Album Notes

RISING SON BIO

RISING SON was formed in the year 2001 when singer/songwriter Levi began to collaborate with Teknique [guitar] and K.C. Zebulon [keyboards]. The group would be assembled through a series of timely events. “It was divine providence; I had written all these songs and needed a creative outlet…all of a sudden, I started connecting with these great musicians,” says Levi. The three were later joined by Benji on bass and began to jam and rehearse a series of songs. They tried out several drummers, playing shows and recording the singles, “This Life” and “Angels” which received radio airplay.

Early in 2002 Rising Son was joined by Ezra on drums, at a music festival in Ventura, CA. “Their drummer didn’t show up and they came back stage and asked if I could fill in,” says Ezra. “Levi played me a demo tape and I was ready to go…We only played a few songs before the police shut down the show. It was a revolution! A new line up had been born.”

They recruited Jahram on backup vocals and Doc Smith on percussion. With a solidified sound, the band played shows throughout Southern California with Michael Rose, Sly and Robbie, the Twinkle Bros, H.R., Big Mountain, Gregory Isaacs, Eek-a-mouse, Mikey Dread, Barrington Levy, Culture and others. They recorded a few singles, including Plant Up, Stand Firm, and Lovely and immediately began to develop a fan base with their intense live shows. In 2003 Davey G joined the band as their new keyboard player.

In the summer of 2004, the band began recording their self-produced debut album for G.Y.O. Records. “We built a studio in this little room up in the country and recorded the album there”, recalls Levi, “…we were all going through struggles but when we got into that space, it was like returning to the essence of creation…it was beautiful.” The result is the ground-breaking 12-song masterpiece entitled Take Root. From the upbeat social commentary of Communication to the powerful acoustic soul-baring of Uprising, the tracks display a wide range of styles, while still remaining original and true.

“This music is about overcoming struggles from within and breaking through barriers and obstacles all around us through faith, determination and perseverance.”

2006 marks the long awaited release of Take Root in May. The title track has already gained a good share of airplay and positive reviews in Hawaii [98.3 Da Jam…], California [92.9 KJEE, 91.9 KCSB, 89.9 KCRW, Power 106, 100.3 The Beat] and Japan. With their unique blend of Reggae, Soul, Rock, Hip-Hop and R&B, this group is poised for international success. They are currently planning a nation-wide tour and promotional campaign…the future is looking bright for RISING SON.