“If you don’t know your past, you don’t know your future” – a statement that Groundation’s music captures fully! While capturing the essence of true Roots Reggae, the internationally acclaimed Groundation aims to take the art of genre-bending to new heights by blending elements of Jazz, Funk and transcendental Dub in their progressive amalgam of sound – some call it Progressive Reggae.
The band derived its name from the “grounation,” the Rastafarian ceremony of the same name. Grounations are ancestral Rastafarian gatherings aimed at reaching a common vibration through the positive power of prayer and music – something that the band shares with its fans at each concert. Groundation may be based on an ancient tradition, but it is an idea for today.
Groundation was founded in the fall of 1998 when three long time musicians Marcus Urani (organ/keys/piano), Ryan Newman (bass) and Harrison Stafford (guitar/lead vocals) met in their jazz program at California’s Sonoma State University to form the core of Groundation’s style and sound. Over the years, the band grew to become a 9 piece band including a Jazz horn section, several percussion players and Jamaican background singers.
