The Herbaliser

The Herbaliser
Background information
Also known as The Herbaliser Band
Origin London, England
Genres Hip hop
Jazz
Funk
Years active 1995–present
Labels 1995–2008. Ninja Tune
2008 – 2011: !K7 Records
Associated acts Soundsci
The Process
Roots Manuva
Website www.herbaliser.com
Members Ollie Teeba
Jake Wherry

The Herbaliser is a jazz rap band formed by Jake Wherry and Ollie Teeba (Born Oliver Lawrence Trattles) in London, England during the early 1990s.[1][2][3][4][5] Although currently releasing on their own label and having previously been signed to !K7 Records, they were one of the best-known acts from the Ninja Tune independent record label. They have released 11 albums, including two DJ mixes: one for Ninja Tune's Solid Steel series and the other for Fabric's Live Mix series. The Herbaliser's album Same As It Never Was was their first release on !K7 Records. Their latest album There Were Seven was released in September 2012, on their own label Department H.

Jake Wherry has also recorded solo tracks as The Meateaters, released on the Parisian Big Cheese label, and has worked with The Propheteers.

Ollie Teeba is also part of Soundsci with Jonny Cuba of Dynamic Syncopation, Audessey ex-Mass Influence, U-George The Hemisphere and Oxygen Sputnick Brown

History

Jake Wherry grew up in South West London and played guitar and bass in a number of jazz, funk and rock bands in his teenage years. During this time, he met Patrick Carpenter aka PC, later one of the DJs behind DJ Food, and through him became aware of the Ninja Tune label. Ollie Teeba, (real name Ollie Trattles) began DJing at 15 and played his first live sets to London audiences a year later.

Wherry and Teeba met years later at Wherry's Traintrax studio, and began recording together, collaborating with DJ Malachi, Kaidi Tatham of Bugz in the Attic and Ralph Lamb of Easy Access Orchestra. They developed a jazzy instrumental style of hip hop, due to an absence of available rappers. They passed their recordings on to Ninja Tune bosses Matt Black and Jonathan More of Coldcut and were signed shortly thereafter.

Inspired by the funk bands of previous decades, rather than performing simply with turntables, Jake Wherry decided to take a seven piece band on tour, which included Tatham, Lamb, Andrew Ross, Micah Moody Jnr and percussionist Patrick Dawes.

As they progressed, they gained access to guest vocalists for appearances on their records, including What? What? (aka Jean Grae), Roots Manuva, MF Doom, Seaming To, Rakaa Iriscience of Dilated Peoples, Blade, Phi Life Cypher, Bahamadia Dream Warriors and Insight .

The pair were subsequently employed to produce music for the likes of Motorola, the soundtracks to Guy Ritchie's Snatch and the PlayStation 2 game Tony Hawk's Underground. They were also commissioned to write the theme for ESPN's primetime NFL show Sunday Night Football.[6]

The group have also provided production for artists including T Love, Princess Superstar and remixes for artists including DJ Food, Raw Stylus, Push Button Objects, Jaffa and label-mates Coldcut's "Atomic Moog", which reached number one on the UK singles chart.[7]

In 2009, the band released its second live band album, Session Two. This was recorded at The Easy Access Orchestra's studio and mixed at Jake's Train Trax Studio.

Discography

Albums

As The Herbaliser:

As The Herbaliser Band:

Compilations

EPs

References

  1. ↑ Roullier, Ian (2012). "Music - Review of The Herbaliser - There Were Seven". BBC Music. Retrieved 2014-01-12.
  2. ↑ Haywood, Brad (2002-06-13). "The Herbaliser: Something Wicked This Way Comes - Album Review". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved 2014-01-12.
  3. ↑ Naylor, Tony (2002-02-22). "Album Reviews - Herbaliser: Something Wicked This Way Comes". NME. Retrieved 2014-01-12.
  4. ↑ Blower, Kate (2012-10-12). "The Herbaliser - There Were Seven - Reviews". Clash. Retrieved 2014-01-12.
  5. ↑ Thill, Scott (2008-05-31). "Never Say Never to Mac-Based Electro-Funk: An Interview With The Herbaliser". Wired. Retrieved 2014-01-12.
  6. ↑ "The Herbaliser". Biography. NinjaTune.net. Retrieved 2008-08-01.
  7. ↑ "The Herbaliser". Biography. AllMusic.com. Retrieved 2008-08-05.

External links

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