I live a conscious life: I know JAH is always at my side - a huge comfort and responsibility at the same time! Check out my favourite book, the Bible (I like the Iyaric version ), for some insight into what makes me tick.
Music is one of the forces that gives me the strength to trod one through life: give thanks for music! Music is a part of my family: my father plays the piano and my younger sister sings in a couple of choirs and plays piano, too.
I listen to music almost all day and night long: "my" genres are Reggae - Roots, Modern Conscious, Ragga, Dancehall and Jungle -, World Music, HipHop and Rap, Jazz, Blues, Funk and Soul. I'm a multi-instrumentalist (tenor sax, keyboards, acoustic and electric guitar, electric bass and percussion are my main ones) and feel comfortable playing in almost all genres; the music that makes my heart beat is Reggae, Jazz and Funk.
I have played in a lot of bands: in Canada, I sang and played in school-based choirs and concert bands (tenor sax and bass clarinet), a community-band (tenor sax), different school-based Big Bands and Jazz combos (tenor-sax, clarinet and stand-up bass), a ska-punk cover band (tenor-sax) and praise and worship-bands (tenor sax and guitar). In Germany, I played in the Rock Symphony Orchestra based in Freiburg (bass-clarinet); led and participated in two projects aimed at connecting HipHop-performers with musicians from other musical genres, funded by the provincial government (tenor sax, keyboard); played in an Afro-Reggae Fusion-band called Dread Fusion (riddim-guitar); a circus-band (electric guitar); a punk-band called Twice A Day (tenor sax); and recorded many samples for HipHop-producers based here in Freiburg (tenor sax).
Jah and music play a huge role in my life and influence every other aspect of it: I love to hang out and reason with open-minded people who have something to say and think that one of the most rewarding things in life is helping others. I love to hear and learn about things I don't know much about: foreign places, other cultures and lifestyles, people's takes on life, the things that make people do the things they do - that sort of thing.
When I'm at home alone, I spend a lot of time reading up things in the web; my favourite sites are music- and especially Reggae-related, for example YouTube , MySpace and Versionist .
I have many heros and people I respect for certain aspects of their personality or things they do or have done (especially when it comes to music) - I believe that every person is unique -, but first and foremost, the three most important ones to me are Yesus Kristos, Haile Selassie I and my father.
Music:
Greetings in the Divine Name of
Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ,
who has been revealed to us in that wonderful personality of
His Imperial Majesty Emperor Haile Selassie I of Ethiopia.
I greet you through the Twelve Tribes of Israel,
who were once lost and scattered abroad,
founded in 1968 on the island of Jamaica by
Our Beloved Brother Prophet Gad
and are now being regathered from the four corners of the earth.
I also greet you in the Orthodox Faith,
which is not a function of writs, rites, vows or laws,
but a mystical incorporated function of the heart.
In plain words, to be born again.
One Love, One World, One Unity,
One God, One Christ, One Deity,
One Aim, One Goal, One Destiny,
One Voice, One Song, One Harmony!
Check out the Iyaric version of the Bible found at
http://Members.AOL.com/Abaselama/Iyaric.html
and speeches of H.I.M. Emperor Haile Selassie I, JAH RasTafari at
http://www.JAH-RasTafari.com/Selassie-Words/RasTafari-Word.a
sp
Samson's musical preferences are Reggae (Original Dancehall, Dub, Roots, Modern Conscious and Jungle), HipHop and Rap, World Music, Jazz, Blues, Funk, Soul and Gospel.
He is a multi-instrumentalist, experienced and able to play and improvise in virtually all genres of music without having to rehearse much (what a solid Jazz-education can do...). In addition to his main instruments (tenor-sax and keyboards), he plays guitar, bass, percussion. Check the blog "About Samson" for further details.
Samson's Current Music-Projects
One Draw Sound (MC)
Dub Tub Riddim-Section and Backing-Band (Synthies, Tenor Sax and Percussion) - studio-work and backing-band for White Lion and JAH Jones - contact me for booking-details; looking for more studio-work (recording riddims or tunes) and singers/deejays/singjays to back
The Uplifters and Block Ice Horn Section (Tenor Sax) - contact me for booking-details
Java 3 (Tenor Sax) - Jazz-/Reggae-/Groove-trio (Sax, Keys, Drums); various performances for Starbucks (regular Sunday gig, venue-openings) and private events - contact me for booking-details
Versionist.com is a platform, where Reggae-producers and -musicians worldwide can share their tunes and ideas and collaborate. According to Samson, this concept of sharing and making music is the way of the future. He has met up with many of the Versionists at gatherings in Germany, London, New Orleans and Spain and took part in very uplifting sessions.
Music is Samson's priority. As he wants to earn a living with it, he is looking for suitable projects - if you are a producer, have a band and/or an idea, please write him a message by clicking on "Send Message" above.
Samson's Planned Collaborations
Planned projects include collaborations with the following:
Jah Slave from Spain,
Lion of Joppa from Great Britain,
Jazz Richie from New York,
Irie Jam Production ,
Sir Taki and Cadiz from Freiburg.
Movies:
Samson ls. Dubheart and Zacheous Jackson in Murcia (Feb. 20, 2008) - Truth and Rights
Samson ls. El Bib and Lorenzo in Murcia (Feb. 20, 2008) - Freedom
Samson warming up to a remix of the Block-Ice Uplifters' "Ice-Cream Love", December 2007
1st Versionist Droegentaun gathering - Session
1st Versionist Droegentaun gathering - What a Day
