The Lions
The Lions is a unique 12-piece Jamaican-inspired outfit, the result of an impromptu recording session by some of Los Angeles’ most soulful and notable musicians and singers. Gathering at Orgone’s Killion Studios during the fall of 2006, The Lions created grooves that went beyond the Jamaican music spectrum by combining new and traditional rhythms, and dub mixing mastery with the global sounds of Ethiopia, Colombia and Africa. The result was the album Jungle Struttin’ released on Ubiquity Records. The Lions is an example of the ever-growing musical family found in the Southland. Believe it or not, there is a vibe to be found in the spread out, artificial Hollywoodland. Many of the players met through the LA staple rare groove outfit Breakestra and have stayed within various projects together throughout the past 10 years.
The Lions’ live show is a mix of dubbed out tracks from the LP featuring Black Shakespeare (I & I Soundsystem) and a large selection of classic Jamaican cuts and brand new originals featuring the harmonies of Alex Desert and Deston Berry of Hepcat and Malik Moore of Los Angeles underground legends Ocean 11. Other members play or have played with the Wailing Souls, Derrick Morgan, The Maytones, “The Ethiopian” Leonard Dillon, Macy Gray, Orgone, Connie Price & the Keystones, Rocky Dawuni and Joey Altruda.
They have graced the stages at Sunset Junction Festival, Roxy Theatre (opening for Ooklah the Moc), Dub Club @ The Echoplex, Troubadour (opening for Antibalas), Key Club, The Continental Room, Crash Mansion, UC Riverside’s The Barn, and recently performed to a packed house at Amoeba Music Hollywood.
