The Los Angeles, CA band Arise Roots has been rekindling the 1970's style roots-reggae music back to full flame since 2010. Composed to be an essential, soul-driven roots reggae band with appeal to anyone amid social, economic and environmental controversy. They bring something new and fresh yet leave the integrity of the roots feel intact. Singer Karim Israel explains, "Me personally, I feel like I have a responsibility to give a voice to the voiceless, or to make sure certain issues are in the minds of the people that listen to our music. I don't ever want to be a 'weed band' or a 'party band' or just a band that is playing music just to do music because to me it's not about that. To me, it's the message first, then wrap the message in the music. I can't separate the message from the music." Keys player Todd Johnson puts it this way, "The music is the vehicle to transport the message." Their message is that of roots-reggae: One Love, unity, and peace.
Founding member Ron Montoya lays down a steady drum beat, uniting a sound-dropping bass rythm from Rodolfo "Rudy" Covarrubias, skilled keys/vocal harmonies/trumpet player Todd Johnson, dedicated front man/singer Karim Israel, and fire-setter Robert Sotelo Jr. on guitar. Also adding incredible harmonies featured live as part of Arise Roots over the last two years on vocals and guitar is Chris Brennan from The Soulutionaries, a cornerstone for backing legendary Studio One Artists: Keith & Tex (also backed by guitarist Robert Sotelo at the Sierra Nevada World Music Festival in 2014), The Tennors, The Cables, Winston Francis, among others. You can find Chris playing guitar with the Western Standard Time Ska Orchestra as well.
Since inception Arise Roots has been steadily releasing music to the masses. In 2010 they debuted EP "Lay Your Guns Down," full-length "Moving Forward" in 2013, and not only their most recent release but also their most successful, "Love & War" in 2014. Each has been a solid representation of where the band is along their musical journey. Guitarist Robert Sotelo says of their perseverance, "We are constantly improving ourselves and rehearsing so we can keep on doing what we're doing." Their music is captured extremely well in each respective recording effort but the live performances are what set Arise Roots aside. Over the last several years the band has highlighted the biggest reggae concerts and festivals throughout California and the northwest region, expanding into Canada.
Between their sell out shows at home in Southern California, the band was brought out nationally by one of today's most relevant roots-reggae bands, Tribal Seeds, on the 2015 Summer Smoke Out Tour. Along for the ride were enormously talented, fellow L.A. roots band, The Expanders. The roots run deep with this group. Bass player from The Expanders, Chiquis Lozoya, is credited for additional vocals on both Arise Roots LPs and accompanies Chris Brennan with heavy roots legends The Maytones (vocal duo Vernon Buckley and Gladstone Grant), Brian Dixon (The Aggrolites), and Jeremiah BenZion on an upcoming full length release for The Maytones. As well as Tribal Seeds' own E.N Young hosted Arise Roots in his Imperial Sound Recording Studio to record "Love & War." The group collaborated with E.N on one of the album's biggest songs, "A Little More," featuring E.N's soothing vocals, inspiring livity, and amazing melodica solo.
"I've heard quite a few times there's one particular thing that helps keep the fire lit within me which is that a band like Arise Roots is something that this scene needs... And I really don't want to say that in an arrogant way at all but I've heard it a few times especially being on tour. So hearing that definitely motivates me, inspires me to keep going, to do more, to go further, go harder, to go stronger," singer Karim says. "When it comes to this whole scene I'm very honored and happy to be a part of it and when I hear something like that it definitely gives me motivation to go harder." Todd chimes in, "I dig on it when people tell me the music has effected their lives in a positive way. Like I've had people that come up to me and say 'Better Man' repaired my relationship - that's awesome! I feel really good to know that!"
"We share common ground as a group of people with this positive message in reggae music. That's one of the things I love most of all about reggae music." Bassist Rudy says. "This music is communal, it's a shared experience. It's important." Karim elaborates "We (Arise Roots) are all music lovers first so the same thing that people tell me they are getting from our music I get from other music, so it's a cycle. To me it's two sides of an equation, you need both sides for it to work. We are part of this whole reggae music scene and I'm honored to be contributing to it, but take that away we are still fans of it and still part of it."
Arise Roots and the entire reggae community strive to share more positivity with the world and show no signs of letting up. Constantly "moving forward" they anticipate more major tours, bigger live shows, growing strength, and having more positive influence. "There's a connection we have with, I don't even call them fans, with people. We love having a connection with people. It's about the people..." Karim concludes. "It's a type of shared consciousness where we all go through the same things so we are just giving our perspective of it with our little spin. If you dig on it then great, but if not - no harm no foul, but those people we do connect with and do resonate with... man, we are so thankful, it's a cool thing."
