Album Notes

Rachel Sierra has been writing music since the age of eight years old. At just thirteen she began performing her original songs in coffee houses all around the Bay area. She has graced numerous Wineries around Sonoma County with her soulful renditions of great Jazz standards, and performed three years in a row at Sonoma State University's Festival on the Green with her Father's band Hotlips and Fingertips. With fifteen years of experience on the piano and five on the guitar, Rachel has kept audiences intrigued with her heartfelt expressions of life, love, and everything in between. Influenced by everyone from Nina Simone to Ani DiFranco, the Beatles to Bob Dylan, Rachel delivers her powerful lyrics through many different genres of music such as Folk, Blues, Jazz, Funk, and Hip-Hop. As the front woman in her band Higher Funktion, a Humboldt County based Funk/Reggae band, Rachel has seduced many a crowd with her true to life lyrics and commanding stage presence. Higher Funktion performed from 2001-2003 at venues in San Francisco and all over Humboldt County. In 2004 Rachel left the band to pursue her dream of becoming a working performing artist and Enrolled at the Musician's Institute in Hollywood, California. It was there that Rachel met Tre Hardson formerly of the Pharcyde, the legendary Los Angeles based hip-hop group. Tre was quick to recognize her talent and swiftly recruited her for her first inter-state tour singing back up vocals for his solo project with his band Fuqawi. The tour took Rachel through California, Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Utah, and Oregon. This would prove to be just a warm up for the summer festivals of 2005 including "Reggae on the River", and the "Reggae Fest 2005" in Truckee, California where she performed along side Michael Franti and Spearhead, The Wailers, and Damian Marley. In September of 2005, Rachel left the country with Tre hardson for her first International tour. The 18 city, eight country, three week tour proved to be the most valuable stepping stone in her career, learning of the hardships and the triumphs that accompany life on the road. Rachel recently signed to Arthropoda Records in November 2006 based in her hometown of Los Angeles, California. Held under the knife is the Rachel Sierra Project’s first full length recording, released January, 2008. the Band Members are Blair Shotts (Drums), Christopher Freeman (Bass), Tiffin Roley (Guitar).
Other players on the Record include The Under the Knife Choir (Back-up vocals); Angela Carole Brown (Back-up vocals); Ryan Cross (Stand up Bass, Cello); Mark Indictor (Violin); Early McCallister (Saxophone); Mike Daigeau (Trombone); Elliot Deutsch (Trumpet); and Lance Morrison (Guest Bass).