Frantz Casseus
Frantz Casseus (14 December 1915 – 3 June 1993) was a Haitian-American guitarist and composer. Born and raised in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, he spent most of his adult life in the United States where he immigrated in 1946 hoping to meet pianist Fats Waller. Though influenced by jazz and European classical music, Casseus's compositions maintained a focus on Haitian folk forms, which he incorporated into his recordings and his published compositions.
Also recorded as Frantz Casséus
Frantz Casseus
- Born
- 1915 · Port-au-Prince.
- Died
- 1993 · Manhattan.
- Nationality
- Haiti
- Occupation
- composer · guitarist · singer · music arranger · musician
- Fields
- jazz · contemporary classical music
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Frantz Casseus (14 December 1915 – 3 June 1993) was a Haitian-American guitarist and composer. Born and raised in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, he spent most of his adult life in the United States where he immigrated in 1946 hoping to meet pianist Fats Waller. Though influenced by jazz and European classical music, Casseus's compositions maintained a focus on Haitian folk forms, which he incorporated into his recordings and his published compositions.
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wikidata · Q3709207 · wikipedia · Frantz Casseus
In this article
Identity
Identity
Frantz Casseus is classed in the genre contemporary classical music. Recorded with the occupation jazz guitarist. Recorded with the occupation music arranger. Classed in the genre jazz. Recorded as composer, guitarist, singer, music arranger and musician.
Life and career
Dated record
Life and career
The full dated record · 2 entries
1915
Frantz Casseus was born on 14 December 1915.
1993
Frantz Casseus died on 21 June 1993.
Places
Named by the record
Places
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Port-au-Prince.
Birth place
Manhattan.
Death place
Discography
Casseus was a frequent collaborator with Harry Belafonte who recorded his song "Merci Bon Dieu". Casseus played on Belafonte's breakthrough album Calypso. Between 1953 and 1969, Casseus recorded three albums for Smithsonian Folkways. Casseus wrote music until the last years of his life, but from the 1970s tendonitis in his left hand curtailed his performance and recording career. Casseus was an early guitar teacher to the American musician Marc Ribot (b. 1954), whose aunt and uncle were friends of Casseus. Ribot has played a significant role in preserving Casseus' musical legacy.
• Haitian Folks Songs Smithsonian Folkways Recordings (1953); duets with singer Lolita Cuevas • Haitian Dances Smithsonian Folkways Recordings (1954); solo guitar • Haitiana Smithsonian Folkways Recordings (Afro-Carib) (1969); duets with singer Barbara Perlow • Marc Ribot Plays Solo Guitar Works of Frantz Casseus, Les Disques du Crépuscule (1993); solo guitar pieces performed by Marc Ribot
Primary material
Documents and archives
reference work
- “Frantz Casseus”, English Wikipedia, consulted as further reading
Reputable secondary · Wikipedia
authority record
- Wikidata, structured authority record Q3709207: Frantz Casseus
General reference · Wikidata
Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
- 1.Frantz Casseus, 77, Composer for Guitar. The New York Times. D 23. 10 June 1993.
- 2.Frantz Casseus.
- 3.Ribot, Marc. "Frantz Casseus", BOMB Magazine, Winter, 2003.
- 4.Ribot, Marc (2003). The Complete Works of Frantz Casseus, Tuscany Publications.
- 5.Ribot, Marc (1993). Marc Ribot Plays Solo Guitar Works of Frantz Casseus [CD]. Brussels: Les Disques du Crepuscule.
References
Citations
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reference work
Secondary witnessauthority record
General reference
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 16 August 2026.
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