...composed of the concious musicians listed here:
FredI, from Kingston, Jamaica, founder, lyricist and lead vocalist
of RESISTANCE, sings with strength and honesty that is echo of the true
message of the songs. Also an accomplished percussionist and Nyabinghi drummer,
FredI has played with Jamaican master drummer Ras Michael and Bay Area favorites,
Lambsbread.
The Stars of Joy vocal ensemble are alto Anita Brooks (left)
and soprano Yusefah Mateen (below). Anita's long history directing and singing
with a capella and choral groups includes a founding role with MothersTone,
a locally renowned group performing both nationally and internationally.
Not being able to confine herself to these accomplishments, she brings with
her the soul of a rhythmatist, as an ongoing member of Diata Diata, an all
female traditional percussion group performing traditional Congolese music.
Yusefah, also of MothersTone, is Anita's long-time singing partner.
A singer from childhood, Yusefa has a rich musical experience of her own,
ranging from gospel to classical jazz to african highlife and reggae. She
studied jazz improv and choir in college under such greats as Bill Bell.
It was very natural for her to begin performing professionally with local
and international entertainers such as Andrew Tosh, Vince Black, Raskidus,
and Rudi Mwongoze. Her aim is to resonate words that inspire, uplift, and
motivate inner development fro the betterment of human kind. Through her
music she serenely expresses love, world peace, prosperity, the will of
the Creator, and harmony.
Bubbling like the magma of a volcano's core, bass man Tom Ellliot
brings in punchy and "rhythmelodic" lines, whose immediacy fulfills
the souls and sensibilities of those who must be counted among the living!
This creative Ney York native and co-founder of the band contributes further
by writing much of the harmonic musical structures that embellish and further
express FredI's original lyics and melodies.
Having shared the stage with such international performers as Bunny
Wailer, Steel Pulse, and Peter Tosh, lead guitarist and supporting vocalist
Ras Joseph (right) has developed a lyrical and firebrand style. He
finds a fine musical home with RESISTANCE and its upful melodies. With a
skank like cold fire, rhythm work stepping like glass slippers on a marble
floor, and solos that bring the Oneness to the house, there is no equal
to Ras Joseph.
Vincent Robinson is the sound and fury behind the drums, ringing
in the new, beating out the old, timeless riddims of RESISTANCE-one-drop
to dance hall to lovers' rock and all kinds of hybrids in between. Vincent
distills his musical knowledge from experience with african and world music
projects, incuding Amandla Poets, the Heat, and various jazz ensembles and
ethnic dance classes in the San Francisco bay area.
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