Soul Majestic
Want a taste of a new generation of music? Try Soul Majestic’s carefully crafted recipe that incorporates the talents of multiple vocalists, both male and female, blends in a youthful Jamaican-style edge with conscious lyrics, and adds a dash of laid-back California surf vibe and earth awareness. Pepper in an unrefined activist message with organic, highly danceable music, and finish up with an aroma of soulful and sultry musings on love, and you’ve got a hearty helping of Soul Majestic. Soul Majestic’s musical recipe is not one whipped up by corporate interests for mass production of a cheap product to force feed the population, but one handed down from ancestors and elders, and developed through the process of sharing.
This particular version emerged when three talented young musicians, Eric Iverson, David Lyons and Brian Jarvis connected in the fertile ground nestled between California’s coast and Santa Barbara’s majestic mountain range. From seaside drum circles to the eventual formation of a popular local psychedelic-folk-rock-reggae band called Lighting Bug Johnson, the three bonded and the roots of Soul Majestic took hold. In 1999, what would become Soul Majestic began to take shape.
With Eric-I on vocals (and initially drums) and David on lead guitar, they began to assemble the ingredients for a team of players that included full horn section and female harmony vocals. Enter Oriana Sanders, a soulful songstress from Los Angeles. With a background in Soul and R&B, a stint with another Cali based reggae project, and a resume that included recording on two movie soundtracks, Oriana was the perfect compliment to Eric’s colorful and complex music writing style and David’s technical and intricate rock infused guitar licks. The only element missing was the percussive spicing that eventually brought Brian back into the mix. Over the course of time Soul Majestic took on several incarnations, shifting personnel and evolving their sound with each successive album they recorded independently.
Their self-titled debut album, released in 2002, was followed up in 2004 with a full band exodus to the birthplace of reggae and origin of the musical flavor, the island of Jamaica. While there, they recorded their second album, entitled Until That Day, at Bob Marley’s Tuff Gong Studio in Kingston, enlisting the involvement of some of their heroes like Sly and Robbie and Anthony B. Immersing themselves in the culture living in a humble house in Portmore, they gained a greater understanding of the origins and current direction of reggae music. They also learned some difficult lessons, and did some wising up after getting hustled by their would-be producer.
If hard lessons and tough experiences were a theme in the band’s career, the next course would be served when life dished up another plate of bitters: Oriana was diagnosed with Hodgkins Lymphoma. While Soul Majestic was in the midst of recording their third album, she underwent chemotherapy and radiation, emerging triumphant over the disease to stay with her now husband Eric and continue the dream they stirred together.
Through trials and tribulations, the character and confidence of each individual in the band has solidified, and the result is a maturity that is reflected in the current repertoire. Supported by a collection of quality and influential roots musicians including the explosive and skillful Jayme Arredondo on drums, steady rolling bass from Thomas "Toads" Marcelino, texture and vibes from Seth Theodore on keys, and at times a third vocalist and live horns, Soul Majestic is poised to take on the world. Sizzling musicianship, crowd-hyping dub breaks, occasional acoustic ballads, and fresh, inspiring lyrics delivered via alternating male/female lead vocals from Eric-I and Oriana continue to whet the appetite of a wide array of music enthusiasts.
Another tasty treat from Soul Majestic, their third and highly anticipated album entitled Better World will be released in spring 2009, featuring 13 incredible and diverse tracks including collaborations with Sly and Robbie, Tony Moses and Trinidad’s Queen Omega, as well as production and a handful of rhythms by Million 7 Sound. Already in the studio with more follow up material simmering on the back burner, Soul Majestic is gearing up for the next chapter in their rich biography. This momentum has attracted enthusiastic and talented new management and an innovative internet-savvy marketing team with an understanding of the strategy necessary to navigate the changing music industry. The team is focused on helping Soul Majestic to promote their message.
Planning to tour extensively in support of the album, the band’s mission to raise awareness of global interconnectedness, and how people’s actions impact one another and the earth, has moved to the forefront. The band has played several benefit shows in support of organizations promoting peace, environmental education, and the compassionate use of medical marijuana, and plans future work with organizations that are aligned with their mission and world-views. Watch for them on the road in their 15-passenger Bio-diesel tour van gathering their tribe for the great feast. For appetizers check the band’s web site, Myspace, or Facebook.
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