Jay Kalo
Brand Identity Design
Jay Kalo is a very young promise of Latin Jazz born in 1997 in La Havana. He began his musical career on drums when he was only 10 years old at the National School of Art of Cuba. To give you an idea, Jay landed in New York at the age of 17, making his first trip to perform with nothing more and nothing less than the “Big Band Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra”, where he met and played with the great jazz trumpeter Wynton Marsalis. His talent began to emerge and attract the attention of musicians of the stature of Alain Pérez, Omara Portuondo or Maria del Mar Bonet among many other titans with whom he has collaborated till now. When his production company El Caribe Productions commissioned me to create the graphic identity for Jay Kalo, I wanted the brand can reflect that young and fresh point, as well as the dynamism and versatility when applying it to any medium.
I started from some sketches of gestural letters made by brush and ink due the lettering design composition, which allowed to reflect the discipline behind Jay's work as a musician, drummer and music producer. Surrounded by the aesthetic of the lettering posters from 1950's of the jazz live shows in New York, I was inspired to evoque somehow tradition and values through small details, same as Jay's work essence.
Being able to graphically recognize in an easy way the instrument with which Jay expresses himself was something basic; so we proposed a version using the shape of the snare from his drum set to build one of the alternatives logos. I created also another alternative logo version of the lettering on a drum eyepatch. And finally, an option that works as a monogram (JK) which provides that very versatile point in its different brand applications.
CLIENT: El Caribe Productions
YEAR: 2025
Motion Graphics by Gerard Bernal
Two Color Palettes
Jay suggested we could create two color palettes, a main one composed by a bright candy red; like his drum kit combined with a soft beige. This option offers a funny approach, more fresh remembering Jay's young age.
The alternative color palette is composed by various shades of brown, like dark chocolate brown; Jay's favorite color, also combined with the same beige as the main color palette. This second one is more about to get dress the visual identity like when Jay is dressing up with a sophisticated suit for a special show and he becomes Mr. Kalo.
THANKS FOR WATCHING
GRAPHIC DESIGN & ART DIRECTION
Le Maritime Studio
MOTION GRAPHICS
Gerard Bernal