Yelele, also known as Jacob Desvarieux et George Decimus, is
Kassav during their prime. They had catapulted zouk into the international spotlight. The core of the group had coalesced and the music developed an intensity that quickly spread to other groups in Guadeloupe, Martinique, and Africa. "Zouk-La-Se Sel Medikaman Nou Ni" (Zouk Is the Only Medicine We Have) was a massive radio hit in the Antilles and continues to be a tribute to the pride that this music instills in the people of Guadeloupe and Martinique. It is a rallying anthem and clocks in at six and a half minutes of pure polished zouk in overdrive. The title track was also a huge hit in the Antilles. With talented personnel like George Decimus,
Jacob Desvarieux, Patrick St. Eloi, Claude Vamur,
Jean-Claude Naimro, Jean- Philippe Marthely, and
Jocelyne Beroard,
Kassav truly came into its own during this period. The high quality and creativity of 1980s zouk is defined by
Kassav. With the zouk wave beginning to crest, they produced a series of extraordinary albums, and this is one of them. Highly recommended. ~ Mark Romano