Luanda - Angolan cultural agents expressed, in Luanda, saddeness with the death of the leader of the Antillean band Kassava, Jacob Desvarieux, victim of disease.
In reaction to the death of the artist, who has been to Angola for several occasions , the cultural agents considered his death to be an irreparable loss in the world of music.
Speaking to Angop, the head of Nova Energia, Yuri Simão, said that Jacob was a figure of world music, of Zouk in particular, and that his legacy should be followed.
Yuri Simão said he believes that without Jacob, Kassav will not be the same.
Jacob Desvarieux had been hospitalized on July 12, after contracting Covid-19.
The group Kassav, which have toured extensively in Africa, reached their peak of popularity in the late 1980s.
Kassav's first contact with the Angolan public dates back to 1984, in a concert that gathered more than 20,000 people at Luanda’s Coqueiros Stadium.
Five years later they returned for a concert at the Cidadela Stadium. In 2006, the band returned to animate the 2nd edition of the Super Bock Super Rock Festival, held at the Cidadela Sports Stadium, still with Patrick St. Eloi, who passed away in September 2010.
This was followed by concerts in 2010, 2012 and many others years later.
Throughout their career, they have been awarded several gold and platinum disks. They have been to many countries, such as Angola, Algeria, DRC, Niger, Burkina Faso, Togo, Benin, Gabon, Côte d'Ivoire, Portugal, France, Russia, Seychelles, Mayotte, Comoros, Canada, and the United States.
One of the characteristics of the group is the "independence" of their members to release solo records, but with the participation of the whole collective.