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| Calvin "Calament" Cossart | |
|---|---|
| Name | Calvin "Calament" Cossart |
| Birth date | 1984 |
| Birth place | Kingston, Jamaica |
| Occupation | Musician, actor, visual artist |
| Genres | Reggae, dub, experimental, folk |
| Instruments | Vocals, guitar, melodica, percussion |
| Years active | 2002–present |
| Associated acts | The Harbour Collective, Echo Assembly, Meridian Choir |
Calvin "Calament" Cossart is a Jamaican-born multidisciplinary artist whose work spans Reggae, dub, experimental folk and contemporary theatre. Cossart gained recognition in the early 21st century for integrating traditional Jamaican rhythms with avant-garde production techniques and interdisciplinary collaborations across music, film and visual arts. His career intersects with notable festivals, collectives and institutions that have placed him within conversations alongside figures from Caribbean and international cultural scenes.
Cossart was born in Kingston, Jamaica, and raised amid the musical scenes of Trenchtown and Dunkirk neighborhoods, where he grew up listening to Bob Marley, Toots Hibbert, Peter Tosh, Lee "Scratch" Perry and Burning Spear. His formative years included attendance at the Alpha Boys School-influenced youth programs and participation in church choirs linked to congregations such as New Testament Church of God. He relocated to London as a teenager, studying at a conservatory associated with the Royal Academy of Music before enrolling in ethnomusicology courses at a department connected to the SOAS, where he researched Caribbean music traditions and recording histories connected to studios like Studio One and Federal Records. His education also involved workshops with practitioners from the Brixton scene and mentorships facilitated by producers with ties to King Tubby's lineage and engineers from Channel One Studios.
Cossart's early recordings appeared on compilation releases curated by the Notting Hill Carnival community and independent labels based in Bristol and Kingston upon Thames. He formed the ensemble The Harbour Collective, which toured with artists tied to the Rototom Sunsplash and Sunsplash circuits and performed at venues managed by organizations such as The Roundhouse and Southbank Centre. His albums mixed analog techniques reminiscent of King Tubby and Mad Professor with songwriting influenced by Paul Simon, Lauryn Hill, Nina Simone and Sade. Collaborations include sessions with members of The Wailers alumni, guest appearances by instrumentalists linked to Fela Kuti's Afrobeat scene, and remixes commissioned by labels associated with Warp Records and Ninja Tune affiliates. Cossart's singles were playlisted on programs hosted by presenters at BBC Radio 1, BBC Radio 6 Music, and independent stations like NTS Radio and KEXP, and he has contributed to film soundtracks screened at festivals such as Sundance Film Festival and Tribeca Film Festival.
Alongside music, Cossart pursued acting and stagecraft, joining ensembles connected to the RSC-inspired companies and regional theatre groups in Manchester and Birmingham. He appeared in productions staged at the National Theatre and fringe performances at venues like the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and Glasgow's Citizens Theatre, collaborating with directors who had worked with casts from Shakespeare's Globe and choreographers affiliated with Rambert. Film roles included parts in independent features produced through networks linked to British Film Institute initiatives and short films that screened at the BFI London Film Festival. His theatrical work often fused live music, puppetry and multimedia elements developed with technicians experienced at institutions such as Barbican Centre and companies associated with Punchdrunk.
Cossart's artistic approach synthesizes production methods derived from dub pioneers and songwriting traditions connected to Calypso and Mento, filtered through experimental frameworks associated with post-punk and ambient music. Visual and performative elements in his work draw on aesthetics used by artists from the Caribbean diasporic community and contemporary practitioners represented in galleries like the Tate Modern and Serpentine Galleries. He cites influences spanning Bob Marley, Buju Banton, Annie Lennox, David Bowie, Brian Eno and Miles Davis, and his collaborations have referenced practices central to labels such as Island Records and Studio One Records. His thematic concerns address migration narratives comparable to those explored by writers associated with Windrush generation histories and filmmakers featured at the Pan African Film Festival. Technically, Cossart favors analog mixing consoles, tape delay units of the type used by King Tubby, and live looping rigs similar to setups used by artists affiliated with Loop pedal innovators.
Cossart has been active in community arts initiatives that partner with charities and civic institutions including projects supported by Arts Council England and youth outreach coordinated with Notting Hill Carnival committees. He has lectured on diasporic music histories at departments linked to UCL and contributed to symposiums hosted by the Institute of Contemporary Arts and Royal Society of Arts. His legacy includes mentorship of younger musicians from London and Kingston scenes, influencing collectives that perform at festivals like Glastonbury Festival's more eclectic stages and WOMAD showcases. Awards and nominations in regional music prizes and arts funding competitions tie him to networks that include the Mercury Prize-adjacent ecosystem and independent arts trusts. He continues to record, exhibit and tour, maintaining connections with ensembles and institutions across Europe, North America and the Caribbean.
Category:Jamaican musicians Category:Reggae musicians Category:Living people