Music
Press
"That Beetroot features a creator and two former members of the long-running
musical STOMP is probably a blessing and a curse for this urbane soul sextet.
The show's powerful rhythmic elements are the solid core of the band's sound:
a lean STAX drum sound with echoes of dancehall and Afro-brazilian percussion.
But some might assume that that is all there is. Not the case. Singer Fiona
Wilkes's Leeds, UK background comes through in her strong '90s-Britsoul voice,
which, with the sophisticated trumpet and bass playing, adorns a groove
more persuasive than demonstrative."
- Village Voice, NYC
"A virtual cavalcade of beats and rhythms and soul, Beetroot's 6 members play a tight, infectious, smooth as a baby's bottom brand of acidfunckajazzadelic that ought to play as the soundtrack for a world that not only crosses, but blows up lines of color and culture" - jenyk.com
"Music for the soul. Definitely an album for any music lover's collection" - 87.7 FM Fertile Ground, Los Angeles, CA
"Young masters of rhythm, seriously into bass, and the groove,
fronted by the sweetest diva this side of the Caribbean….one of my favorite bands ."
- Bassist / Producer (Pere Ubu, UV Ray)
“I love Fiona's voice….and the beats are bangin'.” - Engineer / Producer (Black Sheep, MMW, DJ Logic, Wu Tang Clan, De La Soul)
Discography
Debut Album "13" is currently available at CDBaby.com
Photos
Bio
BEETROOT is what you get when you combine a West-Indian girl from Leeds, England (Fiona Wilkes: vocals) with a guy from Lovettsville, Virginia (Jason Mills: drums/bass/programming) and a guy from Salvador, Brazil (Marivaldo Dos Santos: percussion). The three met over a decade ago performing / touring with the global percussion sensation STOMP and have been making their own brand of retro/futuristic Afro-Brazilian soul music since 2001. Also on board: Wynne Bennett – keys; Jonathan Powell – trumpet.
Their debut full-length album "13", currently available at CDBaby.com, was named one of five finalists for Album of The Year (2005) by the Independent Music Awards. In addition, second single "Peel" was among five finalists for Blues/R&B Song of The Year (2005). They are currently in the studio (summer 2009) working on album number two....
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