Member Since: 12/30/2006
Band Website: www.dublane.com [email protected]
Band Members: INFO : LIVE GIGS.
The ‘SOUNDS OF THE EARTH’ band has a standard line-up :
DRUMMER
BASS GUITARIST
KEYBOARD
PLAYER
PERCUSSIONIST
LEAD GUITARIST
The band has performed internationally, usually supporting Bryan Wilson, but occasionally other vocalists. The band began playing together in 1990.
Band Members
Will ‘The President’ ( Bad Boy Bassy.)
Will has chosen to specialise in playing reggae, ragga, drum n’ bass and R n’ B. Based in East London, Will has played for a variety of local bands, but his priority is to the Sounds of the Earth Band. Will plays kit drums, and percussion, and he has also created a number of his own rhythm tracks in an R n’ B style. Self-taught, Will feels that his main influences have been Robbie Shakespeare ( Black Uhuru amongst many others) and Stanley Clarke, a renowned Jazz player. When asked about any future developments in his musical career, Will says, ‘LET THE MUSIC PLAY; Always ready with my bass.†Will also helps to manage a successful Caribbean food shop in the East End.
Sarah O’Connor ( Keyboard player.)
Sarah is a professional musician, with a classically orientated music degree from Bristol University. Having focused upon classical music during her education, as a secondary music teacher in East London, she felt that in order to offer a full music curriculum to her pupils, it was necessary to learn more about world music styles. It was during an African drumming workshop in 1990 that she met Bryan Wilson, and became interested in becoming a part of the Sounds of the Earth Band. Sarah became a founder member of the band, and she has become an integral part of the composing and arranging of the music. With a classically trained singing voice, Sarah introduces a different type of sound to the backing vocals, and her broad musical training enables her to offer a different perspective to the ‘fusion’ songs. Sarah also works as a music teacher and therapist for children with special needs in the South London area.
Trevor ‘Zeb’ Westcarr ( lead / rhythm guitar )
Trevor has a variety of musical interests, but has chosen to focus upon guitar during the last 16 years. Trevor considers himself to be a self-taught guitarist, however he has attended workshops exploring a variety of musical styles in recent years. These have included blues, jazz, and contemporary popular styles which have inevitably introduced a more diverse playing style with elements of fusion. Trevor has been inspired by Bob Marley on many levels, and has been strongly influenced by his contribution to rhythm guitar playing. Other influences include Peter White ( soul ), Carlos Santana, John Lee Hooker, George Benson and John Williams to name but a few. In addition to performing with the ‘Sounds of the Earth Band’ extensively during the last decade, Trevor has also been involved in other projects including a tour of Malta with a blues band, and is currently working on some new material. Presently, Trevor works as a library manager within the Southwark catchment area.
Live Performance Style
Bryan Wilson and the ‘Sounds of the Earth Band’ incorporate a variety of musical styles within a performance :
Drumming
There are two main styles of ‘pure’ drumming within the set; ‘
‘Nyahbinghi’, a traditional Jamaican style, based on the heartbeat, and closely associated with Rastafarian spiritual gatherings. At times, this music can include a simple bass pattern and folk-style chanting or singing.
More traditional African-style drumming, with a strong pulse, and solo sections alternating between drum kit and percussionist. Bryan Wilson performs ‘drums’, a song focusing upon history of slavery and the traditional function of drums in the African community. Bryan usually performs a solo dance, including traditional African movements and free contemporary movements.
Traditional Reggae
A number of Bryan Wilson’s songs are chanted over a Seventies style drum and bass groove, based upon Jamaica’s renowned ‘Sly and Robbie feel.’ Bass lines featured include ‘Taxi’ and ‘Murderer’, as well as original compositions in a similar style. The performance also includes some ‘dancehall’ numbers, with Bryan Wilson using a DJ style, stopping and starting the music, and keeping the musical pace of change swift. The music is eighties style ragga, sometimes using known bass lines, for example ‘sycamore tree’ or the ever popular ‘punnany.’
Fusion
Bryan Wilson and the band include some songs which are not so easily categorised. The music style for these songs have been generated according to the lyrical content, to complement the meaning and highlight the impact. A few of these songs include :
‘ In the Beginning’ – this is a song focusing upon the late twentieth century ecological crisis. Musically, beginning with a ‘painful birth’, the song centres on a heartbeat, with the percussion and guitar sound painting the lyrical suffering. The song touches upon a musical / dramatic performance, combined with specific lighting, and sometimes a complementary slide show.
‘ Victim’ – this is a politically orientated song, highlighting the effect of the system upon sufferers, or people with a different socio-economic viewpoint. Musically, the song begins in a 90ties-style ‘R n B’ groove, with sustained strings moving between two clashing choirs. There is a gradual build up of musical tension, with the backing vocalists gradually dominating the musical landscape. Three backing vocalists sing different melodies, with Bryan rapping. As the song ends, the effect of the intertwining vocal lines is that the victims of the community seem to call for recognition.
Bryan Wilson’s Personal Performance Style
Bryan’s own personal style dominates the set; his strong personality forms a very direct bond with the audience, and demands increasing audience participation throughout the set. Bryan puts a great deal of personal energy into a performance; he dances, chants, sings, raps and plays percussion. Bryan’s vocal performance consists of three main styles – rapping, singing and chanting, for different effects. The uniting factor throughout his creative output is his clear commitment to socio-political comment with an underlying humanitarian slant.
Commitment and Involvement with issues
Bryan has been using his creative abilities to support the community, as well as more world orientated issues. Bryan has performed in a number of cultural events, including Africabana, Caribbean week in Cambridge University, Rastafest supporting Ras Michael touring in Canada, Community arts in Wimbledon, Kwakoe, (Black history month, Amsterdam,) Jamaican Independence celebrations, (Berlin) as well as organising International Cultural evenings in the School of Oriental and African Studies. As can be seen from the list of major gigs, Bryan has performed in benefits supporting a number of causes.
These include :
ANC, PARAH ( project against racial harassment,) YRE ( youth against racism ) Anti Nazi League, The London Lighthouse and The Northern Counties Trust, (supporting people with HIV & aids ) Cancel Third World Debt, Whizz Kidz ( supporting children with physical disabilities) Benefit for Bosnia, Wielka Orkiestra Swiatecznej Pomocy, ( Polish equivalent of children in need ) Gandalf Defendants Campaign, M25 justice campaign, Benefit gig for Asylum Seekers, Amnesty International, International Women’s Week.
Bryan has supported some issues consistently including the legal struggle for Mumia Abu-Jamal in America, and the Kurdish struggle for freedom and a homeland. Bryan has organised numerous gigs to support Mumia Abu-Jamal, and to inform as many people as possible about the situation through a create medium. Bryan feels particularly involved with this fight as he is totally opposed to the death penalty, and committed to exposing police corruption of the legal process. In Summer 1995, when Mumia was due to be executed, Bryan organised a tour all over Germany, visiting a number of major towns, including Berlin, Essen, Hamburg, and Leipzig.
Bryan’s involvement with the Kurdish struggle dates from 1996, when he first became aware of the community by seeing their flag, which has the same colours as the traditional Rastafarian flag – red, yellow (gold) and green. Through this connection, Bryan felt a natural affinity with them, as they have been deprived of their natural homeland, and persecuted for their cultural identity, in a similar way to the African experience of slavery. Bryan and his band performed in Trafalgar Square, in the ‘Peace in Kurdistan Festival,’ which established him as a performer committed to this issue. Since that date, Bryan has performed on Kurdish television ‘ Med TV’ on numerous occasions, and travelled to Belgium, Germany and France to perform and support Kurdish Festivals. Bryan has helped to organise events in London, and the local Kurdish communities in the city.
Reviews of Live Gigs
Rastafest – Canada, 1993
We were invited as a Rastafarian delegation form England, for a mini-tour in Canada – covering Toronto, Montreal and Ottowa. ‘Rastafest’ was a Rastafari Arts and Kulcha festival, which included discussion workshops focusing upon the direction of the religion in the 1990ties, arts and crafts exhibitions, poetry performances, dances and live music events. The intention was that the festival should encompass all aspects of Rastafarian culture, not just the music, but also disseminate knowledge and encourage education and sharing of information. As a group, we were keen to become involved in such a positive venture, and meet the Rastafarian community in Canada.
The headline artist for the festival was Ras Michael and the Sons of Negus, one of the original Jamaican Nyahbinghi bands. We were honoured to tour with this band, and they showed us respect as fellow artists throughout our performances. The performances were very well supported by the community, and despite being unknown by the audience, we were greeted very warmly. Bryan Wilson feels that these performances were amongst some of the most successful to date, as the audiences were very responsive, particularly to ‘drums’, a live drumming song.
Wielka Orkiestra Swiatecznej Pomocy – Poland, 1996
This festival took place in Szczecin Dabie, an industrial town near the German border. The festival was very similar to Glastonbury in England, although with a greater variety of music, and a slightly eccentric atmosphere, as the ‘hippy’ generation was very much in evidence in the clothes, attitude and blend of music. The festival was actually organised as a ‘Children in Need’ charity event, with all the artists all offering their services to support the organisation. The event was broadcast live on Channel 7, a major Polish television station, and due to our positive reception, we were also invited to hold a live interview the following day.
The festival was very well supported, with at least 50,000 young people ready to party. The festival took place over a weekend, with everyone camping out. As the only Jamaican reggae artists performing, when the Sounds of the Earth arrived, the audience rushed up to the band members, wanting autographs and to take photographs. The performance was incredible experience which put us onto a natural high; the band could feel the force and positive vibes of 50,000 people, caught up with the sound of live African drumming.
Other special memories include the lorry-load of wedding cake from the Krisna ceremony – enough for everyone there. Also looking down into the crowd, and seeing everyone ‘conga-ing’ and dancing wildly to the music. One fan held up an enormous marihuana plant, and threw it onto the stage during our set in tribute. Performing in Poland was a stunning experience, and we felt that we could only succeed.
Friedensfestival Kurdistan – September, 1996
This event was one of the many Kurdish festivals that the Sounds of the Earth had been involved in. The festival was an all day event, intended for the Kurdish community in Europe, and took place in a huge football stadium, the equivalent to Wembley stadium in England. The event was broadcast live on the Kurdish television channel, MedTV.
The festival focused upon Kurdish culture, with dancing and music to celebrate the innate fighting spirit of the community of the Kurdish nation. These events serve to bond the community, and reinforce the cultural originality; ensuring that the children remain involved in the struggle to return to their homeland.
Bryan Wilson and the Sounds of the Earth was honoured to be the first non-Kurdish group to be invited to perform at this event. Our reception was warm, welcoming and positive, with the young people particularly responsive to the stirring blend of live poetry and rhythmic music. Our performance cemented our relationship with the Kurdish performing community, and we have participated in a variety of Kurdish cultural festivals since, all over Europe.
Influences: Shake Alvoro, Bob Marley, Curtis Mayfield, Malcom X, Dr. King, Steve Beko, Fidel Castro and AND MAY OTHER MORE WHO TRAD THROUGH CREATION AND FIGHT FOR PEOPLE'S RIGHTS.
Sounds Like: Me
Record Label: Unsigned