Caribbean Buzz
Kes Returning to T&T With IZWE For C2K23. Details Inside.
Kes The Band will ring in the return of Trinidad and Tobago’s Carnival after three long years with their IZWE Festival, set for Tuesday, February 14th at Brian Lara Cricket Academy in San Fernando, Trinidad.
The event was launched in 2021 as a series of five, socially-distanced concerts during what would have been that year’s Carnival season. The limited-capacity shows were the first sanctioned live music events held in Trinidad & Tobago after the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, which began one year earlier, and just days after the close of Trinidad & Tobago’s Carnival 2020.
Things having opened up, Kes has exported IZWE in an expanded festival format to New York City and Toronto. IZWE concerts were hosted in 2021 and 2022 in those cities, respectively. Some 8,000 fans attended each event, with July’s IzWe Toronto concert receiving national media coverage in Canada from outlets including CBC and Breakfast Television.
With IZWE 2023, the band is set to bring the show back home to Trinidad on the Tuesday before Trinidad & Tobago Carnival — the same calendar spot where Kes held its Tuesday on the Rocks concert series from 2014 to 2020. Fans can stay tuned for guest artist announcements and more details at www.kestheband.com.
The homecoming follows a banner 2022 for Kes, which included a mainstage performance at ESSENCE Fest in July, where the band played for one of its largest audiences to date. Summer saw Kes usher in the return of carnival celebrations across the Caribbean and its Diaspora, with performances in Guyana, Barbados, Anguilla, Grenada, Washington D.C., Atlanta, Houston, Toronto, London, and New York City. Their Liki Tiki U.S. Tour followed in September and October, with sold out dates up and down the East and West Coast.
This week, the band returns to the Caribbean for the Tomac Festival in Plymouth, Tobago, on Oct. 24, followed by the World Creole Music Festival in Roseau, Dominica, on Oct. 28.
Kes’ next and last U.S. date of 2022 is at Houston’s Tribeville fest on November 26th.
The band is currently wrapping work on their forthcoming full-length album, Man With No Door. The rollout began in January with island-pop smash “Jolene,” followed by “Liki Tiki,” their region-spanning, multilingual collaboration with Haiti’s Michael Brun and JPerry.
“Liki Tiki” is currently up for GRAMMY® consideration in the Best Global Music Performance category.
Caribbean Buzz
Kerlz Goes Independent Ahead of T&T’s C2K26.
Trinidad and Tobago female soca artiste, Kerlz is going solo. The entertainer has announced her departure from the A Team Band, via media release. A 13-year-journey with the band’s front-line has been dubbed, ‘an amazing run’ by the entertainer who says she is grateful for the experience and the foundation built over the years.
Having recently unleashed a new single called, ‘Medicine’ on D’ Guitarman Riddim alongside fellow soca artistes, Ding Dong and Salty, Kerlz, whose real name is Kerlene Joseph, says she is excited to enter this new chapter. “I extend my deepest and most sincere thanks to the A Team Band for the incredible opportunity and the platform they provided me over the past 13 years,” she said, adding, “The journey has been formative and I will always cherish the music we created and the stages we shared together. I wish the entire A Team family nothing but the very best in all their future endeavours.”
Memories made and cherished, the singer now has her heart set on maximizing the potential of her recent release, which is already gaining ground as the 2026 season comes into focus. With a powerful voice and a dynamic stage presence, Kerlz says she is ready to captivate audiences as a solo performer.
Caribbean Buzz
Young, Coryn Clarke Hosts ‘Chronicles of Coryn Children’s Book Festival,’ This Sunday.
Children’s literature takes center stage in St.Kitts this Sunday, young, Caribbean author, Coryn Anaya Clarke hosts the Chronicles of Coryn Children’s Book Festival.
This landmark event, created by the young author and literacy advocate, will gather children, families, educators, and authors under the theme: “The Power of Us: Stories by Us, For Us.”The festival is proudly supported by First Federal Co-operative Credit Union as its official title sponsor. This partnership underscores the institution’s commitment to youth empowerment, community development, and literacy.
Executive Leader Member Services, Mrs. Sonja Fyfield-Hazel, shared her enthusiasm for the festival, saying, “This initiative aligns perfectly with our mandate to empower youth by showing them that true financial wealth is built on consistent habits formed from an early age. Our goal is to encourage children to develop smart money practices that lay the foundation for lifelong success. A festival that brings together children and parents in a fun yet educational environment creates the ideal launchpad for raising financially confident, and successful individuals.”
This year’s festival will feature dynamic voices from across the Caribbean, including celebrated Guyanese-Canadian author Yolanda T. Marshall and Grenadian author Alyssa Bierzynski.“Earlier this year, I set a goal for myself to share my book, Good Boy Milo, with children across the region,” said Bierzynski. “I am truly excited that it is happening and to be part of the Chronicles of Coryn Children’s Book Festival. Book festivals, like this one, are celebrations of storytelling and play an important role in promoting literacy and encouraging a love of books and reading among children, especially in this digital era. This will also be my first visit to St. Kitts, so I am looking forward to meeting all the young, and young at heart, readers,” she added.
Marshall, whose work has been recognized internationally for its cultural richness and authentic storytelling, noted the importance of amplifying diverse narratives. “I’m so excited to be reading, hearing stories from other authors, meeting everyone, and most of all performing alongside Coryn at the Chronicles of Coryn: Children’s Book Festival. We will dance, sing, play Soca, and have a literary fete. Be prepared to hear my stories like C is for Carnival. Bring your rags, bring your flags, and get ready to wave,” she said enthusiastically.
The one-day celebration will feature live readings and author meet-and-greets with Coryn, Yolanda, Alyssa, and other guest authors, in addition to cultural performances and interactive displays showcasing the vibrancy of the Caribbean. There will also be book signings, giveaways, and family activities designed to make reading fun and engaging.
Fresh off her success at CARIFESTA XV in Barbados, the young prodigy is now counting down to the first staging of her event in Saint Kitts and Nevis. Her standout participation at the regional cultural showcase not only highlighted her growing talent as an author but also positioned her as a vibrant ambassador for Saint Kitts and Nevis. With her storytelling, charm and natural confidence, Coryn captivated audiences.
“Stories have a special kind of magic, they can make you dream, laugh, and even see yourself in new ways. I’m super excited to share that magic at the Chronicles of Coryn Children’s Book Festival and to show other children in Saint Kitts and Nevis that their voices and stories matter too. Having our guest authors from Guyana and Grenada is BIG deal, I hope all of you come on out to hear everything they have to say. It’ll be fun, I promise!” said the youngster.
