Kaley Kinjo

Ask around in almost any corner of the Calgary music scene and you will find someone who knows Kaley Kinjo well.In the past seven years he has become a very active and noted member of the Calgary musical community.Starting by playing bass for others, Kinjo performed with many different groups and attended every local jam he could find.In the fall of 2004, Kaley auditioned for popular Canadian act The Plaid-Tongued Devils and has been with them ever since. In that time he has toured western Canada and parts of Europe with them, sharing the stage with such acts as Lisa Brokop, Stabilo, Jim Cuddy, Sarah Harmer, 54-40, Trooper, Faber Drive, Patricia Conroy and Bette Serveert.Although Kaley is usually noted as a sought-after bassist, this young artist demonstrates excellent songwriting skills on piano and guitar as well.Never one to limit himself, Kaley’s music consists of a wide variety of styles including roots, ska, folk, pop, soul, rock, punk, country, and even reggae influences. Each song is an entity in itself but somehow remains familiar, comfortable, and yet still distinct. Intelligent, insightful, and often humorous lyrics are only brought more to light by the richness and purity of Kinjo’s voice. Soulful rhythms and ear-lingering melodies line the artist’s songs and grab the listener’s attention.Those who have seen Kaley perform will remark on his excellent musicianship and captivating stage presence. This performer lends an energetic, fun, and rather youthful charm to his stage show, as well as showing a sincere and intimate nature.Just recently in 2007, Kaley won 2nd Runner-up and Best Performance in The Calgary Folk Music Festival’s annual songwriting competition for his song ‘Dear Lord’. It was the first time in the history of the competition that a participant has won two prizes in the same year.Shortly after that Kaley visited Okinawa, Japan where he performed the same song live on air during an island-wide radio broadcast. Kaley will be releasing his debut album in the summer and plans to tour through Western Canada and parts of Japan promoting his music.Still a young performer, Kaley has already learnt a lot from his work with other groups and artists and is always looking forward to gaining from each interaction.With a promising debut album on the way, we can expect great things from this unique and talented performer in the future.