Singer/songwriter Drew Gonsalves and the members of Kobo Town are one of Toronto’s most exciting contemporary calypso bands. In ‘Storytelling’, these talented musicians invite us into the dazzling world of wordplay and images that define calypso tradition and Trinidadian culture, reflecting on their ten-year musical journey to Kobo Town and sharing the musical styles and legends that continue to shape it.
DIRECTED and EDITED BY
Safiya Randera
CINEMATOGRAPHY
Justin Lovell, Alberto Suarez
“Kobotown is set to unleash a new musical style on the world with a fusion of old and new traditions from the West Indies. Lead singer/ songwriter Drew Gonzalves’ vividly melodic lyrics backed with a heavy bass and rhythm section inspire people to move both physically and spiritually.”
Karam Delby, Canadian Music Network
“…unique blend of traditional calypso, roots reggae and West Indian folk music… “Kobo Town ‘s music reflects today’s Caribbean-Canadian diaspora, melding traditional Trinidadian music and new sounds encountered in Canada , including funk, jazz, Haitian kompa, Cuban descarga, and Congolese soukous…”
www.allaboutjazz.com
“…underlying the songs are bottle and spoon rhythms, syncopated flute and violin melodies, strumming cuatros and heavy reggae bass lines which indicate a marriage between West Indian musics old and new – a dialogue between a fading folkloric tradition and the sounds that prevail in our time.”
Organic Entertainment, NowOnTour.com
“Kobotown’s aim is to carry on the tradition of kaiso, following in the steps of people like the Roaring Lion, Mighty Spoiler, Lord Invader, King Radio and Attila the Hun but speaking to the issues of our times and continuing to add to the musical mix. They are doing an excellent job.”
Small World Music, The Live Music Report.com
CaribbeanTales and Leda Serene Films are proud to present…Heart Beat
in association with Bravo! and Gayelle The Channel (Trinidad)
“We all have a heart, which is a drum, beating the rhythm of life…”
Muhtadi, Master Drummer.
Heart Beat is a 13 x 1/2hr documentary series that profiles Canadian-Caribbean musicians and explores the hearts, minds and worlds of some of Canada’s most dynamic musical creators.
Thirteen beautifully crafted point -of-view documentaries profiling artists like: Master drummer Muhtadi, World-beat band Kobo Town, Juno award-winning trumpeter Nick “Brownman” Ali, MOJAH, steel pannist and cultural activist Ian Jones, Cuban singer/songwriter Alex Cuba and Canada’s still unbeaten Calypso Queen Macomere Fifi, to name but a few.The series is created and produced by award-winning filmmaker Frances-Anne Solomon, and directed with panache and passion by Lana Lovell, Safiya Randera, Paul Nguyen, Andrea Stewart, Justin Lovell, Mars Horodyski, and Alberto Suarez.
