Reggae-rock act SOJA, Soldiers of Jah Army, return to Hawai‘i this month with performances at the Anahola Taro Patch, Pipeline Cafe in Honolulu, Kona Bowl in Kailua-Kona, and at the Palace Theater in Hilo. The Taro Patch opens its gates
Reggae-rock act SOJA, Soldiers of Jah Army, return to Hawai‘i this month with performances at the Anahola Taro Patch, Pipeline Cafe in Honolulu, Kona Bowl in Kailua-Kona, and at the Palace Theater in Hilo. The Taro Patch opens its gates at 5 p.m. Sunday and marks SOJA’s first show performed on Kaua‘i.
Formed in the politically influenced music culture of the Washington, D.C., and Arlington, Va., areas, members of the band grew up listening to reggae, hip-hop and rock, three genres easily recognized in SOJA’s current musical style.
Members Jacob Hemphill, lead vocals, guitar; Bob Jefferson, lead vocals, bass; Patrick O’Shea, keyboards; Ken Brownell, percussion; and Ryan Berty, drums, have been playing together for 10 years.
“They’ve grown up with each other and we’ve seen pictures of them from when they were 12 to 13 years old with little dreds,” said Dan Sheehan of Good Vibes Entertainment and promoter of the SOJA Hawai‘i tour.
When Robert Duggan of Big R. Productions heard that SOJA would be coming to Hawai‘i, he contacted Sheehan to bring SOJA to Kaua‘i.
“There’s definitely a local following here,” said Duggan referring to SOJA’s influence on Kaua‘i. “I’m into music that carries a message that’s a little deeper than what you hear on the radio,” Duggan said, “and SOJA certainly fits the bill.”
Duggan started Big R. Productions one year ago because he wanted to bring more entertainment acts to Kaua‘i. Duggan also hosts a reggae radio show called “Reggae Foundation” every other week on KKCR.
SOJA incorporates varied music styles seamlessly. At times the vocals are reminiscent of the mellow, blues-y roots of Ben Harper and The Innocent Criminals, while at others they become inflected with the boom of a deep-bass, hip hop slant.
The rock influence is prevalent and commanding, especially when it is used in some of the song intros and bridges as guitars build into a heart pumping crescendo and then downswing into a pleasant groove.
SOJA has the ability to lull listeners into a gentle sway with songs like “You don’t know me,” and switch it up to elevate and energize the crowd with the percussion-laced pacing of “Bleed Through.”
“The diversity of their style is crucial for a live band,” Sheehan said. “The different styles take you higher and take you lower.”
Often in the same song.
Sheehan first came across the band through a friend who heard them play at the Sierra Nevada World Music Festival. Sheehan was passed a CD and was impressed. “You can understand their lyrics and you can relate to their music,” he said.
It makes it easier to be a fan and for the band to gain fans, Sheehan added.
Fans across the state will get a special treat as this Hawaiian island tour marks the first time SOJA is able to bring horns to its Hawai‘i shows; the horn players, Rafael Morales and Mario Pomales are from Puerto Rico. It’s also the band’s premiere performance on Kaua‘i, where they will spend five days after the Taro Patch show taking in the sights and resting before their next gig at the Palace Theater in Hilo.
The band’s “fan base has been building and gaining momentum especially with Myspace,” and their growing popularity is not limited to the U.S., Sheehan said.
SOJA fans are quickly becoming global with a following in Europe and South America, even Guam where SOJA performed a concert in front of nearly 6,000 people.
“They’ve got motivation and believe in themselves. They know they can get into another level.” Hard-working, conscious musicians like SOJA will not be forced to limit themselves to reggae only, or be stuck as a one-genre artist, Sheehan said. “The sky’s the limit.”
SOJA performs in Kaua‘i live at the Anahola Taro Patch Sunday, for an all-ages show. Gates open at 5 p.m., and 2007 Na Hoku Hanohano Reggae album of the year nominee Revival, a local Kaua‘i reggae band, will be the opening act.
Tickets are available online for $25 in advance at www.islandtix.com or for $30 at the door.
To preview SOJA’s music visit their Web site www.sojamusic.com
