GreenTaRA

Artist Information

Biography

As a soloist or front woman for her live band, this Vancouver-born Canadian of African-American/Cherokee and Scottish descent delivers sassy, jazz-laced lyrics over funk and reggae riffs as diverse as her heritage. Described as "a soulful vixen who will blow your ears out with her voice" (The Late Greats) and "equal parts Ursula Rucker, N'Dea Davenport and Bahamadia" (NOW Magazine), this award-winning artist serves a delectable menu of the soulful music and spicy lyrics for which she has quickly become known. With an "edgy multicultural perspective" (AnE-Vibe) she brings a refreshing taste of reality to modern soul music.

GreenTaRA has performed at the United Nations and NYC's hottest spots, Fete de la Musique in Berlin, the Western Canadian Music Awards, Canadian Music Week (CMW), Baltimore Music Festival, Frostbite Music Festival and the Vans Warped Tour among many more Canadian and international events. She was named "Best of the Fest" in music at the 2007 Austin Woman's Film, Music & Literary Festival and listed among the top 12 buzz bands at the 2008 CMW. She has shared the bill with Spearhead's Michael Franti, K-os, Jully Black, K'naan, Kelis, Bahamadia, Ursula Rucker and Big Sugar among others, and has warmed crowds for acts ranging from the legendary De La Soul to Little Richard.

GreenTaRA is one of the Pacific Northwest's finest independent artists. Having released her first solo album "Music for a Mixed Nation" (Easy Bake Records) to win international acclaim on the indie scene, her sophmore album, "Global Baby" (Easy Bake Records) was released in Canada and Japan in October 2007, and nominated for a Western Canadian Music Award in the Outstanding Urban Recording category. Prior to her current project, GreenTaRA led the Florida-based band Honeyspot with David Pastorius, an 8-piece acid-jazz group called Off the Record, and female-fronted hip hop ensemble Triple 3 in Vancouver. Along with extensive touring, she has continued to record and produce independent albums for over 10 years, establishing her own label, Easy Bake Records, and production company, GreenTaRA Music.

Instrumentation

Band Format:
GreenTaRA (vocals, electric guitar)
Scott Paulley (bass)
Sarka Kocicka (drums)

Solo Format:
GreenTaRA (vocals, acoustic guitar)

Discography

Music Against Racism (Music BC, CD: 2008)
Sounds of Sistahood (Working Arts Society, CD: 2008)
Any Random Six (M.A.L.I., CD: 2008)
Global Baby (Easy Bake/GTM, CD: 2007)
Rhymekeepers (Native Earth, CD/LP: 2007)
Grrrls With Guitars Volume 3 (Maximum/Universal, CD: 2005)
Music for a Mixed Nation (Easy Bake/GTM, CD/LP: 2004)
Hands Up (Kia Kadiri, Maximum/Universal: 2004)
Le Concert au Bar Basque (GreenTaRA Music, CD: 2002)
GreenTaRA (GreenTaRA Music, EP: 2001)
Acoustic Trax (GreenTaRA Music, EP: 2000)
Off the Record (GreenTaRA Music, EP: 1999)
Live in Key West (Honeyspot, CD: 1998)
Spread (Honeyspot, CD: 1996)

Official Website

http://www.myspace.com/greentaramusic

Links

• MySpace
• Toronto Star - GreenTaRA
• Shared Vision Magazine - GreenTaRA Cover Story
• Celebs and the Environment - GreenTaRA Feature
• Facebook

Audio

• Get Up
  Listen  
• Life Can Be Sweeter featuring Belladonna
  Listen  
• Still Can't Live (Without You)
  Listen  
• Controller
  Listen  
• Figure It Out featuring Ndidi Cascade
  Listen  
• Not Far
  Listen  
• All the Same
  Listen  
• Break Out (the Zoo II) featuring Kia Kadiri
  Listen  
• Doin' It
  Listen  
• Revolution Time
  Listen  
• Communication Altar
  Listen  
• From the Moment We Drop
  Listen  
• Who
  Listen  

Lyrics

• Get Up
• Life Can Be Sweeter
• Still Can't Live (Without You)
• Controller
• Figure It Out
• Not Far
• All the Same
• Break Out (the Zoo II)
• Doin' It
• Revolution Time
• Communication Altar
• From the Moment We Drop
• Who

Video

GreenTaRA on Tour

Photo Gallery

Press

• NOW Magazine [+ Show ]
  

  "GreenTaRA might be described as equal parts Ursula Rucker, N’Dea Davenport and Bahamadia. This stea..."GreenTaRA might be described as equal parts Ursula Rucker, N’Dea Davenport and Bahamadia. This steadily rising BC native’s organic artistry has been growing since 1996, and she’s now at the top of her game. She’s toured four continents independently, acoustic guitar in tow, invading the minds of the unsuspecting with sonic shrapnel bombs of positivity." - Addi Stewart (2008)
  
  "Somehow, her voice evokes both Alanis Morissette and Jill Scott. With the sass of both, she frequently drops jewels about the science of life, sex, Jah and globalization, leaving the listener full of thought..." - Jason Richards (2005)

• Exclaim! Magazine [+ Show ]
  

  "Global Baby gets listeners bodied with a chunky, funky soul sound and an intriguing mix of singing,..."Global Baby gets listeners bodied with a chunky, funky soul sound and an intriguing mix of singing, rap and spoken word. The reggae/dub-tinged track “Controller” and “From the Moment We Drop” speak from a historical perspective, while the gospel-flavoured funk of “Get Up” and the Motown-meets-hip-hop “Revolution Time” feature an unapologetic funked-up feel. Global Baby manages to go weighty on social commentary without being overly preachy or heavy-handed. It’s an ambitious musical salve for the soul." - Ryan B. Patrick (2007)
  
  "There’s an innate intimacy that comes across in GreenTaRA’s personal politics; whether she’s singing or slipping into her occasionally rhymed verses, her willingness to address her own internal issues (“Sexual Reality”) or encouraging self worth (“Deadly ‘Til You Die”) all come across so genuinely, it’s pointless to be cynical listening to such refreshingly executed music." - Del F. Cowie (2005)

• CD Baby "Global Baby" Review [+ Show ]
  

  "I'm an average woman in my abnormality." It's lyrics like this that flow throughout this album and ..."I'm an average woman in my abnormality." It's lyrics like this that flow throughout this album and make for a refreshing take on funk-laced neo soul. She really runs the gamut on this collection of full bodied songs, incorporating horns, keys, scratching, and an unending array of rhythmic elements that leave no groove unturned.
  
  Reminiscent of 70's soul but lavishly updated with a stylistically modern hip hop and R&B feel, the songs can't help but have a wide appeal. Moving from densely layered choruses to driving verses that embrace complex harmonies and even some rapping, the vocal intricacies alone are enough to make this record stand out. Add to that some intensely fluid playing by her accomplished backing band, and you've got an all out celebration of life, love and expression.
  
  As the title implies, the songs are ambitious in their scope, delving into the of history on modern times and an ongoing search for ways to make the world a better place. With this album, she's undoubtedly doing her part.

• Toronto Star [+ Show ]
  

  GreenTaRA fuses reggae and soul with sassy Jill Scott-style ruminations about love, life and histori...GreenTaRA fuses reggae and soul with sassy Jill Scott-style ruminations about love, life and historical figures such as abolitionist Harriet Tubman.

• MTV [+ Show ]
  

  Her unique voice is versatile with an incredible range. Her songs are heartfelt and take a stance in...Her unique voice is versatile with an incredible range. Her songs are heartfelt and take a stance in support of the environment and humankind.

• Global Baby CD & Concert Reviews [+ Show ]
  

  "If you like India.Arie or Erykah Badu, then you’ll love GreenTaRA. Her lyrics are chock full of her..."If you like India.Arie or Erykah Badu, then you’ll love GreenTaRA. Her lyrics are chock full of her history, social commentary on everything from plastic surgery to racism, and, of course, relationship woes. She boasts an incredible range in both her singing and rapping skills, particularly on the standout track “Life Can Be Sweeter”, featuring Belladonna." - Sarah Leavitt, The Fulcrum (2007)
  
  "It’s a good thing, GreenTaRA’s childhood dream of becoming an obstetrician did not pan out, as she went on to become an enchanting musician. Instead of delivering babies to the masses, this talented and socially conscious artist, delivers soul-moving jazz, funk and R&B tunes that reach the listener at a prolific level. Her latest album is called Global Baby and features such Motown numbers as Revolution Time and Reggae-inspired tracks as Controller." - Anila Umar, Urban Mixer (2007)
  
  "Mixed race and adopted, the Vancouver soul singer known as GreenTaRA snubs music industry standards while attracting worldwide attention with her passionate pleas for social justice...The governing musical vibe of Global Baby sits somewhere between acid jazz and the silky vernacular of '70s soul." - Adrian Mack, Shared Vision Magazine (2008)

• Vue Weekly [+ Show ]
  

  Efficiency when it comes to touring goes a long way towards getting GreenTaRA’s tightly crafted soni...Efficiency when it comes to touring goes a long way towards getting GreenTaRA’s tightly crafted sonic offerings—which blend funk, R&B, hip hop and a not insignificant amount of Motown—out into the air for people to hear...Perhaps more integral than Motown to GreenTaRA’s sound is a current of political activism that moves through her music.

• AnEvibe [+ Show ]
  

  A unique blend of African-America, Cherokee and Scottish roots, GreenTaRA seems to embody the music ...A unique blend of African-America, Cherokee and Scottish roots, GreenTaRA seems to embody the music scene emerging from the West Coast Canadian music hub of Canada; with socially conscious songs like ‘Controller’ that speaks of Harriet Tubman, a former slave who became a conductor on the underground railway to eventually bring over 300 hundred slaves to freedom, and an edgy multi-cultural perspective, with a diverse synthesis of music ranges.

• The Cyberkrib [+ Show ]
  

  The best phrase I could come up with to describe her musical genre is "music of the people" - all th...The best phrase I could come up with to describe her musical genre is "music of the people" - all the influences she draws from have the roots in social and political forms of expression.
  
  TaRA’s voice is compelling - she has no aspirations to vocal pretensions; and as a performer, it seems to me that she knows her voice and how to use it to her advantage. Her mastery of the lyrics is intriguing - some words she lets slide off her tongue; others she expels with puffs of air; still others she plays with, teasing them a little before letting them escape.

• Terminal City [+ Show ]
  

  GreenTaRA has created a beautiful and diverse album with her "Music For A Mixed Nation". An attempt ...GreenTaRA has created a beautiful and diverse album with her "Music For A Mixed Nation". An attempt to capture the mosaic of Canada's mixed scene, Tara is helping to redefine the changing landscape of soul, funk and hip hop.

Setlist

Original songs:
Life Can Be Sweeter
Figure It Out
All the Same
Get Up
Revolution Time
From the Moment We Drop
Who

The Zoo
Still Can't Live (Without You)
Controller
Doin' It
Communication Altar
Not Far
Perception
Sexual Reality

Babylon Bye-Bye
The Cycle
Deadly Til U Die
Revolution of the Senses
Border Crossings
Freaking Out
Time and Space
The Frontline

Sample of covers:
Video (India.Arie)
Apple Tree (Erykah Badu)
Zion (Lauryn Hill)
Golden (Jill Scott)
Summertime (Ira Gershwin)

Sets are approximately 45 minutes to 1 hour long, with one, two or three sets, depending on the venue.

Basic Requirements

PDF Rider

GreenTaRA Promotional One Sheet

Calendar