Still Warrior by Les Souci

There is a pride in being winners in the dog eat dog concept. Racism is going on from all sides. In both social circumstances and interpersonal relationships there is commonplace chaos. I hear the word liberation used to veil domination right and left. This music is from my heart, and I hope that it will live in yours. I submit this effort to you, with love." Les Souci is in the Top 40 Bands at IUMA. He has Topped the charts at rollingstone.com several times, with several tunes. He is a good example of "You cant stop the "Indies" since there are quality downloads on the Internet. /////// Les- "The first thing I wanted to do when I started working on this project was to get Julian Cambridge, reggae drummer from Trinidad. He has been an inspiration: he and his clockwork timing have helped to shape a lot of my music. He not only showed up at the first session, he brought with him Trevor "Rivers" Wlliams, keyboard player also from Trinidad, to lend a beautiful vibration, his piano and organ to Street Song. Julian also brought George Perry who helped with percussion on 'Til I Can Get Back Home. Then Mona Hawkins added her gentle harmony vocals to the mix and lifted my heart. She also was a major help with harmony vocal arrangements and a lot of other good advice. Soon after that like red hot pepper with a little thyme, Debbie Ellis dropped her scorching vocals into the brew, and the music really started to boil! Later, I was jamming with Mohammed Claude Gomis from Senegal who was playing his own hand-made Djambes. It got me so excited about the possibilities, I decided that I had to get Greg Fisher, kick~ss rock drummer to join us. An international rock sound was really coming together. Just as things were almost getting too good, Wayne Jones put hig gospel-inspired overtones on the grand piano. I got high on the music, it was joyous and eclectic. I work hard trying to deserve the support of these musicians and singers without whose help this record could not exist." -Les Souci

Group members

DRUMS: Julian Cambridge (from Trinidad) Killer Reggae Specialist whose clock-work timing and tasteful licks have inspired Les Souci's work from the beginning! & Greg Fisher Kick A** ROCK Drummer who shocked everyone at the first session/// DJAMBE/Percussion: Claude Muhammed Gomis (from Senegal) Charged us up!!!/// KEYBOARDS: Wayne Jones on the Grand Piano, "Can I get a witness!!! Trevor "Rivers" Williams (from Trinidad), on Organ & Piano , (Master Reggae Specialist)/// -Les Souci on Organ & Harsichord(synthesisor) HARMONY VOCALS: Mona Hawkins, soul soothing flavors lifted us up! Debbie Ellis, like red pepper with thyme...Scorching!/// WORDS/MUSIC/LEAD VOCALS/BASS/12String,RYTHYM & LEAD GUITARS/HARMONICA: Les Souci ///GUESTS: on SAX: Ron Holloway(Dizzy Gillespie's last band) & on BASS: Erald "Englishman" Briscoe(from Jamaica)

***Press reviews***

*** "A mesmerizing conglomeration of styles including Flamenco guitar, heavy reggae grooves and psychedelic Acid Rock. Punctuated by beautiful solo twelve string guitar ballads." -Listen.com

***RollingStone.com's Editor's Pick

"Judging by his photo, Les Souci looks like he stepped right out of Skynyrd, but his songs run a Beck-like gamut from rusty blues to Seventies-style jamband rock to dub soundscapes and flamenco. It may not all be your bag, but he's onto something real with "'Nuf to Say," a sly slide guitar blues lament reminiscent of the great, underrated Chris Smither." -Richard Skanse -Rolling Stone/////

***"It has always been our belief that art and culture has a pivotal role to place in bringing about peaceful change in nations that are in conflict. We hope that you keep up with your message of peace through song" -N R Mandela, President Republic of South Africa (these excerpts, from a personal letter, is signed "Madiba": when Les first received it, he thought it was from someone in Peoria, Illinois: when he opened it to find that it was from Mandela in Pretoria, South Africa, he fell to his knees and cried.) //////

***RENEGADE REVIEWS: "Les Souci- Les has a very eclectic style that ranges from solo 12-string, reggae, guitar rock, country, blues, ambient, alternative. Listened to "Broken Glass": A poinant song about Les' life in Jamaica. The people he knew and the life he lead. Very interesting slice of life on solo 12-string guitar. "Quiet War" kind of a hypno, techno reggae thing which I thought was a pretty interesting marriage of styles. He has a lot of tunes on his site, so be prepared to hang out a while listening to the wide variety of things Les is offering. Not many people list Segovia as an influence, but when you listen to "Arpeggio City" the late Spanish guitarist influence is apparent. My question is Les, being such a inspiringly talented guy who can play a variety of styles, but has a flair for the island sound, Grammy nominated engineer with 14 albums with world wide distribution, played all over the world, why are you driving a **cking cab in D.C.? Take your message to the street man, you should be gigging and gigging, I'm sure any number of promoters could hook you up with tour dates all over the country based on your resume alone. Go and listen for yourself" //////

***-From Bobbi Jackson(Awesome performer!)(http://www.tstonramp.com/~bobi/index.html) "..I love your site & variety of musical styles."////

***The Critical Review-"Les Souci displays his versatility on this album. Mainly playing 12-string guitar and harmonica as well as doing vocals,he gives a decent acoustic-based CD that covers many influences.Now Les Souci [hereafter LS] also writes, produces, and plays bass, electric, slide, and classical guitars, keyboards, and more on his album. A variety of artists add world-flavor to the performance." /////

*** "Arpeggio City: In this piece the sweet voice of the Classical Guitar sings and dances for you in multifacted forms of Flaminco under the skilled direction of Les Souci. Well played and very moving in it's various textures it is a worth download and listen. Perfect for when you just want to listen to some masterful guitar playing."

-Bobby Bensley/////

* For Les Souci's ANTI-WAR Songs;

Listen to "All The People"(#3, left)

and "Check out the Les Souci(sioux-si') website"

(below left:- http://lessouci.iuma.com )

***The Following is an interview with, and with permission from, Quebec Journalist, Eric Cayer, (first published at music4free.com)

Les Souci : One of a kind...My first interview, I've done it with a man who lives through his music. With his warm voice and very touching lyrics, Les brings us to a world where peace and harmony are the only law. So let's discover this man who has the word "music" written in his heart.Eric: Hi Les. First of all, let's talk about you... Where do you come from? What are your musical influences? When did you begin to be interested in music?Les: I have been playing since I was small... I was raised in "America is always right, and Catholic". What an oppression!... It was an act of rebellion for music to be my life... It was against everyone, a shame to my family at the time. I listened to Doug Kershaw (cajun violin, and Segovia, classical guitar). I also love jazz, and all good music... People ask who are my influences... I tell them : "Too many to name". Of course I have serious roots in the Blues; I am from Chicago. I would seek the players like Willie Mctell, Muddy Waters, BB King.Eric: When we listen to your music you seem to have a lot of Reggae influence too. Am I wrong?Les: No. I went to Jamaica. I got barefoot long enough to where it was uncomfortable to wear shoes, and I could throw a machete through a door. I played 7 nights per week with the "Mighty Survivors", a Jamaican Reggae Band.Eric: You have a very personal style, very close to you...Les: My music will outlive me, so I do my music... but there is no death, just a door I will walk through, and my music is all I leave behind(here)...Eric: Why an artist like you decide to distribute his music freely in electronic format such as MP3 or RealAudio???Les: Well, first off... Getting it out there is paramount. I really am giving it away in one sense, but, if I was in it for the money, primarily, I wouldn't do it at all... It is too hard a way to make money. The internet has levelled the playing field; it is the future, it's not here yet though.Eric: Distributing the music in electronic format is the only alternative for a new artist?Les: The alternative would be to go through usual channels looking for someone else to get you out there... All likelyhood is that Lawyers and Cokeheads will then take most of it.Eric: Do you think that MP3 is just a way to listen to the artist's music before buying his CD, like a "musical shareware"?Les: I guess I resent the idea people seem to promote that an internet download is of the quality of the CD... It is not even close!!! Everyone knows that MP3 is pretty good stereo, much better than Real audio... But from MP3 to my CD (which is a Sony disc, surround sound) it is an equal rise in quality of sound. I guess that there are CDs made that are not up to today's standard, but I wouldn't put one out there. It is my sincere hope that if people like the tunes they will just get the disc, it sounds better and takes up no space on the hard drive.Eric: Record companies have spent a lot of money into fighting against the MP3 format. They actually hurt more the little ones like you than the "professional" hackers. Do you think they fight to gain some of their power back on distribution of music?Les: I think that the Record Companies game is ending. MP3 is strong enough quality to illustrate the artist to a level that really puts it out there. Record companies don't like not being in control... They create markets with their 3 million dollars ad budgets. They don't give the public what they demand, they create demand!Eric: The record companies don't work for the artist anyway, they work for their own profit...Les: The artists are the last ones to really get paid, in a sense. They are the ones that receive the least of it in any case.Eric: Have you ever wanted to only live from the profit of your music? Even if it is hard for a guy who doesn't do "mainstream music".Les: It is like climbing a waterfall, trying to be original and make a living at it, but Love is the power that gives me life... So I try to repay this Essence by writing the tunes, and pieces. I never know where help may come from. I would like to park my taxi (I drive at night, mostly) and only drive my guitar, but then...Eric: It's been a pleasure chatting with you Les! Les: Thanks!"

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