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The Roots
The Roots are an American Hip-hop, hip hop band formed in 1987 by singer Black Thought, Tariq "Black Thought" Trotter and drummer Questlove, Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Roots serve as the house band on NBC's ''The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon'', having served in the same role on ''Late Night with Jimmy Fallon'' from 2009 to 2014. Current regular members of The Roots on ''The Tonight Show'' are Captain Kirk Douglas (guitar), Mark Kelley (bass), James Poyser (keyboards), Ian Hendrickson-Smith (saxophone), Damon "Tuba Gooding Jr." Bryson (sousaphone), Stro Elliot (keyboards and drums), Dave Guy (trumpet), Kamal Gray (keyboards), and Raymond Angry (keyboards). The Roots are known for a jazz rap, jazzy and eclectic approach to hip hop featuring live musical instruments and the group's work has consistently been met with critical acclaim. ThoughtCo ranked the band #7 on its list of the 25 Best Hip-Hop Groups of All-Time, calling them "Hip-hop's f ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Tonight Show Band
The Tonight Show Band refers to the house band on the American television variety show ''The Tonight Show'', which has created an important showcase for jazz on American television. The Tonight Show Band has changed in form and composition since the program first aired in 1954. The Roots have been The Tonight Show Band since 2014 for ''The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon''. History The first NBC ''Tonight Show'' Band was an expansion of the small band on '' Tonight! Starring Steve Allen'', a continuation of the local New York '' Steve Allen Show'' (which had gone on the air in late July 1953). When the program went onto the NBC network, September 27, 1954, pianist Skitch Henderson was brought in as leader of the still-smallish ensemble band that had previously been led by swing era trombonist Bobby Byrne and included trumpeter Doc Severinsen. The NBC band included Severinsen, who played the program's closing theme, a melody of Allen's entitled "Tonight". He played that sol ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Nouveau Riche (Philadelphia Band)
Nouveau Riche was a short-lived band based in Philadelphia led by Dice Raw. He founded the band, initially named the Disease, in 2005, and recruited Nikki Jean to be the other lead singer after hearing her play in a studio. Within two weeks, Nouveau Riche opened for the Roots at the Kimmel Center. It released two extended plays (EPs), ''Nouveau Riche Longtail'' and ''Free Money'', before disbanding in 2008. The band was also nominated for the 2007 ''Okayplayer'' Music Awards in the Rookie of the Year category, but lost to Gym Class Heroes. A full-length release called ''Bankrupt'' was planned but never released. Chase Hoffberger of ''The Austin Chronicle'' said their music "melds hip-hop and tripped-out rock music, yet this isn't trip-hop Trip hop is a musical genre that has been described as a psychedelic music, psychedelic fusion of hip hop music, hip hop and electronica with slow tempos and an atmospheric sound. The style emerged as a more experimental music, experimenta ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Malik B
Malik Abdul-Basit Smart (November 14, 1972 – July 29, 2020) was an American rapper, singer, and founding member of the Philadelphia-based hip hop band the Roots.Davis, Kimberly (2003)The Roots Redefine Hip-Hop's Past, ''Ebony'', June 2003, p. 162Shapiro, Peter (2005) ''The Rough Guide to Hip-Hop'', Rough Guides, , p. 323 He appeared on the band's first four albums before his departure, but often returned for subsequent releases. As a solo act, he has released two studio albums, ''Street Assault'' (2005) and '' Unpredictable'' (2015) with Mr. Green. Career On the Roots' seventh studio album, ''Game Theory'', released in August 2006, Malik B returned to the group,Golianopoulos, Thomas (2006)The Roots ''Game Theory'', '' Vibe'', September 2006, p. 211-2 appearing on three tracks, including the title "Game Theory" (track 3; listed as 116 on North American releases), "In the Music" (track 5; listed as 118 on North American releases), and "Here I Come" (track 8; listed as 121 on Nor ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Joshua Abrams (musician)
Joshua Abrams is an American composer and multi-instrumentalist who plays the double bass and guimbri. Career While living in Philadelphia in the late 1980s, Abrams was a member of Square Roots, a street music group that developed into The Roots. He moved to Evanston, Illinois in 1991, and played in Chicago house bands for several years before forming Town & Country in 1998 with Ben Vida, Liz Payne, and Jim Dorling. Abrams was the house bass player at Fred Anderson's Velvet Lounge and for several years he played a weekly club date with Tortoise's John Herndon and Jeff Parker. He was a member of Mike Reed's Loose Assembly and Nicole Mitchell's Black Earth Ensemble. In 2003, he played bass on Godspeed You! Black Emperor's album '' Yanqui U.X.O.''. He has worked as a studio musician on recordings made in Chicago, such as Jandek's ''Chicago Wednesday;'' Bonnie "Prince" Billy's '' Beware'' and albums from Chicago musicians such as Joan of Arc, David Grubbs, and Sam Prekop. In th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dave Guy
David Anthony Guy (born December 9, 1978) is an American trumpet player. Since 2014, he has played with The Roots, including on ''The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon''. Over his more than two decade career, he has been part of the groups Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings, Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings, Menahan Street Band, The Budos Band, and Lee Fields & The Expressions, among others. A prolific touring and session musician, he often works with producer Mark Ronson and can be heard playing on tracks including "Valerie (Zutons song), Valerie" and "Uptown Funk." Guy has also played with Antibalas, The Sugarman 3, El Michels Affair, and Charles Tolliver's Big Band, and toured as part of Amy Winehouse's band. As part of Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings, he was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best R&B Album in 2014. Guy was born and raised in Manhattan. He attended Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School, LaGuardia High School and studied music performance at the Manhattan School of Music and ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ian Hendrickson-Smith
Ian Hendrickson-Smith (born February 10, 1974) is an American jazz saxophonist. He is best known for being a former member of Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings from 2004 to 2010 and playing with The Roots on ''The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon''. Musical career Hendrickson-Smith began his professional music career in 1996. He has worked and recorded with Lady Gaga, Bob Dylan, U2, Amy Winehouse, and Ed Sheeran throughout his career. From 2004 to 2010, Hendrickson-Smith was a member of Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings. Hendrickson-Smith is currently a member of The Tonight Show band with The Roots, after joining the band in February 2014. He currently plays in The Roots, the house band for ''The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon''. Personal life Hendrickson-Smith was born in New Orleans and graduated from State College Area High School in 1992. He later studied jazz performance at the Manhattan School of Music The Manhattan School of Music (MSM) is a private music conservatory ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kamal Gray
Kamal Gray is a hip-hop keyboardist, rapper, vocalist, and producer from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He is member of the hip hop band, The Roots, who are also the house band, The Tonight Show Band on ''The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon''. Gray occasionally appears in games and sketches on ''The Tonight Show''. Growing up in Mount Airy, Philadelphia, Gray played basketball court and football at Martin Luther King High. He studied the guitar before focusing on jazz piano training in his early teens. Gray joined The Roots in 1994 immediately after graduating from high school in Philadelphia. He replaced keyboard player Scott Storch joining the band in London. His first album with The Roots was ''Illadelph Halflife'' in 1996, and he has played on twelve of their fourteen studio albums. Music writers have discussed Gray's background in classical and jazz piano with influences including Herbie Hancock and Thelonious Monk. Critics have also discussed Gray's ability to integr ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Stro Elliot
Stro Elliot is an American producer, multi-instrumentalist, and member of the hip hop band The Roots, joining the band in 2017. Elliot plays keyboards, percussion, and does sampling with The Roots in the house band for ''The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon''. As a multi-instrumentalist, Stro employs elements of beatbox, percussion, sampling, tambourine, finger drumming, and keyboards. Elliot was living in Los Angeles, CA for fifteen years before joining The Roots in 2017 after being invited by Questlove. He has cited DJ Jazzy Jeff as one of his mentors, who encouraged him to take the job on The Tonight Show. Stro Elliot was an original member of The Procussions, an underground rap group that formed in 1998 in Colorado Springs, along with Mr. J. Medeiros, Resonant (aka Rez), Qq, and Vise Versa. The Procussions toured with Common, the Pharcyde, Xzibit, Talib Kweli, Mos Def, Run-DMC and Ugly Duckling. Elliot is a classically trained musician, who grew up playing guitar, pia ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
James Poyser
James Jason Poyser (b. January 30, 1967) is an American record producer, multi-instrumentalist, and songwriter from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He has been a member of the hip hop band The Roots since 2009, and plays with The Roots in the house band for ''The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon'' and formerly, ''Late Night with Jimmy Fallon''. Early life and career Poyser was born in Sheffield, England to Jamaican parents, and raised in West Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He has written and produced songs for numerous artists including Erykah Badu, Mariah Carey, John Legend, Rihanna, Lauryn Hill, Common, Anthony Hamilton, D'Angelo, the Roots, Jill Scott, Al Green, Emeli Sandé, Talib Kweli, Big Sean, and Andra Day, among others. Throughout his career, Poyser has toured and played for with high-profile artists including DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince, Cece Peniston, Jay-Z, Usher, Queen Latifah, D'Angelo, Elvis Costello, Hezekiah Walker, and Aretha Franklin, among others. An ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Raymond Angry
Raymond "Ray" Angry (b. July 4, 1972) is an American keyboardist, record producer, and composer known for his work across soul, R&B, pop, and jazz. Angry also uses the alias "Mister Goldfinger". He has joined the hip-hop band, The Roots on tour and in The Tonight Show Band on ''The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon''. Since the 1990s, Angry has contributed songs and played on many hit records. He wrote Christina Aguilera's "Slow Down Baby", Ja Rule's " Real Life Fantasy" and Melanie Fiona's " Priceless". Angry has collaborated with notable acts including Cindy Blackman, Mike Mangini, Tom "Bones" Malone, David Gilmore, Betty Wright and James Poyser. He has also worked with Patti LaBelle, Louie Vega, Jeremiah, Mobb Deep, Elvis Costello, Peter Gallagher and Elliott Yamin. He also played on records by Robbie Williams, Joss Stone and has toured with D'Angelo. He released his first album as lead artist, ''One'' in 2018, followed by ''Ray Angry Three'' in 2023. Early life Ray Angry ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Tuba Gooding Jr
The tuba (; ) is the largest and lowest-pitched musical instrument in the brass family. As with all brass instruments, the sound is produced by lip vibrationa buzzinto a mouthpiece. It first appeared in the mid-19th century, making it one of the newer instruments in the modern orchestra and concert band, and largely replaced the ophicleide. ''Tuba'' is Latin for "trumpet". A person who plays the tuba is called a tubaist, a tubist, or simply a tuba player. In a British brass band or military band, they are known as bass players. History Prussian Patent No. 19 was granted to Wilhelm Friedrich Wieprecht and Johann Gottfried Moritz on 12 September 1835 for a "bass tuba" in F1. The original Wieprecht and Moritz instrument used five valves of the Berlinerpumpen type that was the forerunner of the modern piston valve. The first tenor tuba was invented in 1838 by Moritz's son Carl Wilhelm Moritz. The addition of valves made it possible to play low in the harmonic series of ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Captain Kirk Douglas
"Captain" Kirk Douglas (born September 30, 1973) is an American lead guitarist and singer in the hip hop band The Roots. Douglas plays with the Roots in the house band for ''The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon''. Career "Captain" Kirk Douglas joined the Roots in 2003. His first album with the Roots was 2004's ''The Tipping Point'', where he split guitar duties with Martin Luther and Anthony Tidd. By the release of their 2006 album ''Game Theory'', he had assumed the role as sole guitarist for the band. As a vocalist, he serves as the band's primary melodic singer, sharing duties with American rapper Black Thought. His band Hundred Watt Heart includes Ricc Sheridan (drums) and Gbatokai Dakina (bass), and has released two albums. Equipment On ''The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon'', Douglas mainly uses a Gibson CS-356, a black custom Gibson Les Paul, or a custom Gibson SG. He owns more than fifteen electric guitars, including a Gibson Goldtop (given to him by Vernon ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
