Lincoln Center show a huge success: Kes appears on Pix 11

“Performing at the Unity Jazz Festival for two nights has opened up an entire new book of possibilities for us, the way that we express ourselves and the way that we move forward to make the world a smaller and better place by spreading the love of this music,” Kees Dieffenthaller lead vocalist of Kes the Band said in a January 10 press release.

The band was also recently featured on New York TV station, Pix 11.

The release spoke to the band’s recent two-night show at NY’s Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts.

The band along with Trinidad and Tobago-born acclaimed jazz trumpeter Etienne Charles’ Unity Jazz Festival held on January 8 and 9 was sold out.

The release said, “Caribbean music reached a significant milestone at Jazz at Lincoln Center as Kes the Band delivered a landmark, sold-out, two-night run at the Unity Jazz Festival - setting a first for soca music within the festival’s history.”

It said the shows were set against the “dazzling panoramic views of Columbus Circle in the heart of New York City. It said the performances took place at the Frederick P Rose Hall and the Appel Room.

It added, “Across both nights, Kes the Band surrendered to doting audiences with an intimate, reimagined interpretation of their celebrated catalogue, transforming the House of Swing through stripped-back arrangements that drew from soca, calypso, soul, rock and jazz.

“The performances bridged Caribbean musical expression with jazz tradition, by honouring ancestral foundations while expanding the boundaries of contemporary sound.”

Hello, Fallin and Savannah Grass were “melded with classic interpolations that paid homage to Caribbean musical stalwarts such as Lord Invader and The Mighty Sparrow. The audience was transported to a world of blissful soca sounds punctuated by jazz infections, the release said.

Kes said, “I am eternally grateful for the entire team that made this moment possible. It’s a step in a new direction when it comes to applying calypso and soca as an artform in new spaces and places with confidence, purpose and intention,” it said.

Charles’ artistry underscored the deep cultural connections between jazz and the Caribbean – adding a magical depth and nuance that reinforced the festival’s celebration of heritage and collaboration, the release said.

Charles said it was an honour to perform at the House of Swing once again.

“Sharing the stage with my brother Kes and the entire band for this moment in the festival’s history felt deeply meaningful, and I’m grateful to be part of a celebration that recognises where this music comes from and where it can go,” he said.

Young US saxophonists Abdias Armenteros and Chris Lewis – members of the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra – were featured acts at the festival.

“Their inclusion highlighted the organisation's longstanding commitment to mentorship and access, emphasising the role of education in sustaining musical traditions across generations,” the release said.

“The Unity Jazz Festival performances also arrived amid Kes the Band’s continued international momentum, following the global success of their hit single alongside Tano, Rum and Coca Cola, which recently debuted on the Top 100 charts in over 20 countries on Apple Music. Together, the two nights reaffirmed the band’s ability to command world-class stages while remaining grounded in Caribbean identity,” the release added.