It’s a word, it’s a band, it’s a social movement. “Kaiso” means “go forward” in the Ibibio language of Nigeria. In the 19th century, it became the name of a Caribbean music genre created by enslaved Africans in Trinidad and Tobago. That genre evolved into calypso. Today in Toronto, there is a Kaiso Street Society, dedicated to preserving and celebrating calypso traditions. Its founder is Jesse Ryan, a saxophonist who also leads the society’s nine-piece band. performing classic calypso repertoire reimagined through contemporary jazz.
