Irie Sol

Irie Sol’s founder, Junior Williams, moved to America from Kingston, Jamaica, with the dream of starting a band that would fuse the genres (reggae, dancehall, ska, and dub) indigenous to his native island with traditional American music forms (hip hop, funk, soul, rock, and jazz). He’s “dubbed” (pun intended) the resulting music “Alternative World” to acknowledge its roots and routes in World and Alternative music and to conjure an alternative world of global unity. Erupting out of the Twin Cities with a musical blend that reflects diverse band members–who hail from Kingston, Jamaica; Nova Scotia, Canada; Providence, RI; Detroit, MI; Minneapolis, MN; and the Chippewa Valley of Wisconsin–Irie Sol delivers authentic Jamaican chat/DJing and soaring, soulful melodies backed by blazing bebop horns, wailing guitar, and tight drum and bass. Irie Sol has shared the stage with Natty Nation, Dred I Dred, Justin Vernon of Bon Iver, and too many other talented musicians to name. Irie Sol’s music can be enjoyed at live shows throughout the midwest, on many radio programs, and by downloading the new CD, Solstice, on itunes.

Website: http://www.iriesol.org/