new album
It's here! Earthdriver's self-titled release - the long awaited follow-up to No One's Slave - has arrived.Listen Here
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Jeremiah Hosea
Jeremiah Hosea’s credentials are extensive and diverse... After making his professional debut recording and performing with life-long friend and musical mentor Olu, Jeremiah went on to found Earthdriver. Since the inception of the project, Jeremiah has also toured with Grammy-nominated blues/jazz legend James “Blood” Ulmer (who "discovered" both Jeremiah and drummer Swiss Chris at Earthdriver’s third gig), first as part of his "Raw Blues Experience" and then as part of "Memphis Blood", a project co-starring black rock pioneer Vernon Reid.
Jeremiah has also toured with: Ethiopian vocal sensation Ejigayayu Shawbabaw (Gigi) as part of her electric and acoustic ensembles; tabla beat master Karsh Kale; The Gee-Chee Goddess of Warrior Hardcore Soul, Tamar-kali; violin virtuoso Lili Haydn, in support of her Arista release, "Light Blue Sun" and Peter Prince (along with Swiss Chris) as the fifth edition of Moon Boot Lover. He is a co-producer of Sharrif Simmons’ “The Echo-Effect”, which provided three tracks to the Emmy nominated soundtrack for the documentary “Mr. Dial has Something to Say.”
Jeremiah's adroit technique and mutant approach to sound, his commitment to the ethos of love and radical politics, his vocal talent and kun-fu artistry all coalesce to make him a singular force to be reckoned with.
Oja
Oja is a turntablist/producer extraordinaire... The missing link, the secret weapon of Earthdriver, Oja joined the project after the release of "No One's Slave". He brings to the table wicked cutz and scratches, along with ambient sounds and textures, sampled text and the ability to filter the other band members through his apparatus.“O” began his musical career as a teenager DJing in the St. Louis area, where he DJed parties and trained himself in turntable performance techniques. Concurrently, he began producing hip-hop beats on other people's equipment before purchasing his own MPC-2000. His work has been featured on "Poverty's Cry," the second album from the St Louis-based hip-hop crew Bits n' Pieces; "The Echo-Effect", the debut release from Earthdriver's "Def" poet Sharrif Simmons (an album which includes three songs which appear on an Emmy nominated soundtrack); and numerous independent movies and tv programs.
Oja also has a background in radio, having produced, Djed (with Blessed Productive & Ron Paisley, and for "The Home Cookin' Show", a Luv 4 Art online radio production), and hosted "The Subterrain" on 89.1FM. His experience in broadcasting helped him to expand his musical vocabulary even further by compelling him to dig deeper into the crates for more obscure tunes, adding to his already diverse creative palette.
Swiss Chris
Swiss Chris is a force of nature behind the drum kit... Many people who recognize Swiss from the Hip-Hop scene know him as a human drum machine or a break beat encyclopedia, which he is, but he is also a consummate rhythmist versed in a multitude of styles.As a jazz player, Swiss has performed with bop, big band and fusion ensembles. He is a veteran of the NYC funk and R&B scene. He has toured with Grammy nominated blues/jazz legend James “Blood” Ulmer and Chicago born blues prodigy Ladell Mclin. He has performed with Ejigayayu Shawbabaw (Gigi), a pre-eminent name in the history of Ethiopian music. Swiss has performed with renowned Iranian vocalist Halle. His hip-hop credentials, which include working with artists such as Slick Rick, Doug E. Fresh, Mos Def, Dead Prez, are too extensive to list. Swiss has just completed 4 years touring as the drummer and musical director for multi- platinum, R&B star John Legend.
Imani Uzuri
Imani Uzuri is an icon of the NYC indie-scene... In addition to leading multiple projects of her own (Imani Uzuri, "Her Holy Water" A Black Girl's Rock Opera, and Imani Uzuri's Church of the Universe, a project dedicated to exploring spiritual music from around the world), Imani has worked with a legion of leading artists spanning far and wide across genre lines. Her rich, soulful voice has appeared on the albums of: Jazz great Herbie Hancock; legendary Dub-Reggae duo Sly & Robbie; Drum n' Bass pioneers 4 Hero; Ethiopian vocal sensation Ejigayayu Shawbabaw (Gigi); Hip Hop master Talib Kweli and Jazz guitar virtuoso David Gilmore, to list only a few of her credits. Imani has performed abroad with legendary bassist/producer Bill Laswell, and she has appeared on David Letterman with the one and only Peter Gabriel.It was Imani who booked the very first Earthdriver gig on Feb 6th, 1999 at CBGB's Gallery.
Ryan Waters
Ryan Waters made his professional music debut at the age of twelve, on the Portland Oregon music scene. He was a man-child, playing burning lead guitar in groups that otherwise consisted entirely of adults.In his teenage years he fronted Tom Foolery, one of the hottest bands in the northwest. In 1997, Ryan moved to NYC, where he met Jeremiah Hosea and multi-instrumentalist/songwriter Olu and joined their band, Sacred Circus. It was shortly thereafter that Ryan began touring with Olu in support of Olu's Gee Street Records debut release "Soul Catcher".
It was during this period that Ryan co-founded Earthdriver with Jeremiah Hosea. It was also during this period that Ryan met Sade’s guitarist / saxophonist / producer Stuart Mathewman, a man who would later invite Ryan to tour the world with Sade on her "Lover's Rock" tour. Since the completion of that tour Ryan has resided in Atlanta, where he performs regularly with his own band as well as rock-hip-hop dynamos Heavy Mojo.
Bemshi
Bemshi is one of the most distinctive vocalists you'll ever come across... Make no mistake, she is definitely good for delivering a blazing soul, rock or jazz vocal, but she brings to Earthdriver an element of improvisation in which her voice ventures into a sonic territory reminiscent of sounds one might more customarily encounter in nature, summoned from the alternate dimension of our ancestral unconscious.Earthdriver as a band always incorporates improvisational elements, but it is usually with Bemshi taking the lead that the band takes a break from its rehearsed repertoire and takes off into pure sound exploration.
Bemshi has recorded with Jazz great Robert Moses, Malian vocal and guitar virtuoso Salif Kieta and has performed with her own band on BET and “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno” as an artist for Capitol Records.
After dedicating the past few years to diligent research and training, Bemshi has recently begun a career as a Vibrational Healer.
Mark Lesseraux
Mark Lesseraux is an artist who combines vocal ability and multi-instrumentalism with extraordinary and prolific creativity. He's gifted with golden pipes, golden ears and the ability to write an entire song- verses, chorus, bridge, the works, on the spot.Since co-producing Earthdriver's debut album, "No One's Slave" (released in 2000), Mark has completed numerous full-length album projects including: "Boy Band" a rebellious (and rather hilarious) response to the "ultra-pop" scene produced with Earthdriver bandmate Ryan Waters; Ghost Pulse, a compilation of songs featuring Mark on acoustic piano; "Little Steel-Toed Willie", a limited edition cassette release featuring Mark on acoustic guitar in display of another of his many alter egos; "Slow Novocain Mercy Resuscitation", featuring sparse vocals, break beats, trippy, ambient sounds, loops and FX; and "Are We There Yet?" and “Post Cro-Magnon Drift” the two albums by Mark's critically acclaimed band, The Citizens (also featuring Earthdriver guitarist Thom Loubet).
Peter Prince
Peter Prince is the innovator of his own unique brand of music making, affectionately and accurately known as Rocket-Soul, combining soul vocals and psychedelic funk/rock/blues/jazz guitar. Prince is a prolific songwriter and a dynamite entertainer who has toured for a generation as the leader of Moon Boot Lover. Although the heart of his operation and fan base can be found in the North East, Peter, without label support, has generated die-hard fans throughout America. His music can be heard on: The Groove, a rare album originally released on cassette, featuring a twenty year old Peter Prince singing and playing like a man possessed, four MBL albums (two of which feature Neil and Allen Evans from Soul Live), the recently released, “Solo Acoustic” album, Earthdriver’s second album, “Earthdriver”, “After All This Time” featuring Johnny Trauma and the Trauma Unit and countless bootlegs circulated by the fans themselves.
Alex Alexander
Alex Alexander is one of NYC’s most in demand and well credentialed drummers. Having recorded and or performed with artists ranging from Bernie Worell to Eminem, from Ritchie Blackmore to Dido, from Chaka Kahn to Toots and the Maytalls, Hiram Bullock, Nile Rogers, Dougie Fresh and countless others, Alex brings a range of experience, the equivalent of which, few players can claim. With his electronic African percussion Alex brings an inimitable flavor to Earthdriver recordings and performances, bringing both rhythm and ambiance into the mix. If you’re listening to an Earthdriver song you might hear something that you think is a guitar or a keyboard that just might be Alex on percussion.
Mahina Movement
Mahina Movement is the phenomenal 3 women trio who combine poetry and song to create passionate music tied to flesh and bone, straight from the heart. Mahina Movement’s extraordinary melodies tell stories of the personal and political wrapped with courage, strength and awareness of human struggle and connection. 3 voices and one guitar blend into a powerful force, mixing folk, rock and rhymes in English, Spanish, and Tongan simmered with indigenous roots and culture. Mahina Movement’s rare sound and vision not only creates a raw, fierce artistic “movement” combining traditional and contemporary poetry, music, painting, theater, and ritual but also, is constantly generating a strong, steady “movement” for community—consisting of radical love, unstoppable activism and ruthless compassion.Based and consistently building and creating in New York City, Mahina Movement not only lives in New York but also makes sure to contribute their multi-talents of creativity and organizing in a place they call home. Having deep roots from all over the world—Mexico, Ireland, Tonga and Africa—Mahina Movement consists of a Musician from Hollis, Queens; a Dancer from Texas and a Painter from Utah. Together, they have carved and crafted a world of musical and artistic possibilities, running outside of boxes and crossing borders and limits. They have combined their skills, cultures, ancestors, stories and languages to reach the masses and ignite inspiration in the face of resignation and cynicism.
Mahina Movement has caused performance fires on stages with Amina and Amiri Baraka, Tony Kushner, Sonia Sanchez, Danny Hoch, Medusa, Dead Prez , Suheir Hammad, Slum Village, Sarah Jones, Willie Perdomo, La Bruja, Immortal Technique, Tamar Kali, SpiritChild, ReadNex Poetry Squad, Hasan Salaam and many, many more!
