Kes We Home Under One Roof [Live December 26, 2020]

Of the many musical acts which call Trinidad & Tobago home, perhaps none embody its polyglot culture more than KES, the eclectic soca outfit behind some of modern Caribbean music’s most indelible anthems. Celebrated for Carnival hits [“Wotless,” “Savannah Grass”] and island pop jams [“Tuesday on the Rocks,” “Endless Summer”], the band has brought Trinidad to the world, sharing stages with the likes of Will Smith, Major Lazer and John Legend. For the group — charismatic singer Kees Dieffenthaler [aka KES] and his brothers Jon (guitar) and Hans [drums], along with childhood friend, Riad Boochoon [bass] —blending soca, pop, rock, reggae, calypso, dancehall and afrobeats together is one part of their greater calling: To spread good vibes. The last three years have proven to be the most successful in the band’s decade-plus-run. “Hello,” a fusion of afrobeats and soca originally released in 2017, continues to reach new audiences over two years after its release. With over 40 million plays on YouTube alone, it is one of the most streamed soca songs of all time. We Home, a live project recorded during the Covid-19 quarantine, is the band’s first album in over five years, with fresh renditions of KES’ carnival classics showcasing their prowess as a live band par excellence.

Courtesy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vRtvV-CgLQg

GOD

Sevyn Streeter ft. Davido Kissez [October 7, 2020]

Amber Denise "Sevyn" Streeter a.k.a. Se7en was born on July 7, 1986, in Haines City, Florida, to Tim and Karen Streeter. She grew up singing in church and talent shows; by the time she was 5, Streeter already knew she wanted to sing for a living. At the age of 10, she competed on Showtime at the Apollo and tied for first place by singing "My Funny Valentine".

Courtesy: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sevyn_Streeter

David Adedeji Adeleke a.k.a. Davido was born on November 21, 1992, in Atlanta, Georgia. His father Adedeji Adeleke is a business magnate and his mother Vero Adeleke was a university lecturer. Davido is the youngest of five siblings and his father's second-born son. He attended the British International School in Lagos and at the age of 16, he moved to Alabama, US, to study business administration at Oakwood University. Davido bought musical equipment while at Oakwood and started making beats. He also worked with his cousins B-Red and Sina Rambo to form the music act KB International. Davido dropped out of Oakwood University to pursue music full-time and relocated to London, where he worked on his vocals. After returning to Nigeria in 2011, Davido paused his music career and agreed to honor his father by enrolling at Babcock University. In July 2015, he graduated from Babcock with a degree in music after his father paid the university to start a music department for an inaugural class of one student.

Courtesy: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Davido

In Memoriam: Fela Kuti Yellow Fever [1971]

Fela Anikulapo Kuti [15 October 1938 – 2 August 1997] was a Nigerian multi-instrumentalist, bandleader, composer, political activist, and Pan-Africanist. He is best known as a pioneer of the Afrobeat genre, a blend of traditional yoruba and Afro-Cuban music with funk and jazz. At the height of his popularity, he was referred to as one of Africa's most "challenging and charismatic music performers". AllMusic described him as "a musical and sociopolitical voice" of international significance. Fela was the son of Nigerian women's rights activist Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti. After early experiences abroad, he and his band Africa '70 [including drummer Tony Allen] became stars in Nigeria during the 1970s, during which time he was an outspoken critic and target of Nigeria's military junta. In 1970, he founded the Kalakuta Republic commune, which declared itself independent from military rule and was destroyed in a violent 1977 raid. Since his death in 1997, reissues and compilations of his music have been overseen by his son Femi Kuti.

Courtesy: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fela_Kuti

NPR Music Tiwa Savage: Tiny Desk [Home] Concert [August 31, 2020]