BT River of Music: Soul Caribbean / Kevin Robinson interview for London 2012 The weather can probably not be legislated for in advance of next weekend's extravaganza, but if there's one fail-safe that could guarantee that the party will go off in fine style, it's the presence of a liberal dose of music from one of the world's most rhythmically blessed regions - the Caribbean. Thanks to Kevin Robinson, the man responsible for Soul Caribbean, there will be sunshine, metaphorically at least, come what may. Robinson is a trumpeter of limitless experience, having toured for much of his life with the Eighties British jazz/funk/soul crew Incognito, and thereafter with Simply Red. In recent years, he has run a number of ambitious projects, including a long-running and muchlauded tribute to Ernest Ranglin, called Jazz Jamaica, and then, a couple of Christmases ago, the self-explanatory Soul Noël. Many faces in his generously staffed Soul Caribbean combo have been hand-picked from Robinson's previous escapades, including three of Soul Noël's sublime carol-singers, Victor Bynoe (bass), Mary Pearce (alto) and Daniel Thomas (tenor). They're joined by a young soprano named Marisa Skeete. Behind the four vocalists is a rhythm combo of piano, guitar, bass, drums and percussion, and a four-piece brass section led by Robinson himself. "I'll be out front waving frantically," he says, "trying to keep things in order." His approach with the music will be consciously non-completist. "I had a look at all the different kinds of music that have come out of all the different islands," he says, "and there's a very similar thread throughout the whole of the Caribbean, except Cuba. So, rather than try and pin down each individual subtlety, I'm just trying to encapsulate the whole Caribbean feel, combining reggae with salsa, ska or soul, so all the flavours are in there, like a big stew, and you can actually taste everything. For the Cuban element, Robinson has prepared a treatment of Oye, Como Va, the song by the mambo king, Tito Puente, which was made famous by Santana. There will also be some flat-out ska, reggae and salsa, and a calypso called Nature's Plan. For their finale, Soul Caribbean will be joined by a 40-piece choir, the Stratford East Singers from the Theatre Royal Stratford East, for a massed reading of Jimmy Cliff's Many Rivers To Cross. "I defy anyone not to tap a foot at least to something we'll play," Robinson summarises. It's going to be very special. I've gigged in every conceivable place - in racecourses, parks and wineries all over Australia and New Zealand, and in massive squares in Eastern Europe - but never at the Tower of London! There's going to be some fantastic musicians up there, doing their stuff. As soon as that backbeat comes in, you just can't stop grooving to that chaka-chaka. Soul Caribbean have just confirmed that as soon as they have finished their scheduled set on the Americas stage at the Tower of London, they will scoot across town to Trafalgar Square, and play another set at the Europe stage there, at about 5pm. Even more people, then, will be able to get moving to those irresistible rhythms. Soul Caribbean with Kevin Robinson will appear Saturday July 21 on the BT River of Music Americas stage, Tower of London.