Groundation

Groundation is an American roots reggae band with jazz and dub influences from Sonoma in Northern California.The band was formed in the fall of 1998 by Harrison Stafford, Marcus Urani, and Ryan Newman. In 1999, Stafford teamed up with Kris Dilbeck to found Young Tree Records and release Groundation's debut album of the same name. In 2000 they added to the line up David Chachere, a San Francisco based jazz trumpeter, and Kelsey Howard, a North Bay trombone player. Saxophonist Jason Robinson was a member of the band for a time, and has since gone on to become the head of the jazz program at UC San Diego. Drummer Paul Spina (Les Claypool, Will Bernard’s Mother Bug) has been with the group since taking over for James Stafford in December 2001 ; he left the group in summer 2008.

Between 1999 and 2001, Harrison Stafford taught the first course on the History of Reggae Music at Sonoma State University.



Each one teach one

1. "Weak Heart" – 5:16
2. "We Na Forget (Rome)" – 4:55
3. "Wanna Know" – 5:55
4. "Throwing Stones" – 6:46
5. "One More Day (Live It Up)" – 5:58
6. "Head Strong" – 5:25
7. "If I" – 5:06
8. "Waterfall" – 5:43
9. "Nyabinghi Order" – 7:38
10. "Jah Spirit" – 6:39
11. "Each One Teach One" – 5:40

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YOUNG TREE
(2002)

After releasing the well-received album "Each One Teach One" featuring Ras Michael & Marcia Higgs, Groundation releases perhaps the very first reggae concept album entitled "Young Tree". Mastering was done by world-reknowned reggae engineer Jim Fox

1. Long, Long Ago
2. Glory To The Kings
3. Confusing Situation
4. Congress Man
5. Craven Fe' Dead
6. Dream
7. Young Tree
8. Vibes Alive
9. Groundation Chant
10. Grounding Dub

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HEBRON GATE
(2003)

Principally recorded at Prairie Sun, Cotati, California and Leggo's Studios, Kingston, Jamaica.

The album's 9 tracks tell the story of a Dragon War coming upon the nations. The story unfolds in 24 hours with the sun rising in the beginning, ... Full Descriptionsetting in the middle, and finally rising again at the end.
Groundation includes: Harrison Stafford (vocals, guitar, drums, percussion); Jason Robinson (flute, bass flute, tenor saxophone); "King" David Chachere (trumpet); Kelsey Howard (trombone); Marcus Urani (keyboards, synthesizer, percussion); Ryan Newman (bass); Paul Spina (drums).
Additional personnel: Don Carlos, Cedric "Congos" Myton (vocals).

1. Jah Jah Know
2. Babylon Rule Dem
3. Silver Tongue Show
4. Weeping Pirates
5. Picture on the Wall
6. Something More
7. Hebron
8. Freedom Taking Over
9. Undivided

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We Free Again
2004

Track Listings

1. Praising
2. Dem Rise
3. Suffer the Right
4. Music Is the Most High
5. Wish Them Well
6. We Free Again
7. Smile
8. Fourth Dimension
9. Feel Jah
10. Cultural Wars I
11. Cultural Wars II
12. Cultural Wars III
13. Cultural Wars IV
14. The Seventh Seal

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Dub Wars is the fifth release by Groundation. Released in 2005 on Young Tree Records, Dub Wars collects dub versions of tracks from previous Groundation albums Hebron Gate (originally released on the LP Dragon War) and We Free Again. These dub versions were engineered by Jim Fox (Lion & Fox) and redubbed by keyboardist Marcus Urani.

Track listing

1. "Ruling Dub" (dub version of "Babylon Rule Dem") – 7:04
2. "Don's Intro" (dub version of "Undivided") – 5:52
3. "Elder's Dub" (dub version of "Freedom Taking Over") – 5:32
4. "The Dragon" (dub version of "Weeping Pirates") – 6:42
5. "Elements" (dub version of "Silver Tongue Show") – 5:27
6. "Dub Rise" (dub version of "Dem Rise") – 7:11
7. "Dub Them All" (dub version of "Wish Them Well") – 5:51
8. "The Mountain" (dub version of "Praising") – 6:03
9. "Feel Jah's Dub" (dub version of "Feel Jah") – 4:47
10. "The Seventh Dub" (dub version of "The Seventh Seal") – 6:05

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Upon the Bridge is the sixth album by Groundation. It was released October 17, 2006 on Young Tree Records. The album features the legendary voices of Pablo Moses and Ijahman Levi.

According to the band, "Upon the Bridge is an individual's journey beyond the known world to a bridge of mythic proportion. In search of hope and prosperity the individual must make the journey across the bridge leading to an unknown future."

Track listing

1. "What Could Have Been" – 5:41
2. "Down" – 4:15
3. "Me Na in De" – 4:19
4. "Ratant Crow" – 4:59
5. "Nonbeliever" – 6:26
6. "Upon the Bridge" – 4:58
7. "Used to Laugh" – 4:56
8. "Fight All You Can" – 4:01
9. "Mighty Souls" – 5:10
10. "Sleeping Bag-O-Wire" – 5:53
11. "The Seesaw" – 6:54

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Groundation's side-project Rockamovya features three members of Groundation (Harrison Stafford, Marcus Urani and Ryan Newman), modern Jazz/Fusion/Jam's most ubiquitous guitarist Will Bernard and the legendary reggae drummer Leroy "Horsemouth" Wallace. It was actually Groundation's February 2006 three-week tour of the North American West Coast that brought together the five musicians to commemorate the birth of the King Of Reggae exclusively featuring the music of Bob Marley & The Wailers. After the tour they teamed up again to record some live jams and group improvisations at Prairie Sun Studios in Sonoma County CA.

When core members of the internationally acclaimed Reggae-Fusion group Groundation play together with a long time Jazz-heavyweight like Grammy nominated Will Bernard and the incomparable reggae veteran Leroy "Horsemouth" Wallace, it's obvious expectations for their album run high. To a certain level this collection lives up to expectations... the musicianship is truly first-class, the musical arrangements are of high quality, and Harrison Stafford's charismatic vocal delivery (present on seven tracks) is a joy to hear.

Track list:

01 - Take the Night
02 - Ya Better Rally
03 - The Bounty
04 - Warrior Sound
05 - Battling Within
06 - Red Rose
07 - Coolin'I
08 - Brown Stew Fish
09 - Rock in Place
10 - Horse Dance

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This latest offering from Groundation, as all the previous albums, is simply stunning. The Musicianship and feel these guys have is simply on another level to just about everyone, and they have continually evolved to become true Jedi Knights of the reggae genre. If you have never heard Groundation, then I suggest you start from the ground(ation) up..buy their first album, Young Tree, sit back, listen, enjoy, then buy everything else they've done and wonder how you ever lived without them. Reggae Gods..really.

Groundation - Here I Am (2009)

Playlist

01 - Run The Plan
02 - Everyone Could Lose
03 - So Blind
04 - Time Come
05 - By All Means
06 - Blues Away
07 - Not So Simple
08 - Here I Am
09 - You Can Profit
10 - Beating Heart
11 - Walk Upright
12 - Golan To Galilee

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