Uprising Band aiming to keep live music alive

Fabian O'Hara, Gleaner Writer

Members of the Uprising Band. - Contributed
It is dubbed 'The Element Of Surprise' and newcomer Uprising Band is looking to make its mark on reggae music around the world.
With just a couple years experience under their belt, the band members have been making great strides and leaving an impression wherever they go.
Band member Ruel Ashbourne told The Sunday Gleaner about one of his most memorable experiences.
"We were in Martinique and were to perform with Gyptian. Before he got onstage, we started playing and the fans just went crazy. They were pulling band members off the stage," he said.
"Even after the concert, the journey from the arena to the hotel is a good half-hour drive, and fans drove behind the bus all the way back there. Now that was just amazing; it's a feeling that I will cherish."
the band
The band, which was formed in 2004, comprises Lloyd Palmer (keyboard), Joseph Sutherland (percussion), Rashaun McAnuff (drums), Jeffrey Graham (keyboard) and Ashbourne on bass. Guitarists Kenroy Mullings and Garth Forrester are part-time members.
To date, the band has performed on many shows, among them Black My Story and Reggae On The Hills. Uprising Band has also worked with many top dancehall and reggae artistes, including Beenie Man, Natural Black and Queen Ifrica.
OK, so they play various instruments and enjoy music, but what is the band really about? What do they hope to achieve? And just how do they plan on achieving it?
"What we are aiming to do is keep live music alive. As you can see, technology has taken over and with almost all the sounds of the instruments preloaded to the computer, the need for live music players has decreased, as it's now available at the push of a button," Palmer said.
"Achieving greatness status is our aim," Sutherland chipped in, "and we are going to do so by continuing to provide the people with good, clean music, and just be as diverse and versatile as we possibly can."
The band is also looking to approach music from a different angle and give people a new outlook on life with the song Smile Jamaica by Elijah Prophet. This song, they say, shows that, despite all that's going on, there is still something to smile about.
looking at the bright side
"If you notice, most singers are talking about the gloom and doom of the country and the world at large, but there is always a flip side, a positive side, a bright side, and we need to explore that and show it to the people," Sutherland pointed out.
In 2008, the band received a Juno award for work done with Humble on a song titled Everything.
The band, according to group manager Darrel Hamilton, is focusing on their busy upcoming schedule. "We are fine-tuning for albums that we are working on, as well as tours of the US and, possibly, the Caribbean," Hamilton said.