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The “iron-man” of the reggae scene in Cleveland,
Ohio is without question, Carlos Jones.
Carlos’ journey is a history of Cleveland reggae itself.
He started out as a sideman (percussion/vocals) with the band,
I-Tal in the late 70’s, then went on to be the front man
for the rock/reggae group First Light for 14 years. Now Carlos
fronts the Peace Love Unity Syndicate, aka PLUS Band, focusing
on rootsier and more uplifting reggae music.
In April of 2004, the band’s first full length CD, Roots
With Culture was released after much anticipation and it did not
disappoint. Described in The Beat magazine as “a powerful,
14-track collection of slinky grooves and thundering bass lines,
Roots With Culture delivers a message of peace and harmony, with
Jones’ heartfelt vocals leading the way, all wrapped in
a production that can stand up to the best of them.” “It
will undoubtedly, over time, become a staple in most reggae collections.”
(Chuck Foster - Reggae Update, The Beat Magazine – Vol.
24, no.1, June 2005) Carlos, and his Peace, Love, Unity Syndicate
(the PLUS Band) have matured as songwriters, musicians and performers,
giving energetic and uplifting performances for an ever-expanding
following, Since their humble beginnings in 1998, they have been
awarded “best of” in their category every year. They
were voted Best Live Act (overall) in Cleveland at the 2004 Scene
Music Awards, and in 2007 were awarded permanent "All Star"
status in the Free Times Music Awards. They maintain a hectic
pace of gigging at clubs, private events and festivals, playing
out every single weekend. As a result, the band's soulful rhythms
and heartfelt message have made it one of Cleveland's top draws
for more than a decade.
The band just released its second full length CD, Leave A Trail
this year, and some of Carlos’ music is also featured on
the soundtrack of a film which recently premiered at The Sundance
Film Festival called North Starr. When asked about his plans for
the future, he’ll simply tell you, “The future is
right now. I just want to keep on playing this music from my heart
for as long as I’m able to, and keep the positive vibration
alive for all those who can dig it, ya know? As long as I can
continue to do what I love, what more could I want out of life?
The PLUS band’s official website is www.carlosjones.com.
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One of the most original and energetic acts around today, ekoostik
hookah is the nucleus of a family drawn to its lucid, improvisational
treatment of psychedelic rock ’n’ roll, blues, funk,
jazz and bluegrass layered with rich harmonies. Born early in
1991 in a smoky basement bar, the band has been continually evolving,
cultivating a sound that has perked the ears of contemporaries
and attracted fans who travel miles to hear them play.
ekoostik hookah
The Ohio-based band began jamming during weekly open-mic nights
when vocalist/keyboardist Dave Katz, lead guitarist Steve Sweney,
bassist Cliff Starbuck and guitarist/vocalist John Mullins had
full-time gigs with popular bands. The ensemble quickly found
a following and began this odyssey when a stranger who heard them
at a party bankrolled a trip to the studio to record Under Full
Sail. By the end of recording, band members had committed themselves
full-time to ekoostik hookah. Drummer Eric Lanese joined in 1993.
Since its birth ekoostik hookah has independently handled every
aspect of its growth.
ekoostik hookah has played in more than 30 states at venues including
New York’s Wetlands Preserve, Chicago’s House of Blues,
Cleveland’s Nautica Stage, Atlanta’s Variety Playhouse,
Boulder’s Fox Theater, Columbus’ Promowest Pavilion,
Cleveland’s House of Blues, LA's Whiskey a Go-Go and San
Francisco’s Great American Music Hall. In 1997 hookah was
invited to play at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. ekoostik hookah
played its first international shows in June 1999 in Negril, Jamaica.
Since then the band has traveled back to Jamaica (in 2002), to
the Netherlands in 2003 and back to Jamaica in 2006 and 2009, bringing
their fans along each time.
Though intense live energy fuels this band, hookah fans have
snatched up more than 100,000 copies of its nine releases: Under
Full Sail (1991), Dubbahbuddah (1994), an untitled, two-disc live
set (1996), Where the Fields Grow Green (1998), Hookahville Spring
’98 (1998), Sharp in the Flats (1999), Seahorse (2001),
Ohio Grown (2002) and Under Full Sail: It All Comes Together (2007).
ekoostik hookah’s official website is www.ekoostik.com.
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