Biography
"Founded
by bandleader Drew Gonsalves, Kobo Town is named after the historic
neighborhood in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad, where traditional calypso
(kaiso) was born amid the boastful, humourous and militant chants of the
roaming stickfighters. Situated near the fishermen's wharf, the area
was a site of constant defiance and conflict, a place where sticks and
stones, songs and verses clashed with the bayonets and batons of
colonial rule. For the members of the eight-piece outfit, the name
suggests an origin as well as a destination.Exploring the rich
lyrical tradition and compelling rhythms of calypso's formative years -
the age of the Roaring Lion, Mighty Spoiler, Lord Invader, King Radio
and Attila the Hun - Kobo Town strives to demonstrate the contemporary
relevance of their art by engaging the pressing concerns of our time.
Domestic violence, the US war on Iraq, the paradoxes of globalization,
the ongoing state of Caribbean dependency, and the bittersweet
experience of immigration are all treated within their wide and varied
repertory.Calypso is an art that developed in dialogue with
other musical forms. The members of Kobo Town, who come to calypso from
all over the musical map, hope to continue and extend this tradition of
rhythmic and melodic cross-pollination. While rooted in old time calypso
and various West Indian folk musics, their music also draws heavily on
dub poetry, roots reggae, zouk, son montuno, funk and jazz.For
Kobo Town, Trinidad's musical heritage is a living, growing body of
work, with a continuing importance in their lives, the West Indies and
the world. While exploring new sounds and arrangements, their songs
resonate with the satire, storytelling and social concern that lie at
the center of Trinidad's national art."From: http://www.facebook.com/kobotown#!/kobotown?sk=info
by bandleader Drew Gonsalves, Kobo Town is named after the historic
neighborhood in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad, where traditional calypso
(kaiso) was born amid the boastful, humourous and militant chants of the
roaming stickfighters. Situated near the fishermen's wharf, the area
was a site of constant defiance and conflict, a place where sticks and
stones, songs and verses clashed with the bayonets and batons of
colonial rule. For the members of the eight-piece outfit, the name
suggests an origin as well as a destination.Exploring the rich
lyrical tradition and compelling rhythms of calypso's formative years -
the age of the Roaring Lion, Mighty Spoiler, Lord Invader, King Radio
and Attila the Hun - Kobo Town strives to demonstrate the contemporary
relevance of their art by engaging the pressing concerns of our time.
Domestic violence, the US war on Iraq, the paradoxes of globalization,
the ongoing state of Caribbean dependency, and the bittersweet
experience of immigration are all treated within their wide and varied
repertory.Calypso is an art that developed in dialogue with
other musical forms. The members of Kobo Town, who come to calypso from
all over the musical map, hope to continue and extend this tradition of
rhythmic and melodic cross-pollination. While rooted in old time calypso
and various West Indian folk musics, their music also draws heavily on
dub poetry, roots reggae, zouk, son montuno, funk and jazz.For
Kobo Town, Trinidad's musical heritage is a living, growing body of
work, with a continuing importance in their lives, the West Indies and
the world. While exploring new sounds and arrangements, their songs
resonate with the satire, storytelling and social concern that lie at
the center of Trinidad's national art."From: http://www.facebook.com/kobotown#!/kobotown?sk=info