors, whose immense talent, values, kindness of soul and visceral love for his country made him shine far beyond the sphere artistic ”, reacted the president of the departmental council of Guadeloupe, Guy Losbar. “Jacob Desvarieux leaves us as a heritage, a rhythmic digest of the legacies preciously transmitted by those who have gone before us,” said the president of the Guadeloupe region, Ary Chalus.