Bedouin Soundclash
By: Atrossity
Like magic creating illusion and mystery, the Bedouin Soundclash manifests its genius reputation for fusing reggae, rock and soul into a complete package. For Eon Sinclair and Jay Malinowski, the simplicities of their reggae soul sound blends effortlessly, as their rhythm progresses and breezes into your atmosphere. Each note cascades out contagiously into the air, seducing every individual that comes in contact. The spellbinding guitar grooves and profound dubbing of the bass are the flawless components to the success and development of the Bedouin Soundclash.
The band name derives from Bedawi, a reggae experimentalist, who released an album of the same name in 1996. Before the overhead light bulb went off with the idea of playing in a band, Jay and Eon were just passing college students with a passion for music. Cruising the halls at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario, Canada, Jay would pass Eon’s room, where bass tunes were consistently present. With having no experience playing in previous bands, they set their sights on jamming. Pushing the envelope has further propelled these two Canadian natives into a journey of triumphant tours, which live on year after year. Their interactive control captivates crowds from the first initial note played. A surrounding dance display is a common experience at a Bedouin Soundclash show.
The music is pushed to the edge with the sheer purpose of giving their listeners something vibrant to work with. “Our goals have always been to make people dance and be interactive. The shows are just as much about the people, as you on the stage. I think our best shows are the ones where everyone loses their inhabitations and it’s more of a dance-off. You come to a show to get away from something else. We want the people to let lose and engage in dancing,” says rhythm and vocalist Jay Malinowski.
There is an addictive sense to a room of Bedouin fans, as the music pulsates through the speakers. The crowd, always tends to feed off their resonance and the participation level, which spreads throughout each and every onlooker. “If you are genuinely honest with people and break down the barrier between you and the audience, you will have the perfect bonding experience.” For not having any other past musical efforts to fall back on for familiarity, the Bedouin Soundclash prove their gifts were meant for the art of music.
In the studio, they’ve had the opportunity to work with legendary Bad Brains bassist turn producer Darryl Jenifer. The experience pulled the group into a tighter knit as they progressed from one record to next. Both efforts, Sounding a Mosaic and Street Gospels have been recorded with Jenifer. “We started having a relationship with Darryl on our first record. We got a long so well, on a personal level. They (Bad Brains) have always been outsides and we could relate to that so well. We love being in the studio with Darryl and we’ll always want to continue working with him.” Jenifer has been known to give a free range of space, as he incorporates a lighter mix of ideas. At the same time, his wide skill of knowledge is present when there’s a golden sound to just let it be, what it truly wants to be. While singer Jay’s raspy wail sounds, at times, cross between Bob Marley and Paul Simon, their ongoing work ethic and influences continue to race immensely proving this musical outfit is here to stay.
