Matisyahu – A biography

Matisyahu first made a name for himself with his album ‘Live at Stubbs,’ and ‘Youth’ quickly followed. Both albums subsequently went Gold and ‘Youth’ was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album. 2009’s ‘Light’ reached #1 on the Reggae Albums chart and stayed in the top spot for 34 weeks. His fourth studio album, ‘Spark Seeker,’ also debuted at #1 on the Reggae chart, marked his relocation from Brooklyn to Los Angeles and found him working with Dr. Luke protégé KoOoL Kojak.

‘Akeda’ (out June 3, 2014), Matisyahu’s fifth studio album, was recorded in Brooklyn¹s Studio G and produced by Dub Trio’s Stu Brooks. The material for the album was written both in Matisyahu’s Los Angeles home and while on tour. Matisyahu states, “This record and period of my life deal with madness, listening for and following the inner intuitive voice, a small still sound. This record deals with love, with feelings of brokenness and humility, with humanity, struggle, and sacrifice.”

“Release the Bound Freedom Tour”

*Release The Bound Now Available via iTunes & Spotify*

Brooklyn, NY – Matisyahu recently released his new EP, Release The Bound via Thirty Tigers. This highly anticipated EP features collaborations with electronic artist The Polish Ambassador, and Columbian pop duo Salt Cathedral. Fans can experience the new EP live when Matisyahu kicks off his ‘Release the Bound Freedom Tour” Marc 7th, visiting 16 cities along the way! “Release The Bound” is now available to stream via Spotify, and available for purchase via iTunes.

When Matisyahu first started touring to packed clubs more than eleven years ago, it was prior to the release of Live at Stubbs, the now Gold record, and prior to that record’s single “King Without A Crown” reaching #1 on the alternative rock radio charts. His performances were a raw expression of his spirituality at that time and were supported by musicians who played a foundation of roots reggae augmented by the energy of a rock trio. Fans latched on quickly for a variety of reasons, but in August of 2005, just months after the release of Live at Stubbs, Matisyahu found himself on stage at the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival with the de facto leader of improvisational rock-n-roll; Phish’s front man Trey Anastasio.

“King without a Crown” climbed the charts and Matisyahu’s follow up record Youth was nominated for a Grammy, but the blessings and curses of mainstream success each took root. While Matisyahu’s bands have always been comprised of serious multidimensional players who have artfully molded the foundations of roots reggae into many genres, that early; if only a brief display of complete surrender to the music, seemed in some way to take a back seat. Through his lyrics however, Matisyahu developed a more personal, artistic, and sophisticated way to express the yearning for deep spiritual meaning, and as his own beliefs opened up to find more variety and depth, the desire for his performances to match the unpredictable flow of life developed as well.

Now, more than a decade and 9 records later, Matisyahu has formed a band that truly gives itself over to the music on par with his lyrical desire to connect to something beyond the self. The band features original Stubbs guitarist and longtime staple of the downtown New York improv scene Aaron Dugan, Dub Trio bassist and long-time Matisyahu collaborator Stu Brooks, Joe Tomino drummer of the dub trio and drummer for Matisyahu since 2009, and Virtuoso keyboardist Big Yuki. 

Release The Bound officially released on November 18, 2016 via Thirty Tigers. For more information, please visit: matisyahuworld.com.