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SOJA
Over the years,
the Washington, D.C. music scene
has become best known for its
hardcore (Minor Threat) and
go-go (Trouble Funk) alumni, but
as evidenced by the great Bad
Brains, reggae has been
represented as well. SOJA has
risen to the forefront, picking
up right where the Brains left
off – creating their own blend
of conscious roots music
entwined with the traditional
rhythms of reggae, it “comes
across with passion and depth.”
(Washington Post ’06)
That said, SOJA is not that easy
to define. Although they are
rooted in reggae, they are not
limited to it; their fan-base
reflects this with a very
diverse population. The music
includes and embraces all walks
of life - it has no prejudice –
it is for everyone. The band
grew up listening to reggae,
hip-hop, and rock. In their
sound, reggae became the
predominate influence because it
is dedicated to a real message
and promotes revolution.
The group, which includes a pair
of lead singers who also pull
double duty - Jacob Hemphill
(guitar) and Bob Jefferson
(bass) – as well as Patrick
O’Shea on keyboard,
percussionist Ken Brownell, and
drummer Ryan Berty, originally
came together in 1997. Since
2000, the quintet has issued
three full length albums and one
EP – their latest, ‘Get Wiser,’
is their third for the group’s
own label, Innerloop.
Hemphill explains the meaning of
the album’s title. “The new
album is called ‘Get Wiser’ –
that’s the idea. We as a society
tend to have blinders on. We are
trying to uplift peoples’
consciousness by breaking down
what makes us blind. To do this,
we got to bring back truth.
People get wiser.”
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“Every song is
different of course.” Hemphill
continues, “I found music to be
a way to express myself -
through my life I’ve never been
able to express myself well in
conversations, but I can do it
through music. It’s like my way
to talk.”
Ever the road warriors (SOJA
averages 150 gigs per year), the
group will be supporting their
latest release with a healthy
amount of live dates this year
on the “Get Wiser Tour”. With
such a list of accumulated live
dates, a specific high point is
hard to pin down, but Brownell
remembers a particular
performance. “One of the shows
that remains in the front of my
mind was playing in Guam for the
first time for nearly 6,000
fans. That was an amazing
experience.”
With SOJA calling their own
shots, ‘Get Wiser’ proves that
the band’s message and music
will only continue to grow
stronger with each successive
release. In support of their
latest album, “Get Wiser”, SOJA
is embarking on a journey around
the world.
SOJA Members:
Jacob Hemphill - Lead Vocals, Guitar
Bob Jefferson - Lead Vocals, Bass
Ken Brownell - Percussion
Ryan Berty - Drums
Patrick O'Shea- Keyboards
SOJA Links:
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