jay

Bio:

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Jay was brought up in Zimbabwe from the age of seven amongst the Shona and N'Dbele tribes and was inspired by the African rhythms, first taking up drumming. At 16 Jay formed Morgan's Blues Band. This led to meeting most of the other current Zimbabwe musicians. He went on to play with bands such as Benny Miller, Rock Island Line and The Soul and Blues Union, after which the Experimental Beard Band was formed with Tim Elliot (currently with Blues n Trouble). At about that time the war in Zimbabwe was nearing it's boiling point and Jay organised an alternative community of musicians and lived in the forest near Harare on a farm called Maggies Farm, which was notorious for the black and white mix of music. Having been approached by Dr Footswitch, one of the most popular bands in Zimbabwe - to manage them Jay ended up fronting them with vocals and harmonica. Most of their music was political for obvious reasons and it wasn't long before the Rhodesian government sent them all draught cards to call them up for war. Jay arranged a 'draft card burning' party after which he and his associates had to flee accross the Limpopo River to South Africa or face court marshall. After living illegally in Capetown Jay started gathering musicians around him once again and formed a band called Amarda, which continued on with a political slant, playing gigs in South African colleges and universities as well as doing a rock opera at the Alambra Alternative Theatre (The death of a singer). It wasn't long before Jay was picked up by the South African police for writing subversive poetry concerning the death of the black activist leader Steve Beko and spent 18 months in prison. He was then deported to England but immediately left for Vancouver Island where he formed the reggae-rock-progressive-jazz band Common Bond, with whom he toured the west coast. In 1987 Jay and his family came to England where he met and started performing with the midlands band Company of Strangers, from which came Nama and The Greenhouse Effect. Then came the Disintegrators. The next groups of musicians Jay worked with were Pond Life, then Sundogs before foming Sun, a Glastonbury trio. Peace by Piece was Jays last band before being asked to join Altered Native and most recently forming Kufamba, who are currently recording an album 'Jackal at Your Door', which are recollections of the music and people of Zimbabwe. Jay has played bass with all the bands except Dr Footswitch, although his musical talents include cello, piano, guitar, percussion, harmonica, vocals, writing, arrangments and production.

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Member Since:

February 22, 2007

Members:

Altered Native are: Cameron; guitar, vocals. Jay; bass, vocals. Simon; drums. Kufamba: Jay; bass, vocals, guitar, harmonica, percussion. Jaia; drums, vocals, percussion. Jon; keyboards, guitar. Peace by Piece are: Frazer; guitar and 12 string. Emma Harper; lead vocals. Gem; drums. Jay; bass, vocal, percussion. Jaia; percussion. Common Bond are: Daniel Hannasson; vocals, guitar. John Wentworth; vocals, keyboards. Stu 'Studio'; drums. 'Bootsman' Kim West; percussion. Jay; bass, vocals. Nama are: Trudie Paston-Cooper; vocals, guitar. Jay; bass, vocals, percussion, harmonica. Rick Hunabab; drums. Ray Mytten; guitar, vocals. Sun are: Dannie Speakman; guitar, hand drums. Matt Fellows; vocal. Jay; bass, percussion, vocal. 'American Rob'; buttons.

Influences:

everyting in d uni verse

Sounds Like:

a hummmmm Altered Native @ Eastern Haze 2007

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Record Label:

Unsigned