Trinidadian Kees Dieffenthaller, also called Kes speaks on the Soca Dialog Collection.
Photograph by Gregg Richards / Brooklyn Public Library
In celebration of the 50th anniversary of soca, Brooklyn Public Library (BPL) and Brooklyn-based Caribbean cultural group Tropicalfete, Inc. not too long ago hosted the Soca Dialog Collection with Trinidadian Kees Dieffenthaller, also called Kes, lead singer of Kes The Band.
In accordance with Alton Aimable, the St. Lucian-born founder and president of Tropicalfete, Inc., the collection shone “a highlight on soca” and offered a platform the place the music’s practitioners mentioned their artistry, reside, in entrance of an viewers.
Aimable mentioned the second installment of the Soca 50 Dialog collection “Howdy: A Dialog with Kees Dieffenthaller” happened on Sept. 7 on the Dweck Auditorium, Brooklyn Public Library, Grand Military Plaza.
“Howdy: A Dialog with Kees Dieffenthaller” was moderated by vocalist and widespread occasion host Keran Deterville and veteran journalist Patricia Meschino, who makes a speciality of writing about Caribbean music and tradition.
“Keynotes of the occasion had been a deaf fan of Kes and soca music getting a spherical of applause,” Aimable mentioned.
“For soca music to proceed to develop, artists should deal with delivering spectacular reveals whereas implementing strategic enterprise strikes that can carry their efficiency product into new markets,” he added. “Kes The Band (and their administration) do an ideal job balancing the band’s first-rate performances with sensible enterprise strikes, taking soca to the world. We’re excited to co-present an enlightening dialog with Kees Dieffenthaller.”
Kerwin Pilgrim, director of Grownup Studying, Brooklyn Public Library, mentioned: “Welcoming Kes to our stage as a part of our collaboration on soca amplifies the resonance of the style worldwide.
“Recognized for touring the globe and spreading the blends of Soca for over twenty years, the pioneering Kes the Band group has positioned their distinctive sounds and mashups as a bridge from Trinidad to the world,” he added. “Brooklyn Public Library stands on the crossroads of the Caribbean Diaspora, and we’re delighted to be within the firm of certainly one of its most beloved and unifying ambassadors.”
Kes The Band was shaped in Trinidad and Tobago in 2005 by three Dieffenthaller brothers, Kes (vocals), Jon (guitar), Hans (drums), and shut pal Riad Boochoon (bass).
Hans has since left the band, changed by Dean James. Supporting members are keyboardist Mario Callender and DJ Robbie Persaud.
Kes The Band’s charming pop, rock, soul and reggae-infused soca mix constantly impacts the guts of carnival actions, but has widespread attraction past these celebrations.
Kes The Band’s breakthrough arrived with the 2011 Trinidad carnival hit, “Wotless,” an irresistible anthem of carefree abandonment at carnival time.
“Wotless” earned the band Trinidad carnival’s prestigious Soca Monarch crown within the Groovy (slower) class and a Soul Prepare Music Award nomination for Finest Caribbean Efficiency.
Their dynamic repertoire additionally contains the year-round favourite “Countless Summer time,” the attractive, Afrobeats-tinged “Howdy” (probably the most streamed soca track launched within the final decade surpassing 70 million performs) and 2019’s joyous “Savannah Grass,” a heartfelt tribute to the tradition of Trinidad and its smaller sister island, Tobago.
Earlier this yr Kes collaborated with dancehall luminary Shaggy on the soca hit “Temper.”
At carnival 2023, Kes The Band introduced their Iz We Competition showcasing the variety of Trinidad and Tobago’s music and tradition.
“As a band, now we have at all times been a bridge between genres, and we needed to create a competition to symbolize that,” Kes mentioned.
The favored soca outfit’s in depth touring and scorching performances at carnivals and music festivals the world over has earned them a big, loyal worldwide fan base.
