Growing up in Detroit Michigan and into a family of musicians/singers, I realized after some time, music was my calling. The first bass guitar put into my hands by childhood friend Jesse Smith. Jesse played the bass guitar as well as the lead guitar at the ripe age of 12 years old. Jesse taught me a swing blues line, which I have incorporated into my solo ever since.
Coming up in Detroit Michigan, I generally would hear about 4 main genres of music styles, R&B, Jazz, Gospel, Rock. I jammed with a garage band (We never got out of the garage), then onto playing drums with a gospel band. I started out on drums in Jr. high school.
Finally moving to Los Angeles where I played the bass guitar and toured with many well known artists, such as "The Kraze", Derek Bordeaux group. Even the pop artist Anastacia, who joined The Kraze back, and was signed out of our band The Kraze by Epic Records (Sony).
-fast forward-
Now living in the Eastern Europe country of Tallinn Estonia, yes a culture shock. But, Since I have settled into the swing of things, and everything is looking very good.
There are actually 2 main bands I perform with. One is Lament, an 8pc high energy R&B band with a killa horn section called "the Estonian Horny Horns". All the band members are from Tallinn Estonia. I virtually got off the boat from Helsinki Finland by way of flying in from Los Angeles California and jump into a sound check and a quick rehearsal with Lament to get familiar with tunes before a concert that evening, that was December 13th 2002.
In Lament, I am the bass guitarist/lead vocalist. Lament does mostly cover music. Lament does have their own recorded material, but hasn’t decided what to do with them. Lament is one of the most busiest band in all of Estonia, ripping up the scene with their high energy show in every stop.
I soon developed "Plookie w/ Fire Pon Ice" my dream reggae band back in 2004.
With my Finnish connection’s, I started this roots reggae band, doing my own compositions, some of the tunes were and are played over popular reggae and dance hall riddims, as well as new up coming riddim producers like Jah Slave from Espania, Kojak deadly from Helsinki Finland, KDP from Sicily, Light Up Creation from France, King Jubby from UK, and many more heavy hitters of roots reggae music.
At the moment, while performing with Lament and Toping, I am also writing for about 4 to 5 artists from the Baltic and Scandinavian countries and myself.
I love writing lyrics with my reggae band more then ever. I’m very conscious to the matters of our world we live in.
Soon come a new serious roots reggae cd "Brain Food".
Positivity all the time!
For booking info for "PLOOKIE w/ Fire Pon Ice" [email protected]
James Werts @ [email protected]
R&B with Lament @ www.lament.ee video’s n music
My gear:
Eden 600 watts "Highwayman" pre amp
Eden 210xlt speaker cab
Pavel Jazz Pro 5 Deluxe a.k.a. "Blue Butta"
Bossa 5 string bass guitar (with Aguilar pre-amp hiding inside)
MXR Octave pedal, for that double trouble of FUNK!
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