Background

The Liberation Band is comprised of seven very talented young musicians, who hail from various countries. From the vibrant island of Jamaica where reggae was born, they are Philip "Phillipidon" White- lead vocals, background vocals: David "Skill" White -lead vocal, keyboards, bass, and background vocal; and Ricardo "Surgeon" Cooke- lead guitar, background vocals. From bubbling hot Barbados is Calvin "Ronnie B" Browne- lead (Louie Armstrong) vocals, background vocals, and percussion. From ST. Louis, Missouri U.S. is Darrel "Drumy D"Birch- drums, lead vocals and background vocals.  From Nigeria, Tete Beat, keyboards, and background vocals, who recently replaced Curtis Moshay.  Curtis has moved on to work on his own solo carrier under Liberation Records. The latest addition to the motley ensemble is Richard Dunn- bass, background vocals from Houston, Texas. These are the members of the Liberation "massive."

The Liberation Band is noted for its hard driving, extremely danceable brand of reggae that never fails to get audience participation. This is one group of musicians, who really enjoy what they are playing, and it shows in their stage performance; when they decide to improvise and "dub it up" no two performances are ever the same. This energy is captured and borne out in their new hit song "Wicked Ah Go Feel It", which features the vocals of Ronnie B, Phillipidon and Skill. It keeps thousands of people dancing in night- clubs nationwide. Whatever it takes to move people, Liberation has it under complete control and the fiery ambiance of the group is highly contagious. After a Liberation performance, no one remains the same- one has been transformed by the conscious message in the lyrics and hopefully impelled to fulfill (at least in part) there calling.

Liberation has definitely been instrumental in the phenomenal ascent of reggae music especially in Houston, where the group is presently based. Opening up for such major acts as Steel Pulse, Machel Montano & Xtatik, Yellow Man, Wailers, Black Uhuru and Pato Banton at Rockefellers, at the Garden in the Heights for Toots, Third World, Alpha Blondy, Beenie Man (2000), for Burning Spear in the 1998 Houston International Festival. Other venues and clubs include many Bob Marley Day celebrations in Houston, Austin, San Antonio and around the Southwest and Midwest States, Yaga's (Houston and Galveston), Third Floor and Dixie Theater (Bryan, TX), Flamingo Cantina (Austin,TX), Bay Harbor Yatch Club (Freeport TX),Reggae Cafe (Houston ,TX), Jamaica Jamaica (Houston, TX), Karibana(now Club Riddem's, Houston, TX) and Calypso (Houston, TX). Liberation has also played for almost all levels of the educational system, spreading a positive message to elementary school students all the way up to university level.

Liberation has recently started their own recording label, which has many future projects on line. One such project is being featured on the sound track to the motion picture "Killing the Badge", by producer Nicolas Sturghill, in which a few tracks from their first CD along with some original creations for the movie are being used. The band is also appearing in the movie, which was released in September '99, and can be seen on your local cable stations until the summer of 2004. Liberation's 1st CD, titled Take Heed, is comprised of 14 roots rocking dancehall tracks that are sure to please all reggae fans. Take Heed has been played by over 140 radio stations throughout the US and Canada, and could also be heard in Jamaica, the Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, and Barbados. It can be purchased through the web worldwide @www.Liberationweb.com or through the many of the online music stores.  This album was originally released in 1997, was played on over 180 stations nationally but was not widely distributed.  It will be re-released in December of 2002 with three bonus tracks where it will be available in most major stores.   The second album will be released in April of 2003.

 Liberation has been instrumental in producing tracks for other artist and adding their musical talents on other albums which include hip hop, r&b, zydeco, reggae, dance, and blues.  Most recent Skill is featured on Rocwilda Entertainmnet Artist Kage new album called "Uma Sho Ya"Calvin and Phillipidon featured on Corpus Christi's own Fifty Pack. Other features include: Calvin Owens, the great blues and big band trumpeter from Houston (BB Kings platinum Producer), featured  Phillipidon and Skill on his newest album, “Stop Lying in My Face- Fused Version”, Rysque of Archive Records used the productions skills of Curtis Moshay and the DJ toasting of Skill on her album “Peep Show”. Track #5, “Flyin’ Hi”, produced by Curtis and featuring Skill, has been selected by the World Champions Houston Comets as their newest theme song.  Other artist who have used members of Liberation on their CD’s, G-Ride- “Coming Outta Da Black Pitch”, featuring Skill, Song-“In the Fire Place”- featuring Skill, Raggamassive- “Somting Wicked”-featuring Phillipidon, Root 1 –“Nomad’s Land”, featuring Philipidon .  Tony Express – featuring Drumie, who has featured on a lot of the upcoming reggae, r&b and world music being produced out of Houston.   

Future Projects:

Liberation Productions: (Liberation Production is the marketing and promotional wing of Liberation Records which works with outside labels to promote their products.) -promotion of Rocwilda Entertainment Artist Kages' album "Big Big" and the to be released "Yo Money My Money" (May 2004).  "Big Big" was National Released on May 26th, 2002, by EMI/Orpheus Music/Rocwilda Entertainment. –Achieved #15 position on billboards Hot R&B/Hip Hop Single Sales charts, #98 on the R&B/Hip Hop Sales charts.

Liberation Records –“Liberation and Friends"- release date July 2004.

Liberation Records, Liberation, “One More Time”-release date September of 2004.

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