KOBO TOWN

“Kobo Town continues to redefine calypso music and push the boundaries of the Caribbean sound” (McLeod Gazette, 2022). The band takes its name from the historic district of Trinidad and Tobago’s capital, Port-of-Spain, where calypso emerged from European and African musical influences at the end of the 19th century. Formed in 2005, Kobo Town, which earned Juno and Polaris nominations (Carlos Santana and Calypso Rose have covered some of their songs), is deeply rooted in traditional and carnivalesque folklore while remaining totally current: sombre and joyful, poetic and lively, delivering trenchant lyrics while incorporating ska, dancehall, dub, zouk and hip-hop beats backed by a powerful brass section, as can be heard their latest album, Carnival of the Ghosts (2022).