Times like these ANNABELLE SIKES STAFF WRITER
B
aldwin Park residents James Baker and Matt Willey are professionals by day and rock stars at night. Baker, Willey, John Masingill and Chris Muller are the four members of Kobalt 27, a four-piece rock and alternative rock alliance band that plays throughout Orlando. The band draws its sound from rock from the 1970s to the 1990s. Members cite Rush, Led Zeppelin, Pearl Jam, Rage Against the Machine, Foo Fighters and Alice In Chains as influences The cover band’s set list includes popular songs from artists such as Kings of Leon, Killers, Fallout Boy, Linkin Park and Shinedown. The band has performed at Dexter’s in Lake Mary, Post Time Lounge and Cafe in Longwood, Daytona Beach Bike Week and many others. Some of their upcoming performances will be at Tin Roof on International Drive and The Drunken Parrot Saloon in St. Cloud. Kobalt 27 formed during the onset of the pandemic from two separate bands — Room 2 and Judi Behave. Willey says the tribulations of the pandemic were challenging, and two of the five members from Judi Behave went their separate ways. However, Willey, Masingill and Muller wanted to continue to play and started the search for a new lead vocalist. Willey, who has lived in Baldwin Park since 2013, had heard of Baker, who has lived in Baldwin Park for seven years, from a friend of a friend and originally had asked him to join in 2015. Baker was unable to at the time, but things changed five years later. Muller had been renting a practice room in the Discount Music Center near Millenia Mall for almost 26 years with a variety of different bands in which he played. The new-
16
BALDWIN PARK LIVING | AUGUST 2022
Kobalt 27 is a four-piece rock and alternative rock
outfit with two members who live in Baldwin Park.
Chris Muller: Drums
John Masingill: Bass guitar, vocals, rhythm guitar, keyboards
James Baker: Lead vocals, rhythm guitar, bass guitar
Matt Willey: Lead guitar
