"Pou Zòt", setting a Caribbean standard

Transmission is probably the most appropriate word to sum up "Pou Zòt" [t/n: it means “For you all” in creole] by Pierre-Edouard Décimus. At a time when artists of my generation are exhausting themselves reproducing ineffective strategies to "break into the mainstream", the creator of Kassav' continues to dispense valuable lessons through this autobiography subtitled "Kassav' - Love and Ka-dance".

As I'd already seen the documentary "Le Zouk et la prière des oiseaux" [t/n: Zouk and the birds prayer], I already had an overview of his career’s stages. However, where Jocelyne Béroard's "Loin de l'amer" (Far from Bitterness) allows us to reflect on what it means to be a Caribbean artist, "Pou Zòt" focuses on the process. How do you become a Caribbean artist?

Lesson #1 - training

This is the basis. Pierre-Edouard Décimus always points out that he didn't spend much time at the Ecole of la République [t/n: the expression to call public school in France]. However, he has spent his life learning and exercising his critical mind, which in practice is the primary mission of this institution. Being part of the Vikings band was a good training ground for learning how to compose a hit, how to handle the stage, how to handle local and diaspora audiences, artists' egos, personal ambition... He brought together all the skills needed to bring the Kassav' project to a successful conclusion and find solutions to the problems encountered afterward.

His youth was also intellectually formative years. His trips across the Caribbean in his early twenties opened up his horizons and taught him a history he would never have learned at school anyway. As he built up his network, he established his grid for identifying people capable of helping him achieve his goals. Kassav''s Caribbean expansion was already in the pipeline, so his vision was never limited to hexagonal France. 

Of course, he’ll never be able to say that he had classical training in the French sense of the word, but his Caribbean training gave him invaluable solid knowledge. His background shows an alternative way of learning, once you have the will to move forward.

Lesson #2 - Cultivating BPDP values

Boldness. Patience. Diligence. Perseverance. These are the values that "Pou Zòt" stands for. It takes boldness to say you're going to revolutionize music. It takes patience to draw up a plan of action. It takes diligence to write your own definition of quality. It takes perseverance to accept disappointment and keep on giving your best, even when you seem to have achieved your goals. 

Do you know Beyoncé's "Homecoming" film?  The public gets a behind-the-scenes look at her physical preparation for her show at the Coachella festival in 2018. Well, I think there's a lack of footage that proves Kassav's work ethic. The fact that they're expert musicians gives the impression that they haven't put in any real effort. Yes, there are documentaries about certain tours and occasional interviews, but there's a lack of footage where the band is in the midst of creative effort, where the band is recounting the making of an album. Their success isn't just a matter of chance or luck. They worked hard to get there. 

Lesson #3 - Dream

Literally. Pierre-Edouard Décimus dreamed Kassav'. As mystical as this origin story may be, it does underline the importance of listening to what you feel. This dream wasn't just about him. It was a dream about his people and what he could achieve for his people. It was this dream, I think, that enabled him to grasp the success of Kassav' and to leave when the time came to devote himself to other dreams. After Zouk, his musical explorations led him to Creole blues. So, you can have several dreams in the course of your life. No, it's never too late to try to realize them. We set our own limits. We’re the ones who can blow them up. 

The only questions on which Pierre-Edouard Décimus remains discreet concern money and having a fulfilling private life. Jocelyne Béroard was frank about the fact that she lives comfortably without having a lavish lifestyle. Getting married and starting a family were part of her life plans. She gave them up when the love of her life left her.  Pierre-Edouard Décimus doesn’t talk about it.

What price would you put on your passion? Both in terms of the sacrifices to be made and in terms of monetizing your art. In the age of streaming and the structuring of independent labels, artists need more than ever to develop an entrepreneurial spirit. How do you find the balance between your love/family life and your life as an artist? It's up to each person to find their answer.

Conclusion

In her song "Petite Île" [t/n: “Small Island” in French], Maurane Voyer sings about being a Caribbean woman knowing all chimen chyen [t/n: side roads in creole] to get what she wants. And I believe that Pierre-Edouard Décimus is among those who embody this Caribbean approach to life. His journey may seem atypical, but in the Caribbean context, is it more like a norm? There's no one way to make a career. There isn't just one type of career. With this book, Pierre-Edouard Décimus makes a final act of passing on everything he has learned. Who's ready to listen?