Green Sunshine

By Aaron Lepley

tbt* correspondent

Green Sunshine is a self-described down and dirty, energetic hip-hop band with a positive vibe and a positive message. For the past four years it’s been spreading its genre-hopping blend of music to venues across Florida.

The sound could be described as a hybrid of early ’90s hip-hop, jam and a sprinkling of jazz. The septet draws inspiration from a cornucopia of influences: Parliament-Funkadelic, Ivan Neville, the Black Keys, Ella Fitzgerald, John Mayer, Tower of Power, Soulive, Jack McDuff, Emily Haines & the Soft Skeleton, Karl Denson, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Erykah Badu, the Bird and the Bee, Jack Johnson, Earth Wind and Fire and Stanton Moore, to name a few.

Green Sunshine’s beginnings lay in Brick, N.J. Initially a hip-hop duo known as Reason and Rhyme, founding members Emcee Reason and Emcee Rhyme were active in their local scene. Both attended the Recording Workshop, a school for audio engineering, which eventually led them to Florida. Here, they decided to put together an ensemble fueled by their eclectic influences.

One by one, members were culled from responses to ads posted on Craigslist. The first was guitarist Justin Boza, with whom they began playing shows as a trio, with prerecorded backing beats. The next addition was Johnny Nichols on trumpet, followed by Rodg Deep on bass and Jason Stander on Drums.

The lineup was complete when singer Motown Tea expressed an interest in collaborating with the group after a performance at the Pegasus Lounge in Tampa. After sitting in with them for a few gigs, she became a full-time member, rounding out their sound by adding a melodic element with her acid jazz-esque vocals.

With the ensemble fully formed and the arsenal fully loaded, Green Sunshine went to work on a fulllength album. The sessions have been taking place for the past six months at Red Room Recorders in Seminole Heights. Beyond that, Green Sunshine plans on playing and touring as much as possible.

“We’re very driven,” said Reason. “When you look at our calendar, we’re all business. We’re lookin’ to do it sooner than later. We’re touring the country, lookin’ to take everything by storm. We won’t be stopping, or slowing down.” Asked to describe themselves in a few sentences, Stander summed it up thusly: “It’s feel-good music. That’s a term that a lot of cats in New Orleans use to describe it. Louis Armstrong said there’s only two kinds of music: good music and bad music. If you pat your foot and shake your ass to it, it’s good music. We’re trying to be that good music.”

Green Sunshine

The band performs Saturday at the Local 662, 662 Central Ave., St. Petersburg; Wednesday at the Blueberry Patch, 4923 20th Ave. S, St. Petersburg (admission is $5); and Thursday at Dunedin Brewery, 937 Douglas Ave., Dunedin. For details, see greensunshineband.com.
- Tampa Bay Times

2009 was some year. In general, and for The Dunedin Free Press. I could not be more grateful for all the people that have joined us in our online edition, not just in Tampa Bay, but all over the country and world (What’s Up, Russia!). I am also really thankful to our great contributors, volunteers and a ton of people who have helped. I could not believe it when I turned on the Today Show one day in the beginning of the year to see a segment looking back on ‘09 as the end of what they openly called a terrible decade for almost everyone, And I’m not going to apologize for being negative either. I think everyone should be congratulated for surviving last year.

It already looked like 2010 would be an improvement with before the year was over with The Hip Hop Against Hunger Benefit for Feast hoted by Green Sunshine in late December, the New Year’s Day announcement of a SOUNDGARDEN REUNION and The Jyme Records Party at Gasoline Alley in late January.

Hip Hop Against Hunger, a benefit for F.E.A.S.T., was an UNBELIEVABLE evening with Green Sunshine - three intelligent MCs and a phenomenal virtuosic soul singer backed by five live musicians. The band blends funk, reggae and soul in their lush original music rooted in the hip hop traditions of positive lyrics and free speech.

F.E.A.S.T. representatives were on hand to collect canned food, cash and other donations at the show. F.E.A.S.T. (Food Emergency Services Team) Food Pantry, located a Grace Community Church at 2255 Nebraska Ave. in Palm Harbor, is a non-profit, 501-C3 non-denominational food bank serving North Pinellas County residents in Dunedin, Safety Harbor, Oldsmar, Countryside, Palm Harbor, Ozona and Tarpon Springs for more than 25 years. They currently help over 3,200 families each month, and are adding 2-3 families every day. Over .60% of their distributed food goes to support elderly members of the community living on fixed incomes. They serve clients Tuesday through Friday from 9 am to 12 noon.

F.E.A.S.T. receives no federal funding or grant monies. It is entirely supported by individual, group and business donations of money and goods. Ninety-five percent of all contributed funds go directly to the families they serve. They distribute over 76 tons of food annually.

The Feast Benefit was the first in a string of great performances for Green Sunshine at the Brewery this year, most recently the Sunshine Over Haiti Benefit they hosted there on Friday, Mar. 12. Check out our review of the show coming soon in this issue.

“We had such a big turnout for our Hip Hop Against Hunger Show in December, we had to do it again. This time we hope it will be bigger, better and help out a lot more people,“ Green Sunshine’s MC Reason said before the show. The show raised funds for the American Red Cross Haiti relief mission.

Coming up, Green Sunshine is playing at a Pre Orange Blossom Jamboree party at Dunedin Brewery Thurs., May 20 2010 at 8 pm in Dunedin; Fri. May 21 at Orange Blossom Jamboree in Brooksville, Fri., May 28 at the Wake Up Florida Music Festival in Brooksville, then back at the Dunedin Brewery for a weekend show on Sat. May 29, June 4 at The Backstage lounge in Gainesville for a Post Orange Blossom Jamboree Party, Tues., Jun 25 at the Crowbar in Ybor, Jun 26 for the Buzz Fest in St Pete and July 3 at Dave’s Aqua Lounge. They will play a State Theatre show on Aug. 14.

Look for the all the info on Green Sunshine in our Issue 2-10 Local Artist Feature. - Dunedin Free Press

2009 was some year. In general, and for The Dunedin Free Press. I could not be more grateful for all the people that have joined us in our online edition, not just in Tampa Bay, but all over the country and world (What’s Up, Russia!). I am also really thankful to our great contributors, volunteers and a ton of people who have helped. I could not believe it when I turned on the Today Show one day in the beginning of the year to see a segment looking back on ‘09 as the end of what they openly called a terrible decade for almost everyone, And I’m not going to apologize for being negative either. I think everyone should be congratulated for surviving last year.

It already looked like 2010 would be an improvement with before the year was over with The Hip Hop Against Hunger Benefit for Feast hoted by Green Sunshine in late December, the New Year’s Day announcement of a SOUNDGARDEN REUNION and The Jyme Records Party at Gasoline Alley in late January.

Hip Hop Against Hunger, a benefit for F.E.A.S.T., was an UNBELIEVABLE evening with Green Sunshine - three intelligent MCs and a phenomenal virtuosic soul singer backed by five live musicians. The band blends funk, reggae and soul in their lush original music rooted in the hip hop traditions of positive lyrics and free speech.

F.E.A.S.T. representatives were on hand to collect canned food, cash and other donations at the show. F.E.A.S.T. (Food Emergency Services Team) Food Pantry, located a Grace Community Church at 2255 Nebraska Ave. in Palm Harbor, is a non-profit, 501-C3 non-denominational food bank serving North Pinellas County residents in Dunedin, Safety Harbor, Oldsmar, Countryside, Palm Harbor, Ozona and Tarpon Springs for more than 25 years. They currently help over 3,200 families each month, and are adding 2-3 families every day. Over .60% of their distributed food goes to support elderly members of the community living on fixed incomes. They serve clients Tuesday through Friday from 9 am to 12 noon.

F.E.A.S.T. receives no federal funding or grant monies. It is entirely supported by individual, group and business donations of money and goods. Ninety-five percent of all contributed funds go directly to the families they serve. They distribute over 76 tons of food annually.

The Feast Benefit was the first in a string of great performances for Green Sunshine at the Brewery this year, most recently the Sunshine Over Haiti Benefit they hosted there on Friday, Mar. 12. Check out our review of the show coming soon in this issue.

“We had such a big turnout for our Hip Hop Against Hunger Show in December, we had to do it again. This time we hope it will be bigger, better and help out a lot more people,“ Green Sunshine’s MC Reason said before the show. The show raised funds for the American Red Cross Haiti relief mission.

Coming up, Green Sunshine is playing at a Pre Orange Blossom Jamboree party at Dunedin Brewery Thurs., May 20 2010 at 8 pm in Dunedin; Fri. May 21 at Orange Blossom Jamboree in Brooksville, Fri., May 28 at the Wake Up Florida Music Festival in Brooksville, then back at the Dunedin Brewery for a weekend show on Sat. May 29, June 4 at The Backstage lounge in Gainesville for a Post Orange Blossom Jamboree Party, Tues., Jun 25 at the Crowbar in Ybor, Jun 26 for the Buzz Fest in St Pete and July 3 at Dave’s Aqua Lounge. They will play a State Theatre show on Aug. 14.

Look for the all the info on Green Sunshine in our Issue 2-10 Local Artist Feature. - Dunedin Free Press

Hey Green Sunshine.... thanks for taking the time to chat. I read on your bio that each band member comes from all over the states. How did you all come together? How long have you been playing together?
The grass-roots collective known as "Green Sunshine" has evolved over the last ten years. Green Sunshine began as a duo rapping over backing tracks, then added instrumentalists one by one.
Green Sunshine's current line-up has been together since September of 2009. The core of our group has been rhyming and playing together since they were kids.

Please introduce the band.
Emcee Reason (vocals), Optimus Rhyme (vocals), Organized Chaos (vocals), Motown Tea (vocals) Johnny Nichol (trumpet, keys, harmonica and vocals), Justin Boza (guitar), Curtis Haze (bass), DJ Sly Boogie (turntables) and Jason Stander (drums).

I love the name, Green Sunshine. How did that come about?
The name Green Sunshine draws on many influences: green money, green grass, green herbs.... we also support environmental awareness and the Green movement. We advocate for free speech and offer a voice for socially conscious issues. Green Sunshine invites everyone to see the light of truth through our own soft filter.

You play a variety of styles of music. Are they all originals? Covers?
We primarily perform original music, but we also put our own spin on a classic cover or two. You really never know what you'll hear. We have been trying to add a fresh idea in every week just to keep our listeners on their toes.

Tell me about the music making process. Our practices are always fun because we all love playing together. With nine people in a group, the ideas come from everywhere. In general, we work out random music or vocal ideas at our practices. Some of our newest work has come out of just a few minutes of noodling at practice. Whether it starts from one member as music or words, the song usually comes alive as a group. Then we keep practicing it until the music is tight and the verses are locked down.

What types of venues have you played at? We have opened for national acts like Yo Mamma's Big Fat Booty Band, showcased local hotspots like The Dunedin Brewery (one of our favorites), and we get around the state, too, including recent gigs in Miami, Orlando, Gainesville, and all points in between.

What are your long term goals? Complete world domination.

Do you have a CD or one coming out soon? We have a CD available and we are cutting tracks for our new CD, which will feature the entire live band. We expect to release it in the late summer. New tracks and information on the causes we are working for are always featured on our website and myspace page.www.greensunshineband.com

What have been your challenges being such a large band? Mostly communicating. We use a common email address to directly connect with all members, and we text back and forth frequently to confirm dates and set-up shows. Transportation is another small hurdle since we don't have the tour bus paid off quite yet. It's just like running a big family: we have lots to do but it's always rewarding.

Green Sunshine has tons of energy! How do you choreograph it all? We try to channel each other in the right directions. It's a luxury to have nine people brainstorming ideas for shows and promotions. That has led to our numerous benefit shows, new T-shirt designs and new ways to get the word out. Then we all dive in to do what we can. It helps that half the band is in Tampa and some members live in Pinellas County.

Thank you for taking this time with The Bay Buzz. Any last words?
Just one thing - go see live music! You owe it to your ears to hear real music by real people! Green Sunshine will open your ears to funk, reggae, jam and hip-hop music in a whole new way!
Green Sunshine Interview with Dunedin Free Press
Picture
2009 was some year. In general, and for The Dunedin Free Press. I could not be more grateful for all the people that have joined us in our online edition, not just in Tampa Bay, but all over the country and world (What’s Up, Russia!). I am also really thankful to our great contributors, volunteers and a ton of people who have helped. I could not believe it when I turned on the Today Show one day in the beginning of the year to see a segment looking back on ‘09 as the end of what they openly called a terrible decade for almost everyone, And I’m not going to apologize for being negative either. I think everyone should be congratulated for surviving last year.

It already looked like 2010 would be an improvement with before the year was over with The Hip Hop Against Hunger Benefit for Feast hoted by Green Sunshine in late December, the New Year’s Day announcement of a SOUNDGARDEN REUNION and The Jyme Records Party at Gasoline Alley in late January.

Hip Hop Against Hunger, a benefit for F.E.A.S.T., was an UNBELIEVABLE evening with Green Sunshine - three intelligent MCs and a phenomenal virtuosic soul singer backed by five live musicians. The band blends funk, reggae and soul in their lush original music rooted in the hip hop traditions of positive lyrics and free speech.

F.E.A.S.T. representatives were on hand to collect canned food, cash and other donations at the show. F.E.A.S.T. (Food Emergency Services Team) Food Pantry, located a Grace Community Church at 2255 Nebraska Ave. in Palm Harbor, is a non-profit, 501-C3 non-denominational food bank serving North Pinellas County residents in Dunedin, Safety Harbor, Oldsmar, Countryside, Palm Harbor, Ozona and Tarpon Springs for more than 25 years. They currently help over 3,200 families each month, and are adding 2-3 families every day. Over .60% of their distributed food goes to support elderly members of the community living on fixed incomes. They serve clients Tuesday through Friday from 9 am to 12 noon.

F.E.A.S.T. receives no federal funding or grant monies. It is entirely supported by individual, group and business donations of money and goods. Ninety-five percent of all contributed funds go directly to the families they serve. They distribute over 76 tons of food annually.

The Feast Benefit was the first in a string of great performances for Green Sunshine at the Brewery this year, most recently the Sunshine Over Haiti Benefit they hosted there on Friday, Mar. 12. Check out our review of the show coming soon in this issue.

“We had such a big turnout for our Hip Hop Against Hunger Show in December, we had to do it again. This time we hope it will be bigger, better and help out a lot more people,“ Green Sunshine’s MC Reason said before the show. The show raised funds for the American Red Cross Haiti relief mission.

Coming up, Green Sunshine is playing at a Pre Orange Blossom Jamboree party at Dunedin Brewery Thurs., May 20 2010 at 8 pm in Dunedin; Fri. May 21 at Orange Blossom Jamboree in Brooksville, Fri., May 28 at the Wake Up Florida Music Festival in Brooksville, then back at the Dunedin Brewery for a weekend show on Sat. May 29, June 4 at The Backstage lounge in Gainesville for a Post Orange Blossom Jamboree Party, Tues., Jun 25 at the Crowbar in Ybor, Jun 26 for the Buzz Fest in St Pete and July 3 at Dave’s Aqua Lounge. They will play a State Theatre show on Aug. 14.

Look for the all the info on Green Sunshine in our Issue 2-10 Local Artist Feature. - Bay Buzz

We'll admit, "hip-hop jam band" sounds like a terrible, terrible idea. But with Green Sunshine, it totally works.

Performing a mix of funk, jam, hip hop and jazz, the collective consists of three MCs (Reason, Rhyme and Chaos), a vocalist (Motown Tea), a guitarist (Justin Boza), a bassist (Curtis Haze), a drummer (Jason Stander), a DJ (Sly Boogie) and a guy who plays trumpet, keys and harmonica (Johnny Nichol).

The end result is something like G. Love and Special Sauce, Arrested Development and Jurassic 5 all covering the Beastie Boys'Paul's Boutique. Their music radiates positive vibes, and is deeply funky and extremely fun-loving (thanks, no doubt, to "green"-loving songs like Puff Puff Pass and THC), making the band a house-party favorite around Tampa Bay.

You can see what all the hype is about when they play Saturday night at Dunedin Brewery with Skull and Bone Band. Click here for details. If you feel like a drive, they're also performing at the Wake Up Florida Music Festival at Sertoma Youth Ranch in Brooksville on Friday. Click here for details. - Tampa Bay Times

First we have Green Sunshine who are a collective of creative folks bringing some serious fun to what they do. They are a party in a bottle, and are sure to unlock that dancing fool you know you have got inside of you. Their tune "Fresh" is great anthem for getting down! - Status Hat Music

Legendary Soul Train conductor Don Cornelius resisted giving in to the inevitable rise of hip-hop, but eventually he accepted the genre. If Cornelius would take the train out of retirement and point his GPS to Titanic Brewery at 9 p.m. Saturday, he’d be pleased to discover a free show by Green Sunshine, which blends funk, reggae, soul and hip-hop, but in the tradition of positive lyrics and the sound of a vintage trumpet. Best of all, show is free. - The Miami Herald

Picture
Just as the annual Mardi Gras parade was signaling its final ballyhoo on Palafox street in the heart of Downtown Pensacola, another party was launched at Vinyl Music Hall when Green Sunshine jumped onstage. The Tampa, Florida group mixed hip-hop, funk, rock and soul while energetically casting a jam-band, party-vibe on the Pensacola crowd. Conducting the Soul Peace Train were , Emcee Reason (vocals), Optimus Rhyme (vocals), Motown Tea (vocals), Johnny Nichol (harmonica, keyboard, trumpet), Rodg Deep (bass), and Jason Stander (drums). - Take Cover and Shoot!