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.
Casseus was a frequent collaborator with Harry Belafonte who recorded his song "Merci Bon Dieu".
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.
Ribot has played a significant role in preserving Casseus' musical legacy.
[2] As part of these efforts, Ribot edited a collection of Casseus' solo guitar compositions,[4] and performed those same pieces on a CD issued in 1993.