Robin Hannibal

Robin and Coco have changed the way I listen to music. I have been more fortunate than I can express to have come across the sound and the experience that radiates from Quadron. When I met them, the two had already released their debut album, which feels more like a testimonial to the power of the creative spirit than simply a collection of musical recordings. It’s groovy, danceable, electronic soul. I used to think my favorite instrument to hear was the saxophone, now, I know it is Coco’s voice. See the live version of “Pressure” and tell me you don’t agree . After having played their CD countless times, recorded dance videos to their singles and seen their concerts, I had fallen in love with them as a band. Then,through a series  small miracles I had the opportunity to work with them on some creative projects. However great those experiences were on a professional level on a personal note, I had no idea there were so much fun to hang out with.

Observing their interaction is like watching family members. They switch back and forth in and out of English like they had language selectors on toggle.

Originally from Denmark the duo had some of their conversation in Danish, and though I don’t speak it , I never felt left out  of the conversation. Robin and Coco have a strong connection but it is not exclusive. Between the two of them I felt welcomed and invited.We decide to head down town and check out Grand Central Market as local tourists enjoying the city. The Market is a mall of produce, there are too many tastes, sites, and sounds to be enraptured by. It seems Quadron is not without an air of mischief, luckily neither am I.

 As we explore the market on the quest for touristy photos there doesn’t seem to be one shop that we can’t think some shenanigan to pull off. Coco flirts with one vendor stand operator in broken spanish to let us use his ladder  and shop for a photo. He goes for the bait but doesn’t give up the ladder. Smart man. We hop from shop to shop asking for little favors and free things. Anytime we offend anyone or get a weird look we just pretend they are a couple and these are their wedding photos. Upon hearing this most people are more than obliging, after all no one wants to get in the way of true love, right?

Coco spots a location she would like to get a photo in( you know, for her wedding album) except there are some people sitting on the stools where we need to get them up. Again, in Spanish Coco convinces the gents to interrupt their meal and move around to accommodate our photographic quest. Along the way we indulge in the best reason for being at the market, the food. Cookies, candy, smoothies, and an arbitrary pineapple we all part of the delicacies to partake of. You might think that seeing the hearty revenue we were generating for the place that the staff would welcome us in to the market with open arms. That was not the case.

We weren’t exactly being discrete but we weren’t entirely disruptive either. It was all in good fun, spicing up the day amidst all the spices, sweetening up the experiences among all the sweets. Just as we were getting a rhythm as to how to approach the shop owners and get the best photos enters a tall dread locked woman playing the role of Security Guard. “I been watching you guys, you can’t do that.” she says. Now, I have been in situations like this before and I know how they have a tendency to turn out,  its never good for the photographer. Instead of going through the ordeal of negotiating custody of my camera and photos, I offer to let us leave with what we have in exchange for our quick departure from the premises. We were essentially kicked out, but did escape with some of the photos you see here. Darting around a few other spots in downtown rounded out the day with Tacos, sunshine, and a few more shenanigans. I got a few stories that begin with  “This one time…” that I probably shouldn’t publish but the memory of this day is right up there with them as it’s nothing I am soon to forget. I started the day as a fan and ended up as a friend.

Peace and blessings to you Coco and Robin,

-Citizens Of Culture-