12 The Band
Toronto, Ontario, Canada | INDIE
Music
Press
Elbow room was a hard find in Trag - formerly known as the Woodford Cafe - as more than 400 music aficionados gathered for the fourth instalment of EVOLVE, a concert series hosted by veteran promotional company Rockers House. The show featured four local bands, one of which made its grand debut at the packed out venue.
....... The final band for the night was the hugely successful 12, who have been featured on BBC radio shows and performed in some of the most prominent nightclubs in London. 12's music is at blend of calypso, jazz, reggae, rock and soul which they affectionately refer to as Earth Force Music. Sheldon Holder, vocalist and rhythm guitarist for the band, kept the audience entertained with an energetic performance. He danced and jumped across the stage, moving the sound of teh flugel horn, played by Brendon Moore. In between songs, Sheldon engaged the audience in conversation. - Newsday - Sunday June 3, 2007
Local band 12, self-described as "our culture's missing link, between all musical genres," celebrated the success that followed them for the year 2005, last weekend at TamNak Thai/Apsara Restaurant at Queen's Park East. Straight into the early hours of Saturday morning the band "rocked out" stoutly at its end-of-year concert, Get Up, playing a number of its soulful earthy songs with the crowd favourite appearing to be a mellow, sultry track called Window.
Founded in 1999, 12 plays a groovy, deep type of music which they affectionately call "eclectic soul." It is a fusion of the many genres of music that are embraced in T & T, including the popular calypso and reggae, rock, soul and jazz.
The pulsing beats and raw energy, paired with the intense lyrics of songs written by lead vocalist Sheldon Holder, created a vibe that was contagious. Patrons nodded their heads, clapped their hands, some singing along with the band.
And as with rhythm of 12, the night was also packed with an array of entertaining and in some cases awe-striking guest performers.
- Guardian - January 6, 2006
Discography
2003: Five song EP entitled Overtones
2008: debut album Sts and Aves (Streets and Avenues)
Photos
Feeling a bit camera shy
Bio
When you look through the portal into Caribbean music, 12 The Band is a shining star.
Bringing sun and sea to rock music, the band has been described as Radiohead meets Dave Matthews band meets Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers. 12 has been the driving force behind Trinidad’s underground sound for the last decade.
Founder/Lead Singer Sheldon Holder’s real world view and lyrical introspect combined with the band’s sonic allure have entranced fans at home and abroad. The live shows are a hot topic and have received rave reviews in the London Telegraph, Jamaica Observer, and the Trinidad Guardian to name a few.
Hits like Carnival, Imagination and Prosper are the foundation of the band’s iconic status and have also been the substance of many an encore.
12 has been promoting their debut album Sts and Aves throughout the Caribbean, North America, and Europe, supporting acts like David Rudder, 3 Canal, and The Mighty Sparrow, as well as The Dirty Heads and Mishka.
In the field of Caribbean Rock Music, 12 is a flower that is in radiant bloom.
At present, 12 is seeking performance opportunities in Toronto, Canada. Sheldon Holder, who was born in Canada, has returned in an effort to increase the band’s fan base and exposure.
More Information About 12 The Band
The dawn of the new millennium saw the formation of 12 the band, by lead singer and songwriter Sheldon Holder.
12's eclectic brand of music fuses elements of Calypso, Jazz, Reggae, and Rock, and has earned them an enthusiastic following in their hometown of Trinidad and Tobago.
Their uniquely themed shows at some of the hippest venues have cemented their reputation among Trinidad's discerning music crowd.
12 has also created a distinctive artist space at their rehearsal rooms called Conversations in the Yard where poets, bands, painters and Djs exchange ideas and link with others in their field.
Art and Culture is usually the means by which people inspire and elevate themselves. It is also the means by which a society articulates its needs and provokes social conscience.
12's music can influence minds and hearts, foster love, create change, and is a powerful spiritual force. The key to life is a balance of industry and creativity and 12's music is a reflection of that balance.
From its inception 12 has had to define its space. 12 has been promoting, marketing and distributing its product underground for a number of years. 12 is in the process of transitioning from a hometown sound to an international band in order to sustain its life.
Recent International Performances
12 has performed in the Alliance Francaise Fete de la musique for the last 6 years, opening for international recording artists such as Chris Combette and The Orange Sky.
In 2007, 12 has had the distinguished pleasure of being captured in the BBC 2 radio documentary on Caribbean life and music hosted by renowned British recording artist Joan Armatrading, receiving kudos from Joan herself who described 12 as “One of the great undiscovered talents of the Caribbean”.
Other landmark performances include:
2008 - Caribbean Fashion Week - Broadcast on Fashion TV - Jamaica
2009 - Canadian Music Week Festival feat. Mishka and Blue King Brown - Toronto, Canada
2010 - Under the Trees - Tribute to the Masters feat. Mighty Sparrow and David Rudder, Trinidad and Tobago
2011 - Tobago Jazz Festival feat. Trey Songz and Randy Crawford, Trinidad and Tobago
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