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A lively and exciting nine piece band which combines Breakbeat, Ska, Rap, and Dub in a high energy musical fusion. The name Maroon Town is taken from a remote upland community in Jamaica, formed by runaway slaves. The multiracial band Maroon Town started life in Brixton in 1990, and while sticking to their fiercely independent ethos, they have released four critically acclaimed albums to world success. The inspiring live act has been performing at prestigious venues and festivals all over the continent, from Scandinavia to Spain. They have even toured Japan, Canada and Venezuela; and in 2000 they have toured in Barbados, Jamaica, Sri Lanka, Brunei, Indonesia and Central Asia, doing concerts and music workshops with the British Council. From the end of 2001 until January 2002, they toured in India ... till today they are still travelling all over the planet.
Maroon Town made history when they were sponsored to the tune of £100,000 by Dr. Martens. This was Britain's biggest ever deal between an unsigned act and a major corporate sponsor. It guaranteed the independence and autonomy of the band who used the sponsorship to write, record and promote their latest album. Beside that, Maroon Town got financial support from the Performing Right Society Foundation for the award given to them as a result of an application to the PRS Foundation Awards to ensembles. They are featured regularly by the British Council through invitations and presentations. So Maroon Town isn't just another wannabe Reggae band of second generation Jamaican or Caribbean musicians. For one thing the band is multiethnic, with two female members. Seven of the nine honorary maroons are British-born, one is South Korean, and the manager and co-founder of the band, Deuan German, was born in Spaldings of Welsh/Jamaican parents.
And Maroon Town's music, although categorised sometimes as Reggae, is really an innovative blend of get-up-on-your-feet-and-dance music with noticeable elements of Ska, Rap, Jazz, Soul, and Funk. Most of their songs are original, and unlike many examples out of North America, their Rap-style lyrics are positive, non-violent, uplifting, and intelligible.
"Why haven't we heard of them before?" - This was asked by the media in Cannes, France, when they appeared at Midem 99 and were the unanimously acclaimed highlight of the festival with their energetic and charismatic performing style.
Line Up:
Ally Pearce - keyboards
Deuan German - guitar
Dina Vass - vocals
Enric-Mick Morena - drums
Jamie Anderson - saxophone
Michael Choi - bass
Rajan Datar- keyboards, samples
Simon Finch - trumpet
Sirreal - MC
Discography:
'High and Dry' - debut album originally released on Staccato/Link Records (1990) Produced by The Special's drummer John "Brad" Bradbury, re-released by Hous Of Ska (1999)
'Are You Ready?' - featuring Roots, 3 track single
'New Dimension' - 12 tracks, third album
'Don Drummond' - 14 track CD released only in Spain
02.2005
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