Against all expectations, Kreuzberg Museum is neither a cold-wave nor a techno rave band but a project who’s sole aim is to bring a passion for calypso - a musical genre born in the Carribean at the beginning of the 20th century - to a wider audience. Stanley Brinks and his girlfriend Clémence Freschard mix tasteful cover versions, their own compositions and cheeky adaptations of Calypso standards. Needless to say, when re-inventing the original material they work with, they avoid the obvious lazy Belafontesque approach and follow their own unique path.
Calypso is a far darker musical genre than many people think, laced with political undertones. It was officially born in Trinidad nearly a century ago and flourished for many years thanks to artists like Iron Duke, Lord Kitchener and the Lovey's String Band, amongst others. Though its success faded in the seventies, when soca became the favoured genre in the Carribean, Calypso experienced a golden age, including a world wide craze during the forties. Even Hollywood legend Robert Mitchum recorded a Calypso album! At its best, it was a music pushing the boundaries of free speech, its lyrics focused on political and social issues, often adopting satire and street slang to escape censorship from the British authorities who at that time ruled the island.
This remarkable legacy is what attracted Stanley Brinks and Clémence Freshchard to this musical genre, nowadays largely forgotten but still cherished by connoisseurs, collectors and true music lovers alike for its lyrical enlightment and beautifully danceable melodies.
