Trinidad and Tobago’s soca powerhouse KesTheBand delivered a major moment for Caribbean music on Saturday, when the band joined legendary music icon Stevie Wonder on stage at DC JazzFest.
The surprise appearance capped a remarkable Labour Day weekend for KesTheBand, with the group finding itself at the centre of several major cultural moments celebrating Caribbean music.
During the performance, the band delivered an uptempo lyrical mashup of I Just Called To Say I Love You and Savannah Grass, earning thunderous applause from the crowd.
In an emotional social media post following the band’s DC JazzFest debut, frontman Kes Dieffenthaller reflected on the significance of performing the Stevie Wonder classic, sharing that the song “was the first record I had on repeat as a child.”
The collaboration brought soca into the spotlight alongside one of the most influential figures in music history, creating a powerful moment for Caribbean music on an international stage.
The appearance came just one night after KesTheBand electrified Soca Fest at the iconic Brooklyn Museum in New York. The band was introduced by Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani, adding another high-profile moment to an already significant weekend for the group and Caribbean culture.
The weekend’s remarkable run comes ahead of another milestone for KesTheBand, with lead vocalist Kees Dieffenthaller set to serve as an Honorary Grand Marshal of the 59th Annual New York Caribbean Carnival Parade. The parade, presented by the West Indian American Carnival Day Association, takes place today, along Brooklyn’s Eastern Parkway.
Dieffenthaller will share the honorary role with reggae icon Buju Banton, as the parade brings the Labour Day weekend celebrations to a close while highlighting the richness, diversity and global influence of Caribbean culture.
