Arise Roots is an American roots reggae band based out of

Los Angeles, California Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...

. Their music is described as a "positive classic roots sound with a modern twist".

History

Formation and ''Lay Your Guns Down EP'' (2010)

Arise Roots formed in 2010 on the streets of L.A. with one goal in mind: to create a new sound of "quality high grade roots reggae" with a modern feel that appeals to all walks of life without compromising traditional reggae music. With Montoya on the drum kit, Rudy Covarrubias on bass, Todd Johnson on keys and harmonies, Arise Roots needed a soulful singer. Karim Israel was added on lead vocals when he answered Montoya's ad on

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. A month later, lead guitarist, Robert Sotelo was added to the band. On November 16, 2010, the band self-released their first EP titled, ''Lay Your Guns Down''.

''Moving Forward'' (2013)

On February 19, 2013, the band released their first full-length album, ''Moving Forward'', a 16-song LP they self-produced. The album was recorded at one of L.A.'s top studios, Kingsize Soundlabs. It was mastered by veteran recording engineers Brian Dixon and Richard Robinson.

''Love & War'' (2014)

Their second album, ''Love & War'' was released on August 5, 2014. The album was engineered by E.N Young of

Tribal Seeds Tribal Seeds is an American reggae band based in San Diego that was formed in 2005 by the Jacobo brothers, singer Steven Rene and producer Tony-Ray. Biography Formation (2003–2005) From San Diego, California, award-winning reggae group Trib ...

at his Imperial Sound Recording Studio in

San Diego, California San Diego ( , ; ) is a city on the Pacific Ocean coast of Southern California located immediately adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. With a 2020 population of 1,386,932, it is the eighth most populous city in the United States ...

. It features E.N. Young himself, Rootz Underground, HIRIE, Dan Kelly of

Fortunate Youth Fortunate Youth is an American reggae rock sextet from Hermosa Beach, California. History Formation and ''Up-Lifted EP'' (2009–2010) Fortunate Youth was formed in 2009 in Hermosa Beach, California by Travis Walpole, Dan Kelly, Jered Draskovi ...

and other reggae artists on some tracks. In 2016, Arise Roots released two summer singles, "Rootsman" featuring reggae legend

Capleton Clifton George Bailey III (born 13 April 1967),Thompson, Dave (2002) ''Reggae & Caribbean Music'', Backbeat Books, , pp. 67–69 better known by his stage name Capleton, is a Jamaican reggae and dancehall musician. He is also referred to as Kin ...

and the second single "Crisis" exclusively on

vinyl Vinyl may refer to: Chemistry * Polyvinyl chloride (PVC), a particular vinyl polymer * Vinyl cation, a type of carbocation * Vinyl group, a broad class of organic molecules in chemistry * Vinyl polymer, a group of polymers derived from vinyl m ...

via Angel City Records.

''Pathways'' (2020)

Arise Roots was featured as one of many reggae bands on

Collie Buddz Colin Patrick Harper (born August 21, 1981), better known by his stage name Collie Buddz, is a Bermudian reggae artist best known for his single "Come Around". Career Although Harper was born in New Dadyal Hospital, AJK. He studied audio enginee ...

riddim album, ''Cali Roots Riddim 2020'' with their single, "Cali Love", which was produced by Collie Buddz and mixed by

Stick Figure A stick figure, also known as a stickman, is a very simple drawing of a person or an animal, composed of a few lines, curves, and dots. On a stick figure, the head is most often represented by a circle, which can be either a solid color or som ...

's touring guitarist, producer Johnny Cosmic. On July 30, 2020, the band released their third album, ''Pathways'' on Ineffable Records. However, Ron Montoya did not return and Blake Colie was added on drums. The 15-track studio album was recorded at 17th Street Recording Studio in

Costa Mesa, California Costa Mesa (; Spanish for "Table Coast") is a city in Orange County, California. Since its incorporation in 1953, the city has grown from a semi-rural farming community of 16,840 to an urban area including part of the South Coast Plaza–John Wa ...

. It features Kyle McDonald of

Slightly Stoopid Slightly Stoopid is an American band based in the Ocean Beach neighborhood of San Diego, California, who describe their music as "a fusion of folk, rock, reggae and blues with hip-hop, funk, metal and punk." As a band, they have released thirt ...

, Eric Rachmany of Rebelution, Lutan Fuyah, Nattali Rize and

Turbulence In fluid dynamics, turbulence or turbulent flow is fluid motion characterized by chaotic changes in pressure and flow velocity. It is in contrast to a laminar flow, which occurs when a fluid flows in parallel layers, with no disruption between ...

. Arise Roots announced on their social media pages that they will release their first dub album, titled ''Dubways'', an accompaniment to their ''Pathways'' album. The LP album is mixed by Zion I Kings and only available digitally on January 27, 2023 on Ineffable Records. The band will be releasing a new single every Friday, starting with their first single, "For Who You Are Dub".

Touring

Arise Roots has performed at California Roots Festival in

Monterey, California Monterey (; es, Monterrey; Ohlone: ) is a city located in Monterey County on the southern edge of Monterey Bay on the U.S. state of California's Central Coast. Founded on June 3, 1770, it functioned as the capital of Alta California under bo ...

. They supported

on their "Summer Smoke Out Tour" in 2015. They shared the stage with artists such as:

The Aggrolites The Aggrolites are an American reggae band from Los Angeles, California, United States, which formed in 2002. Overview The Aggrolites are an amalgamation of two previous Los Angeles reggae and ska bands, the Vessels and the Rhythm Doctors. Th ...

, Anuheau,

Barrington Levy Barrington Ainsworth Levy (born 30 April 1964) is a Jamaican reggae and dancehall artist. Career Levy was born in Clarendon, Jamaica. He formed a band called the Mighty Multitude, with his cousin, Everton Dacres; the pair released "My Blac ...

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Don Carlos ''Don Carlos'' is a five-act grand opera composed by Giuseppe Verdi to a French-language libretto by Joseph Méry and Camille du Locle, based on the dramatic play '' Don Carlos, Infant von Spanien'' (''Don Carlos, Infante of Spain'') by Friedri ...

Gramps Morgan Roy "Gramps" Morgan (born July 7, 1976), is a Jamaican singer, instrumentalist, producer, record executive, and entrepreneur. Gramps was born in Brooklyn, New York, but was raised partially in Springfield, Massachusetts. He is the son of well-kn ...

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Matisyahu Matthew Paul Miller (born June 30, 1979), known by his stage name Matisyahu (; ), is an American reggae singer, rapper, beatboxer Beatboxing (also beat boxing) is a form of vocal percussion primarily involving the art of mimicking drum mac ...

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, Rootz Underground,

Sister Carol Carol Theresa East (born 15 January 1959, Kingston, Jamaica, Kingston, Jamaica), known by her stage name of Sister Carol, is a Jamaican-born American reggae musician, recording artist. She has used many other stage names, including Black Cinde ...

The Wailers ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the ...

, Luciano, Midnite, Michael Rose,

Gondwana Gondwana () was a large landmass, often referred to as a supercontinent, that formed during the late Neoproterozoic (about 550 million years ago) and began to break up during the Jurassic period (about 180 million years ago). The final stages ...

Big Youth Manley Augustus Buchanan (born 19 April 1949, Trenchtown, Kingston, Jamaica),Thompson, Dave (2002) "Reggae & Caribbean Music", Backbeat Books, better known as Big Youth (sometimes called Jah Youth), is a Jamaican deejay, mostly known for his ...

, Dennis Al Capone, The Lions,

Quinto Sol Quinto Sol was the first fully independent publishing house to surface from the Chicano movement in the Sixties. Editorial Quinto Sol (Quinto Sol Publications) was founded in 1967 at UC Berkeley by Octavio I. Romano, a Professor of Behavioral Sci ...

, Tristan Palmer, Sammy Dread,

Ky-Mani Marley Ky-Mani Marley (born 26 February 1976) is a Jamaican singer and musician. His name is of East African origin, and means "Adventurous Traveler". He is the only child of Bob Marley with Anita Belnavis, a Jamaican table tennis champion. In 2001 ...

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Carlton and The Shoes Carlton and the Shoes (sometimes credited as Carlton & His Shoes) are a Jamaican vocal group who had their greatest success in the late 1960s, as rocksteady gradually became reggae and are still active in 2008, most notably in Japan and Jamaica ...

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, and

Natural Vibrations Natural Vibrations, (Natural Vibes for short or known by their fans as Natty Vibes), is a reggae band originally from Kahaluu, Hawaii, Kahalu'u, Oahu, Hawaii, based out of San Diego, California with rock and pop influences.Crisp, Andrew (2012)Nat ...

Other Projects

In May 2021, Arise Roots collaborated with Engine Athletics with two styles of basketball jerseys. One paying homage their hometown

Los Angeles Lakers The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles. The Lakers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference Pacific Division. The Lakers play their ...

uniform. And the other, called "Conquering Lion", is a tribute to their reggae roots in a black and gold color scheme.

Discography

Studio albums

EPs/Dub Album

Singles

Lineup

Current band members

*Karim Israel – Lead Vocals (2010–Present) *Todd "Rootsbubbler" Johnson – Keyboard, Backing Vocals (2010–Present) *Robert "Sloedub" Sotelo – Lead Guitar (2010–Present) *Rodolfo "Rudy" Covarrubias – Bass (2010–Present) *Chris Brennan – Rhythm Guitar, Backing Vocals (2014–Present) *Hashim "Scorpion" Russell – Drums (2022–Present)

Past band members

*Ron Montoya – Drums (2010–2017) *Winston Peters – Drums (2017–2018) *Blake Colie – (2018–2021) *Angel Salgado – Rhythm Guitar, Backing Vocals (2010–2014)

Subs

* Jamey "Zeb" Dekofsky – Drums * Jason Beltran – Bass * Eddie "Chiquis" Lozoya – Rhythm Guitar

Extreral links

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Arise Roots Musical groups from California Musical groups established in 2010 American reggae musical groups Musicians from Los Angeles Reggae rock groups 2010 establishments in California