DESCRIPTION:
Kebeko
Haïti, Peru, Quebec World Music
Biography :

Would you like to meet a group that comes directly out of the Quebec nest and is absolutely representative of a multicultural world? There's no hesitation here and only one way of doing it: attending a show given by Kebeko, a group that brings us into a world where blending styles is the law.

For the last few months, this new Montreal combo, formed around singer Ramón Céspedes, has been concocting a mixture of rock, world music and Quebec folk and adding a large pinch of groove! Coming from the Montreal underground world scene, Kebeko is a good example of the artistic benefits produced by Montreal's cultural blending. Its music and texts, mostly in French, mirror a cosmopolitan city that moves to the beat of modernity without losing sight of its roots.

The group is clearly marked by the central figure of Ramón Cespedes. This composer and performer is a multi-talented artist. From a mixed Haitian and Peruvian background, this Québécois has created his very own style, Afro-Keb.

In 2000, he began moving among Montreal stages, with his guitar in hand. A few years later, he jointed the group Dibondoko, with a name coming from the Cameroonian tradition of welcoming a newborn child but that today is understood to mean celebration! This sets the tone. Dibondoko's aim is to move audiences into a festive atmosphere, all together, whatever their differences. The group is formed by musicians with backgrounds in hip-hop, funk and Latin or Caribbean styles. In a few years, their renown has grown, their audiences are bigger and their music is more highly appreciated. In 2004 and 2005, the group took part in the Montreal International Jazz Festival. The following year, however, Ramón Cespedes left the group. Performing solo again, he made it to the final of the Francouvertes. And then the Kebeko adventure began.