Pirate Soul Soundsystem

Rhythm, groove, soul, and the undying magic of the ocean. Pirate Soul Soundsystem embodies all of these elements while communicating them through a powerful sound with tight rhythms, meditative grooves, memorable melodies, and a powerful voice. Mixing roots dub reggae with afro-rhythm, modern dance grooves and a laid-back beach vibe, you won’t be surprised to see people setting their souls free on the dance floor at their show.

Pirate Soul was incarnated at the end of summer 2011 when singer/songwriter/producer Nick Mazerolle began writing songs that no longer fit within the Fredericton-based 7-piece reggae/rock powerhouse, Weak Size Fish, that he had fronted since 2005. He began playing his new songs as a solo act around the Maritime provinces of Canada and released a 6-song acoustic EP dubbed “Bonfire Blues” which showcased the feel-good, acoustic, island/reggae, folk spin of Mazerolle.

May of 2012 rolled around and Mazerolle decided it was high time to take his project on the road beyond the familiar shores of the Maritimes, embarking on the Quest For The Pacific Tour. The tour spanned from the Atlantic shores of Canada all the way down to the sun-kissed beaches of California and back up the Pacific coast to British Columbia. This added up to a monstrous forty-nine shows in four months. In the midst of the tour, Pirate Soul released the ukulele beach hit, Shine On Me, as a single featuring a full band—an evolution in the project.

It was now due time for the saga to continue; Mazerolle decided to call upon Erik Schramek with his coveted bass skills and Evan ThePirate with his infectious drum and percussion grooves. Both Erik and Evan had toured the country with Montreal-based groove machine FM Hi Low, playing FeelsGood Folly Fest (Gagetown, NB - 2009 & 2010), Edge Of The World Fest (Haida Gwaii, BC - 2010), Telus Sikwam Fest (Mont Tremblant, QC - 2010) and Bonnaroo (Manchester, TN - 2010). Along the way they shared venues with such renowned acts as Mishka, Grand Theft Bus, Kinnie Star, The Boom Booms, Inword and Oka. With the addition of the two new members, Pirate Soul has now been reincarnated as Pirate Soul Soundsystem, bringing more funky reggae-dub-groove madness to the mix with the intention to get people to move their bodies and feel uplifted.

“After the Quest For The Pacific Tour, I realized that, although I do love playing solo acoustic shows, I am not a solo musician and I thrive more on sharing a stage with others and connecting through the creation of sound vibrations; it’s truly a magical thing. I’ve always admired what Erik and Evan do and got to know them quite well through playing many Weak Size Fish/FM Hi Low shows in the past. I extended the invitation to both of them to begin playing with me and was very glad to see their openness to the idea.” -Nick

With Weak Size Fish, Mazerolle had the opportunity to play at such festivals as North by Northeast (Toronto, ON – 2010), Festival Envol et Macadam (Quebec City, QC – 2010), Harvest Jazz & Blues Festival (Fredericton, NB – 2010 & 2011), Evolve Festival (Antigonish, NS – 2010 & 2011), and FeelsGood Folly Fest (Gagetown, NB – 2009, 2010 & 2011); shared the stage with Slowcoaster, Grand Theft Bus, King Sunshine, and FM Hi Low; and recorded/produced two albums, Off We Go (2009) & Shakedown (2012).

With the trio’s roots now planted on the west coast in Vancouver, BC, the three are setting the bar at new heights with plans to unleash their tight rhythms while cruising Canada from coast to coast in the summer of 2013.