GROUNDATION /

Harrison Stafford (vocals, guitar), Ryan Newman (bass), and Marcus Urani (keyboards) met at Sonoma State University in California in 1998. As jazz students, they joined forces to play reggae, a music that suited Harrison Stafford’s mystical personality. Groundation honed their skills by playing tribute shows dedicated to Bob Marley, gaining their first recognition within the student circles. As talented musicians, especially Marcus Urani, they started composing their own songs. In 1999, their first album, “Young Tree,” was released. Harrison Stafford, wary of Babylonian commerce, simultaneously founded the Young Tree label to ensure the group’s artistic and financial independence.

The band expanded their influence and made various collaborations. In 2001, Ras Michael and Marcia Higgs agreed to be featured on “Each One Teach One.” While developing their own highly musical style of reggae, incorporating jazz improvisations and warm brass sections, Groundation never forgot to pay homage to the great elders of roots reggae.

“Hebron Gate” in 2002 shook the reggae world with its perfection. With the contributions of Cedric Myton and Don Carlos, Groundation achieved the feat of creating a reggae album worthy of the classics, if not surpassing them from a strictly musical standpoint. The album was very well received in France, selling 10,000 copies initially. According to Harrison Stafford, France became Groundation’s “home away from home.” The country served as the launching pad for Groundation’s success in Europe, and the release of “We Free Again” in 2004 provided the opportunity for their first tour across the continent.

In 2006, Groundation continued their journey with “Upon the Bridge,” a successor to “Hebron Gate” that surpassed the less essential “We Free Again.” This time, the renowned elders featured were IJahman Levi and Pablo Moses. The album still offered a delightful mix of roots sounds, jazz improvisations, and conscious lyrics. Groundation released “Here I Am” in 2009, which reached number thirty-three on the charts in France, further evidence of their popularity in the country.

The compilation “Gathering of the Elders” in 2011 gathered Groundation’s collaborations with esteemed elders of roots reggae, from Pablo Moses to Cedric Myton. In 2011, Harrison Stafford also released his solo project titled “Madness” under the name Professor Stafford. Always seeking new bridges between reggae, jazz, and soul, Groundation released “Building an Ark” in March 2012, a month earlier in Europe than in the United States. In October 2014, Groundation enlisted the deluxe vocals of Marcia Griffiths and Judy Mowatt for the album “A Miracle.”

After a three-year hiatus, the legendary Californian group reformed with new accomplished musicians who, like Harrison Stafford, hailed from the renowned Sonoma State University. This new generation ensures the band’s legacy with a fresh sound that still incorporates elements of reggae and jazz. It is an unparalleled sonic experience that has been appreciated and supported by the band’s numerous fans on the world’s biggest stages throughout the years. Continuing the rich history of GROUNDATION, honoring the quality of the musicians who built the band and their work, and pushing this extraordinary experience even further, a new generation now carries the torch. The nine musicians, chosen for their talent as well as their specific influences, promise a unique reggae sound infused with jazz, funk, and the vibrant notes of Latin and African music that will propel GROUNDATION into new realms with their album “The Next Generation,” released in 2018.