Born in Port-au-Prince, Haiti,1 in 1915
Died in 19932
- Casséus [ka-SAY-eus / pronunciation] was a Haitian classical guitarist. He was the son of a Haitian civil servant, and was influenced musically by classical music, by Haitian folk music, and by the jazz brought to Haiti by the American forces which occupied the country from 1915-1934.
- Casséus emigrated to the USA in 1946 and settled in New York. He concertized until the 1970s, when a hand injury hampered his ability to play.
- Casséus was also a talented luthier who made and sold guitars to supplement his composing income.
- As a composer, Casséus was interested in creating a synthesis of classical music and Haitian folk music.
“I believe it is the artist’s function to render articulately and with beauty the soul of the land of his origin and also the world that he experiences…. As you may know, my work is considered an expression of the Haitian spirit. Yet, critics have stated (and this has been my hope) that it transcends regionalism and enters the realm of transnational art.”
Interview with Ira Landgarten, Frets Magazine #17, 19893
Biography written by Marc Ribot, Casséus’ student and interpreter
