KASSAV TO PERFORM AT ST. KITTS MUSIC FESTIVAL
Newswire Services
March 28, 2008
Pioneering Zouk Music Group to be a Top Act for 12th Annual Event.
Basseterre, St. Kitts Kassav, the leading band to emerge from the formative years of Zouk music, will be among the premier acts performing at the 12th Annual St. Kitts Music Festival, which will take place from June 26-28, 2008.
Kassav was formed in 1979 by Pierre-Edouard Décimus, a long-time professional musician. Working with Freddy Marshall, the two decided to take popular Carnival music and give it a more modern and polished style with a pan-Caribbean sound combining elements of komba, salsa and calypso music. The groupīs first album, "Love and Ka Dance" released in 1980, is widely credited with establishing the sound of zouk music. Kassav has produced more than a dozen albums during their nearly 30-year career, the most recent being "All You Need is Zouk," released in 2007.
"We are extremely pleased to welcome Kassav to the St. Kitts Music Festival for the first time," said Senator Ricky Skerritt, Minister of State in the Ministry of Tourism, Sports & Culture. "These legendary zouk musicians are an excellent addition to the line-up of performing artists for our Music Festival, which is widely recognized for showcasing a mix of musical styles while reflecting a uniquely Caribbean flavor. I am certain that the members of Kassav will discover a warm, welcoming destination and an event where people from across the globe are brought together in a community-like atmosphere by a shared love of music."
Minister Skerritt said that additional musical acts will be announced in the coming weeks. Now in its 12th year, the St Kitts festival attracts both locals and visitors alike. It features various musical styles on the popular market, including R&B, Jazz, Hip-Hop, Reggae, Soca, Calypso, Gospel and Contemporary music. Past artists have included such prominent acts as Michael Bolton, Wyclef Jean, Ne-Yo, Air Supply, Dionne Warwick, Kenny Rogers, Boyz II Men, Brian McKnight, Ashanti, Shaggy, Eve, Bobby Caldwell, DMX, Hugh Masekala, Xtatik, the Temptations, Chaka Khan, Maxi Priest, Ronald "Boo" Hinkson and Busta Rhymes.
New non-stop service to St. Kitts from JFK on American Airlines began November 18, 2007 and Delta Air Lines began non-stop Saturday flights to the island from Atlanta on February 16, 2008. These flights compliment existing non-stop service from Miami on American and from Charlotte on US Airways as well as connecting service via San Juan on American Eagle.
Located in the northern Leeward Islands of the Caribbean, St. Kitts offers a diverse tourism product developed from the destinationīs natural beauty, cultural heritage and rich history. The islandīs stunning variety of tourism attractions include hiking through the tropical rainforest, riding the scenic railway that connects the islandīs sugar plantations, touring Brimstone Hill Fortress National Park, the only man-made UNESCO World Heritage Site in the Eastern Caribbean, and the more traditional vacation pastimes such as watersports, golf, shopping, tennis, gourmet dining, gaming at one of St. Kittsī two casinos or simply relaxing on one of the islandīs sandy beaches. Guests can select from accommodations ranging from intimate plantation inns to larger hotels or resorts.
For more information about St. Kitts, please contact the St. Kitts Tourism Authority toll free from the US at 1-800-582-6208 or from Canada 1-888-395-4887, e-mail info@stkittstourism.kn or visit the website at www.stkittstourism.kn.
Basseterre, St. Kitts Kassav, the leading band to emerge from the formative years of Zouk music, will be among the premier acts performing at the 12th Annual St. Kitts Music Festival, which will take place from June 26-28, 2008.
Kassav was formed in 1979 by Pierre-Edouard Décimus, a long-time professional musician. Working with Freddy Marshall, the two decided to take popular Carnival music and give it a more modern and polished style with a pan-Caribbean sound combining elements of komba, salsa and calypso music. The groupīs first album, "Love and Ka Dance" released in 1980, is widely credited with establishing the sound of zouk music. Kassav has produced more than a dozen albums during their nearly 30-year career, the most recent being "All You Need is Zouk," released in 2007.
"We are extremely pleased to welcome Kassav to the St. Kitts Music Festival for the first time," said Senator Ricky Skerritt, Minister of State in the Ministry of Tourism, Sports & Culture. "These legendary zouk musicians are an excellent addition to the line-up of performing artists for our Music Festival, which is widely recognized for showcasing a mix of musical styles while reflecting a uniquely Caribbean flavor. I am certain that the members of Kassav will discover a warm, welcoming destination and an event where people from across the globe are brought together in a community-like atmosphere by a shared love of music."
Minister Skerritt said that additional musical acts will be announced in the coming weeks. Now in its 12th year, the St Kitts festival attracts both locals and visitors alike. It features various musical styles on the popular market, including R&B, Jazz, Hip-Hop, Reggae, Soca, Calypso, Gospel and Contemporary music. Past artists have included such prominent acts as Michael Bolton, Wyclef Jean, Ne-Yo, Air Supply, Dionne Warwick, Kenny Rogers, Boyz II Men, Brian McKnight, Ashanti, Shaggy, Eve, Bobby Caldwell, DMX, Hugh Masekala, Xtatik, the Temptations, Chaka Khan, Maxi Priest, Ronald "Boo" Hinkson and Busta Rhymes.
New non-stop service to St. Kitts from JFK on American Airlines began November 18, 2007 and Delta Air Lines began non-stop Saturday flights to the island from Atlanta on February 16, 2008. These flights compliment existing non-stop service from Miami on American and from Charlotte on US Airways as well as connecting service via San Juan on American Eagle.
Located in the northern Leeward Islands of the Caribbean, St. Kitts offers a diverse tourism product developed from the destinationīs natural beauty, cultural heritage and rich history. The islandīs stunning variety of tourism attractions include hiking through the tropical rainforest, riding the scenic railway that connects the islandīs sugar plantations, touring Brimstone Hill Fortress National Park, the only man-made UNESCO World Heritage Site in the Eastern Caribbean, and the more traditional vacation pastimes such as watersports, golf, shopping, tennis, gourmet dining, gaming at one of St. Kittsī two casinos or simply relaxing on one of the islandīs sandy beaches. Guests can select from accommodations ranging from intimate plantation inns to larger hotels or resorts.
For more information about St. Kitts, please contact the St. Kitts Tourism Authority toll free from the US at 1-800-582-6208 or from Canada 1-888-395-4887, e-mail info@stkittstourism.kn or visit the website at www.stkittstourism.kn.