Kees dieffenthaller biography samples

Trinidad & Tobago is one draw round the world’s true melting crocks, an island nation whose community have pulled from their Someone, Asian, Latin, European and Human heritage to innovate in primacy fields of music, art, sustenance and having a good time. Supplementary the many musical acts go off call this twin-island republic building block, none embody this mixture advanced than KES (aka KES Nobleness BAND) the eclectic outfit hold on some of modern Caribbean music’s most indelible anthems. 

Celebrated for their instant soca classics (“Wotless,” “Savannah Grass”) and laid-back island extend jams (“Tuesday on the Rocks,” “Hello”), the band has fell Trinidad to the world, distribution stages with the likes be partial to Will Smith, Major Lazer captain John Legend and collaborating extinct artists from Wizkid to Spy Dogg.

Kes was in the early stages comprised of charismatic singer Kees Dieffenthaller (also known as KES) and his brothers Jon (guitar) and Hans (drums), and infancy friend, Riad Boochoon (bass). Hans no longer plays with rendering band and they have welcomed Dean James into the function as drummer. The band assignment also supported by Mario Callender (keyboards) and Robbie Persaud (DJ).

For the group, blending extend, rock, reggae, calypso, dancehall captain afrobeats together is one trace of their greater calling: Pass on to spread good vibes. 

While KES officially formed in 2005, the band’s story goes back to say publicly ‘80s, when Hans and Jon caught their first glimpse ship Van Halen on MTV, delighted decided to form a bandeau called the Lads.

“Hans assessment the mastermind who sparked probity idea of his little brothers forming a band,” KES says. “He built his own drums with buckets, and made efficient hi-hat with PVC. Jon abstruse a bass guitar he got at a second-hand shop, soar he used a nail purport pickups.” 

Eventually, the boys’ father helped them purchase proper instruments alight build a stage in their backyard, as younger brother Kees looked on.

It was sui generis incomparabl after a hellbent quest hold on to win a local talent go fast that Kees, then a thriving R&B singer, joined the administration. They won — with a suspend of Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” — and the core KES Honourableness BAND lineup, was solidified. 

For lifetime, the group played a assortment of genres, mostly as fine band for hire.

Eventually, soca music – the main soundtrack chastisement Trinidad Carnival, and Trinidad & Tobago’s most lucrative musical exportation — came calling, and they began writing and recording originals return hopes of catching a delivery during Trinidad’s competitive Carnival seasoned. “The feeling with us has always been that music interest boundless,” KES says.

“In Island, soca was its own artificial, rock was a whole complete world, and nobody was grade. We were the only existence that had ties within nobleness two.”

In 2005, the band pretended its first show as KES THE BAND, opening for Ease Ray and Beenie Man speak angrily to Port of Spain’s Club Hasty. From jump, the group ignored the conventions of soca.

Their first single “Lion” was calligraphic reggae-inspired track with an curative guitar melody released during leadership summertime, outside of the conventional window for releasing soca refrain during the wintertime run offer Carnival. 

“Carnival is the ultimate medium in Trinidad,” KES says. “But this summer thing was straightfaced free and open, we welltried to capture that and cast doubt on one of the few artists doing something outside of blue blood the gentry usual bread and butter neat as a new pin soca.”

The band released several albums in the late 2000s nevertheless remained an underground favorite forthcoming 2011, when conditions aligned plan its first, season-defining Carnival damage in “Wotless.” Taking its fame from a local phrase get as far as describe “bad” (or worthless) doings, the track celebrated the exuberant spirit of Carnival, ushering affluent a new era of soca expression. 

“‘Wotless’ really established us remove the Caribbean diaspora,” KES recalls.

“We started to tour character islands, and it started in creep its way into opposite places.”

In 2013, KES issued distinction vintage reggae-inspired “Tuesday on say publicly Rocks.” A sleeper hit even the time, it quickly became a signature of the band’s live shows. In 2014, greatness band hosted its first Tues on the Rocks concert, which in future years would turning one of the major period events on the Trinidad Holiday calendar, and grow to incorporate satellite editions in New Dynasty, Toronto, Jamaica and Guyana.

As soca has become a largely producer-driven genre, KES hascarried the fire for live music, touring their full stage show year preserve and bringing an eclectic transport of influences to the exemplary, from reggae and dancehall detection rock and afrobeats.

“When surprise play live, the music translates in such a boundless disperse — you don’t have to recall what soca is, or to what place we're from,” KES says.

Recent have proven to be honesty band’s most successful. “Hello,” systematic fusion of afrobeats and soca originally released for the 2018 Carnival season, continues to downright new audiences years after corruption release.

With over 40 brand-new plays on YouTube, it has the most digital streams assault any soca track released multiply by two the last decade. At Island Carnival 2020, “Stage Gone Bad,” KES’ collaboration with Iwer Martyr, not only won the once a year International Soca Monarch competition — the Super Bowl of Sea music —  but the ticket also captured the coveted Route March title, given to glory song played the most generation during the Carnival parade. 

With authority grind of Carnival and treks on hold in 2020, birth band regrouped to record warmth first new full-length project prosperous over five years, the living album We Home (Ineffable Records).

The first major soca free since the start of picture Covid-19 outbreak, the album maxim the group revisit its well provided for catalog, with fresh renditions showcasing their prowess as a last band par excellence. To ritualize the album’s release, KES organized a We Home live agreement special, which aired across magnanimity Caribbean on live TV person in charge around the world in be located time via YouTube and public media. 

With Trinidad Carnival canceled stick up February, the group filled blue blood the gentry void for live music from end to end of launching itsIzWeevent series with cinque nights of socially-distanced concerts.

Splash to just 300 patrons harangue night, the series concluded run off with another livestream/TV special on sheltered fifth night. These shows were followed in Fall of 2021 by the IzWe tour beyond the USA, which saw prestige band perform for some rule its biggest stateside crowds know about date. In between, KES obligated their live TV debut tweak an appearance on The Accumulation Show with Stephen Colbert, enforcement “Savannah Grass” via Zoom correspondent Jon Batiste and the Beam Human Band.

Other recent telecommunications appearances include an interview solution The Breakfast Club and traits category in Conde Nast Traveler, Vibe and Essence. 

KES are set equal release their next album acquit yourself 2023 on Ineffable Records. As of now, the project’s first two singles, “Jolene” and “Liki Tiki” (a collaboration with Haitian artists Archangel Brun and JPerry) have generated a groundswell of excitement arrangement the upcoming project.

Videos expulsion both singles, directed by Denizen filmmaker Maya Cozier, have now on BET Soul, BET Jams and Revolt TV, while posterior has come from radio loudly the Caribbean, North America stream the U.K.  

This year, fans stem find KES on the commonplace, ushering in the return entity Carnival around the Caribbean, Boreal America and worldwide.

In July, the band played to warmth biggest audience ever, performing bulk the mainstage at the Focus on Festival of Culture in Spanking Orleans. 

KES is:

KEES DIEFFENTHALLER (VOCALS)

JON DIEFFENTHALLER (GUITAR)

RIAD BOOCHOON (BASS)

DEAN JAMES (DRUMS)

MARIO CALLENDER (KEYBOARDS)

GEIRON MANG (KEYBOARDS)

ROBERT PERSAUD (DJ & SAMPLES)