We Love Kaiso since we small

Crackers and Cheese returns with live show. As 2018 NWAC Calypso Queen Stacey Sobers prepares to host the fifth installment of her concert series, Crackers and Cheese, she is unapologetic about the theme, stating: “This is an ode to Kaiso; a Kaiso love story.” On October 29, Sobers and a diverse cast of calypsonians, artistes, and musicians will take the stage at the Central Bank Auditorium to pay tribute to the golden age of Calypso, themed, We Love Kaiso Since We Small. The show, which takes place during Calypso History Month, October, seeks to connect the Calypso era of the 80s and 90s with the calypsonians who are carrying the artform forward in the 21st century. All artistes, including Sobers—daughter of pannist and calypsonian, Glenford “Joe Cool” Sobers—have deep-rooted connections with that era, and are intent on preserving and honoring the artform. We Love Kaiso Since We Small will see songs of yesteryear come alive by second-generation performers including Krisson Joseph, son of the late Mighty Penguin, who will pay homage to his father. Sobers, with her powerful vocals and commanding stage presence, will do work from other calypsonians, as well as songs from her own catalog, while Brother Valentino, a renowned artiste from that era, is booked to perform classics such as Life is a Stage and Stay Up Zimbabwe. Patrons can also look forward to a special performance and original pieces by award-winning writers and spoken word poet, Zakiya “Griot” Gill. Gill, a cultural ambassador, multiple award winners, and spoken word artist, who is also a finalist in this year’s Poetry Slam, has been the featured poet at Patrice Robert’s Strength of Woman Concert series in the past two years and highlighted at the US Embassy Virtual Independence Day Celebrations. Local Kaiso Jazz band, Dominant Seventh, will provide music for the show, and slated as master of ceremonies is Omani Ashby, another performer from the era and an artiste in his own right. “Crackers and Cheese is an ode to Kaiso, and some of the legends who defined the genre in the 80s and 90s,” stated Sobers who rose to prominence in the 90s as part of the band, Black by Nature (finalist on the Party Time talent show). “As performers, we have a duty to preserve this uniquely Trinbagonian artform. Kaiso has historically been a rhythmic tool to educate, entertain and keep our oral traditions alive. It has also served as a vehicle to confront our socioeconomic realities and speak the truth to power. Bridging the gap between the then and the now, and inviting the public to partake, is an important part of keeping this cultural expression alive.” Crackers and Cheese was created in 2018 as a modern take on the Calypso Tent experience, blending the intimacy and convivial nature of the Calypso Tent with the sophisticated vibe of a local cocktail evening lime. (SB)