Ras Smaïla profile picture

Ras Smaïla

About Me


Take a deep breath !
" AFRO led FREAKIN' FUNKY n' KOSMIC BLUESY SOUL ".
An organically grown 100% drum machine free groove.
But to quote Gil Scott Heron consider this dread first
as a Bluesician and a worshipper of the groove Holly Trinity
according to Jimi Hendrix James Brown and Fela Anikulapo Kuti.

Roots !
Ras Smaïla hails from Yoruba land (Nigeria & Benin).
He grew up between Africa, London and Paris.

Age 6 Daddy bought him a guitar but football
was his thing better than singing.

At 13 Mom got him a real one (in wood that can be tuned)
far realising the rock star vocation
she aroused in her son’s teenage mind.
“I go be black Elvis he told his mother to her great disappointment.
Keith Richard says”You don’t play Rock n’ Roll
if you don’t know your Blues”.
Then on, the kid won’t stop practicing his new alphabet :
The Bluesic. Let the boy boogie woogie!!!

Schooling !
Delta blues men like Robert Johnson,
John Lee Hooker or Mississippi John Hurt
and all the good old African
& Caribbean steaming music
(Apala, Afro beat, Salsa, Reggae, Compa…)
rocked him all his youth until he was told that Muddy Waters had
invented electricity and then could read the gospel taught by Jimi.

Experience !!!
In early 80's London, he was leader
of the funky blues band Break For The Border.
They auditioned for Chas Chandler (ex Animal ex Jimi Hendrix manager)
and began to rove the land experiencing
great vibes on stage with giants like
Memphis Slim, John Lee Hooker, and Luther Allison…

In April 99 Ras ' 1rst CD BLACK MAN'S BLUES
(ex Night & Day records) is released. Press wrote “…
a good attempt to pay his dues to the Blues.
He also wrote the soundtrack for the UK version
of Med Hondo's film WATANI
shown to critical acclaim in 1999 at both
L.A PAN AFRICAN FILM FESTIVAL
and LONDON FILM FESTIVAL.
His 2nd CD "TRUE STORY” (Dixiefrog record)
is available in all good record stores
worldwide since March 2003.”…
A rainbow of groove bridging Melody and Harmony…
to quote critics that salute and sometime wonder
about his No I.S.M just RHYTHM creed.
In 2006 his tune I’m so tired (Black Man’s Blues)
was chosen out of many hundreds during an internet song contest
and made him one of the 6 nominee
(Barry Mc Cabe David Brewer
Hattie Wilcox Sliddin Slim and Mike Handerson)
to attend the 2006 Finland Blues
contest grand final at Venta Finland on June 10th 2006.

From radio concerts and interviews
to live TV shows his music has led him
across the globe sometimes backing other great soul
and Blues artists such as Boney Fields or Diana Hamilton
and reggae acts like Salim Jah Peter Saï Saï Ras Naya or Lyricson…
He is now working on his next CD Steaming Soul Stew
to be released soon along with a DVD showing him live
on stage with his Serial Groovaz.

Those believing blues tradition a thing
of the past are fooling themselves.
RAS SMAÏLA is the green yellow and red next generation,
forever looking up to the elders but loaded
with that brand new Afro Soul Funky inspiration.

----------------------------------

Inspirez profondément !
FREAKIN FUNKY 'n KOSMIC BLUESY SOUL afroïsée.
Du groove bio 100% exempt de drum machine.
Pour faire simple et en citant, Gil Scott Heron,
considérez d'abord ce "Dread" comme un "Bluesician"
fervent disciple de la sainte trinité du groove
selon Jimi Hendrix James Brown et
Fela Anikulapo Kuti.

Racines !
Ras Smaïla est un fils de la terre Yoruba
(Nigeria et République du Bénin).
Il grandit entre l' Afrique Londres et Paris.
A 6 ans Papa lui offre une guitare mais le Dieu football
à ses raisons que toute raison ignore.
A 13 Maman lui en offre une vraie (en bois et qui s'accorde)
loin d'imaginer la vocation de rock star qu'elle suscite alors en lui.
Dés lors au grand désarroi de sa mère il ne cessera
de pratiquer son nouvelle alphabet le Blues car Keith Richard dit
" ... Tu ne joues pas le Rock 'n Roll si tu connais pas ton Blues fiston.
Donc " Let the boy boogie woogie ".

Ecole !
La Soul music le Funk le Rock, les Blues men du Delta
tel Robert Johnson, John Lee Hooker ou Mississippi John Hurt
et toute la bouillonnante musique Africaine et Caribéenne
( Apala et Juju music, Afro beat, Reggae, Salsa, Compa ...)
l'ont bercé durant toute sa jeunesse. Mais un jour il apprit que
Muddy Waters avait inventé l'électricité.
Il sut alors lire l'évangile selon Jimi.

Experience !!!
A Londres dans les année 80,
il est leader du Funky Blues band "Break For The Border"
et auditionne pour Chas Chandler ex Animal,
ancien manager de Jimi Hendrix.
Commence alors une vie de rolling stone à travers l'Europe
où il vit d'intenses moments en partageant la scène de géants
tels que Luther Allison, Memphis Slim ou John Lee Hooker ...

Avril 99 sortie de son 1er CD Black Man's Blues
(an ex Night & Day records). Une excellente tentative
de payer son due au Blues selon la presse qu'il en reçu.
Il est aussi le compositeur du soundtrack de la version UK
du film de Med Hondo WATANI présenté et acclamé en 99
au L.A Pan African Film festival et au London Film festival.
Son 2nd CD "True Story" (a Dixiefrog Records)
est dans les bacs du monde entier depuis Mars 03...
" Un arc en ciel de groove de mélodie
et d'harmonie rythmique pour citer la critique qui salue
mais aussi s'interroge sur son credo " No I.S.M just RHYTHM ".

En 2006 sa chanson I'm so tired (Black Man's Blues)
est sélectionnée parmi des centaines d'autres sur internet
et en fait l'un des 6 finalistes nominés
(Barry MC Cabe David Brewer Hattie Wilcox Sliddin Slim
Mike Henderson) pour la finale
du 2006 Finland Blues contest à Venta Finlande.
De concerts radio diffusés (BBC, Fou du roi, RTL2, Oui FM...)
en live TV shows (France O, MCM...)
sa musique l'a mené autours du globe
en accompagnant parfois d'autres grands artistes Soul
ou Blues tels Boney Fields et Diana Hamilton
ou de la scène Reggae comme
Faya Dub Salim Jah Peter Saï Saï Ras Naya Lyricson ou Ras Naya...
Il prépare la sortie de son prochain CD Steaming Soul Stew
ainsi qu'un DVD le montrant lui et son Serial Groovaz live en concert.

Ceux qui croient la tradition du BLUES un truc du passé se trompent.
RAS SMAÏLA est "the next generation", vert jaune rouge
pour toujours respectueuse des anciens
mais chargée d'une nouvelle inspiration Afro Funky Soul.

My Interests

Music:

Member Since: 10/25/2006
Band Website: www.ras-smaila.com
Band Members:
Influences: Jimi Hendrix, Robert Johnson, Muddy Waters, B. B king, Steve Ray Vaughan, Fela Kuti, Bob Marley
Sounds Like: Kosmic Afro Soul & Blues music
Record Label: dixiefrog
Type of Label: Indie

My Blog

Love & Peace to get rid of ISM

I wanna tune your mind on a new way of thinking Switch your soul on a new wave of feeling Set your heart beat on the right pace for loving. Love and Peace are the only means to turn&nbs...
Posted by on Thu, 01 May 2008 07:18:00 GMT