Firebug uit Brazilië voert je moeiteloos mee langs de authentieke Jamaicaanse muziekstijlen van de jaren 60 en begin 70; de hectische trance van de Ska, de lyriek van de Rocksteady, de diepten van de One-Drop tot aan de psychedelische hoogten van Dub. Muziekstijlen die ze tot in de puntjes beheersen, de band bestaat dan ook uit de beste muzikanten op dit gebied in Brazilië. De groep werd in grootste dagblad, Folha de S. Paulo, het "Dream Team" van Jamaicaanse stylisten genoemd. Ska, reggae, rocksteady van topklasse dus. Dat in combinatie met hun Braziliaanse soul en de deels in Braziliaans Portugees gezongen teksten, maakt Firebug een unieke band met een onweerstaanbaar warme sound.

 

Biografie

The Group Passes easily through most of the vintage Jamaican styles of the 60s and early 70s - the frantic trance that is Ska, the lyricism of Rocksteady, the depths of the One-Drop to the psychedelic heights of Dub.

Initially composed of two Brazilians and one relocated American, Firebug is singer/songwriter/guitarist Felipe Machado, drummer Rodrigo Cerqueira (formerly of BRs Skuba and Seattle based Easy Big Fella) and bassist/producer Victor Rice. Bruno Cedola [bass], Olivier Dherte [guitar, vocals] and Leo cunha [keyboards] joined the band soon after the release of the first album. The group, called in Brasils largest daily Folha de S. Paulo the "Dream Team" of Jamaican stylists, merge the classic timbres with more modern sonorities.

Through this they have arrived at their sound, as consistent as it is unique. Recently Rice has gained favor among the Dub and Drum-n-Bass camps with his bass playing on Easy Star Records, Dub Side of the Moon, the Jamaicanization of the Pink Floyd classic. Cerqueira is no rookie either - formant drummer of Seattles Easy Big Fella, his two-year stay in the States saw him in the middle of American "Third Wave" Ska of the 90s.

It is Machado and his songs that are new here - the discovery of two veteran musicians. Machado himself spent two years in California where he listened to, learned and composed songs in English- Firebugs mother-tongue. "I will Be Your Guide", "Commercialized Man" and "Gimme Your Love" are some of the results from that time and appear on the self-titled debut CD (alongside alternate versions sung in Portuguese). "Gimme Your Love" opens the disc, immediately bringing you into the sound that you can count on remaining in for the next hour. A sound deeply inspired by the Rocksteady of Desmond Dekker, the work of Jamaican producer Leslie Kong is the foundation of the groups aesthetic. The Reggae of "Commercialized Man" and "Strange (But Nice)" is root-solid. The Ska represents "I will Be Your Guide", led by the shine of Os Paralamas hornmen Bidu Cordeiro on trombone and Monteiro on tenor sax.

Their production technique was made possible only at Estúdio El Rocha, São Paulos analogue haven. The new record, "On The Move", was released in early 2006, thru Deckdisc [Brazil], Jump Up [U.S.A.] and Grover [Europe]. The new album has very special guests such as David Hiliard [sax, The Slackers], Agent Jay [guitar, The Slackers], B Negão [former MC from Brazils Planet Hemp, now going solo with his own band, Seletores de Frequencia] and Buford OSulivan [trombone, former Scofflaws and currently on Easy Star All-Stars].

It is no overstatement to say that Firebug is poised to become one of the great successes in Jamaican-Brazilian music for the years to come.