Album Notes

Instrumentation
Guitar/Vox: Rich Sheldon
Keys/Vox: Erich "Hatch" Gann
Bass: Guy Silliman
Drums: Brad Rhodus

RSB has just released their 2nd LP entitled “Shangri-La” which was recorded live in the studio.

Biography

Rebel Soul Band is a labor of love mixing the elements of quality songwriting with a groovin' rock n’ roll band to create a true art form. RSB breaks through the limitations of style to play funk, blues, reggae, ragtime, bluegrass, jazz and psychedelic rock while creating music with a message. It begins with the lives of four musicians hailing from Pennsylvania, Georgia, Texas, and California all with a passion for improvisational GROOVE oriented Rock n’ Roll.

In 1997 singer-songwriter/guitarist Rich Sheldon placed an ad in the LA weekly looking for a drummer influenced by “jam bands” to complete the line-up of an original band. Brad Rhodus quickly came to the rescue with his dynamic drumming, but shortly afterwards the project fizzled out. Rich went on to form other projects and began developing a bluesy, groovy guitar style while Brad occasionally joined him, filling in as the drummer at a couple of festival performances. Then in the winter of 2002, Brad and Rich formed RSB, and Venice Beach became their stomping grounds. They were convinced that a keyboardist was needed and found Erich “Hatch” Gann on the web in January of 2005. Hatch had an uncanny ability for improv and harmonies and immediately began traveling and gigging with RSB. In September of 2005, the last piece of the puzzle came together when bass player Guy Silliman jumped into the whirlwind with his groovy bass-lines and quickly learned RSB’s diverse tunes. The quartet went into the studio to record a “live” album in December 2005 entitled “Shangri-La” and have been performing non-stop at various venues ever since.

This Los Angeles band’s live studio recordings have been showcased on the 97.1 FM “Frosty, Heidi, and Frank show”, the popular classic rock station 95.5 FM KLOS “Local Licks”, and on KPFK 90.7 FM with Barry Smolin’s “The Music Never Stops” as well as on various college radio stations in the US.

They’ve received national recognition in RELIX magazine’s “On The Verge” section, then won a spot on the 2004 RELIX JAM OFF compilation CD.

RSB has also been invited to perform at several festivals throughout California, including: Union Street Faire '05 (San Francisco, CA); LA Art Fest '05 (Los Angeles, CA); Los Angeles Marathon '04 & '05; Whole Earth Festival '04 (Davis, CA); North Park Spring Festival '04 (San Diego, CA); The Venice Carnivale '04 (Venice Beach, CA); Topanga Days '02 (Topanga, CA); and Millpond Traditional Music Festival '00 (Bishop, CA).

Collectively the members of RSB have opened for Blues Traveler, Widespread Panic, Dave Matthews Band, Sting, Merle Saunders, The Radiators, Leftover Salmon, Ramblin' Jack Elliot, Chris Hillman, David Lindley, Big Head Todd & the Monsters, Cherry Poppin’ Daddys, The Verve Pipe, Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Big Bad Voo Doo Daddy and Sweetwater.