JMT

HAD TO GET BACK TO MY ROOTS...Although I have been influenced by numerous styles of music from all around this incredible planet, for the last 10 years or so, a majority of my live gigs as well as my studio works have been directed toward the Hip-Hop/Soul/Jazz vibe or on the Reggae tip. Most people knew ONLY of my drum work with DeShannon or Damian. Although, some of my most memorable gigs of late have been the unexpected connection with groups that were flying under my radar. Like the Irish/Folk/Rock group I was so blessed to play with while I was living in Hawai'i or the Indian Dub/Raga ensemble I was so fortunate to be a part of while in San Francisco.... To make a LONG story short, I NEEDED TO GET BACK TO MY ROOTS as well as explore other energies in order to keep my creative spirit from turning on me...

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SINCE MY VERY FIRST MUSICAL EXPERIENCE OVER 25 YEARS AGO, IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN MY VISION TO ENLIGHTEN, ENRAGE AND INSPIRE THROUGH MY MUSIC... Part booty shakin', sweat drippin', everybody trippin' groove-a-thon. Part soul deliverance. Part cosmic transformation and part social activism assembly all rolled up into one big funk ball... Influenced by old-school American Hip-Hop, Soul and Jazz, folkloric Afro-Cuban rhythms, traditional Indian ragas, modern drum & bass grooves, Hawaiian slack key, Brazilian batucadas, Jamaican Dance Hall & Reggae beats. I have had the opportunity to collaborate and fuse many genres. BUT... In this project, it was time to get back to the basics of Rock & Roll (OK... FUNK & SOUL).

BIO FROM URB MAGAZINE (2004):Influences ran deep and early in Jason Tobosa's life. "My father and mother always had music and musicians around the house." Says Tobosa. "There were always musical instruments around which allowed me to hone my skills on the piano, guitar, vibes, bass, trombone and eventually settle on the drums." Not only did he fall in love with the drums... he fell in love with music. "My father was a professional Jazz musician, and I remember vividly, everybody coming to our house after the gigs at like 3:00am to continue the jam session. I would often fall asleep to Duke Ellington tunes being played live, right in our living room, and this is when I was like 6 or 7 years old." Jason was exposed to Jazz greats such as Cal Tjader and Wes Montgomery at an early age through his parents but it was his siblings (who were 8 to12 years his senior) who turned him on to the unmistakable sounds of the 70's. "My sisters were listening to Stevie Wonder, The Beatles, Roberta Flack, The Beach Boys, Earth, Wind & Fire, Chicago. But it was my brother who brought home the album that changed my life", adds Tobosa. That album was "Black Market" by the ground breaking fusion group Weather Report.Once in high school Tobosa had been introduced to even more music through his peers. " Some of my homeboys were into Black Sabbath, AC/DC, Iron Maiden, Led Zeppelin. Others were in the thick of the Hip-Hop hay-day pop-lockin' and breakin' to Whodini, Run DMC, Afrika Bambaata, KRS-One. While others were freeing their minds listening to Bob Marley, Yellowman and Gregory Issacs," adds Tobosa. "Actually, I was heavily into skateboarding back in the day, so some of my friends were all about The Clash, Dead Kennedys, The Police, Black Flag, Bad Brains - and I was soaking it all in." By the end of high school Tobosa's unique drumming style had been etched and all of the influences present.Following high school and through the advice of friend and fellow drummer/percussionist Tiki Pasillas (Marc Anthony, Tito Puente, Pancho Sanchez, Michael Jackson, Destiny's Child) Tobosa attended The Berklee College of Music in Boston, Mass.and eventually ended up in Hollywood, California where he would attend The Percussion Institute of Technology and receive the "Musical Stylist Award" for Best Funk Drummer which led to a teaching position at the Hollywood school.From Tony Award winner Lea Solanga to Damian 'Jr. Gong' Marley, Jason Tobosa has definitely carried around a diverse drum chair this year.- A. Mills