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AVATAR

reggae dub jazz

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Melodies as ancient echos,
forged from the landscape.
Blades of grass,
beneath one's feet,
sunlight on a mountain.

- Jah Bass

Contents:

  • About
  • Releases
    • Ancient Echoes
    • Resting in Alaya
    • Like River to Ocean
    • Summa Iru
  • Photos
  • Videos
  • Concerts
  • Reviews
  • Contact
avatar > contents

About

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Avatar are an Irish Reggae/Jazz duo consisting of composer/musician Jah Bass on Bass & Guitar and engineer & multi instrumentalist Tony O'Flaherty.

The group frequently collaborate with jazz musicians such as Ireland's Michael Buckley on tenor sax and the UK's Trevor Mires on trombone. They have also recorded with Jamaican Foundation artists such as BB Seaton, Ricky Grant, Carlton 'Tetrack 'Hines & Norris Reid.

Their live shows feature The Avatar Massive, a ten piece band of top musicians who perform at festivals such as The Electric Picnic, Cork X South West, Feile na Beailtine, The Dingle Global Rhythm Festival & The Cork Jazz Festival.

avatar > about

Releases:

To date the group have released 4 full length albums, Summa Iru ('05), Like River To Ocean ('09), Resting In Alaya ('14) and Ancient Echoes ('20).

  • Ancient Echoes Ancient Echoes Album
  • Resting in Alaya Resting in Alaya CD Album
  • Like River to Ocean Like River To Ocean CD Album
  • Summa Iru Summa Iru CD Album
  • Summa Iru
    Senior Allstars - In Dub
    Dub Remix
avatar > releases

Ancient Echoes
Release Date:
2020
Format:
Digital
Purchase:
Bandcamp

Superb original music, beautiful vibe and excellent musicianship this will be on heavy rotation during the coming months providing much needed sunshine

avatar > releases > Ancient Echoes

Resting in Alaya
Release Date:
2014
Format:
CD
Purchase:
CDBaby iTunes

A beautiful album, a masterclass in feel good vibes. All the subliminal elements are a delight. Resting in Alaya with it's beautiful melodies, horn arrangements & individual performances creates a superb laid back vibe. A brilliant album.

avatar > releases > Resting in Alaya
Like River to Ocean
Release Date:
2010
Format:
CD
Purchase:
CDBaby iTunes

The elegant and timeless songs featuring on avatars Like River To Ocean create a unique blend of harmony, sonic balance and groove enriched with Irish flavour. The beautiful horn arrangements are to the fore, and it is often here that the unique Irishness is most evident. The pieces are further enriched with very nice brass and guitar improvisations. Overall Like River To Ocean is an invitation to chill out in a most delightful way.

avatar > releases > Like River to Ocean

Summa Iru
Release Date:
2005
Format:
CD
Purchase:
CDBaby iTunes

I hear-by offer you a fabulous album Summa Iru. The album is essentially an instrumental dub album, but also contains strong melodies and a diverse array of instrumentation. The ablum in enchantingly soothing, yet motivating and uplifting.

avatar > releases > Summa Iru

Photos

Here are some photos from Avatar live concerts:
More can be found on flickr

avatar > photos

Video

Here are some videos for Avatar track and live concerts:
More can be found on YouTube

avatar > video

Concerts:

avatar > concerts

Reviews

A beautiful album full of smooth Reggae instrumentals that just make you want to sit back & relax letting the music take you to a musical paradise. This is music that makes everything right in the world - Karl Collins | Rocksteady Rhythms
I can't stress how good Avatar's new album is, fantastic arrangements & musicianship.It is a breath of fresh air. - Alan Madigan | Dub Posse, Bass Nation
A sweet sound mixed with super production...very deep tranquility...a superb album - Gerry Mulkerrins | Vinyl Choice, All Mixed Up Radio
Smooth & silky ...a tremendous album, absolutely fantastic. A truly beautiful album. - Lee Madge Riddim Train | Wolfman Radio
As the CD slowly unfolds, I can hear many different musical textures reminiscent of the immortal Skatalites. Jah Bass presents an impressive guitar style, and trust me when I say his playing is an absolute treat. You will hear his impressive guitar licks meshed with melodic bass that flows and ebbs its way through your emotions. Track 3 “Walk on Water” keeps it moving in the right direction with an impressive saxophone ambience coupled with a dynamic feel that takes you to a fantasy place, where you can relax your mind and walk around for a while, until you are forced back into the realm of the painfully awake. The vocal sounds of Ricky Grant, Carlton Tetrack Hines and Miri will leave you breathless. I especially like the euphoric feel of the title Track “Resting in Alaya,” and to tell you the truth, it doesn’t get any better than this. - Keith' Beltones' Mitchell | netlyme
I am really impressed by the musical quality of Irish Reggae/Jazz band Avatar ....I love the sound deep & sweet....One of the best horn sections I have heard ...Big up Jah Bass & crew - Anbessa Roots Reggae
Their unique blend of styles comes together wonderfully to create a soothing laid-back dub soundscape ...Resting In Alaya is a modern day Reggae masterpiece - Jaheire
One of Irieland & Europe's most original & entertaining Reggae/Jazz groups. If you like your Reggae chilled Irish style it's the album for you .A strong & fine album. I really love it. - Roddie Cleere | KLCR 96fm
The quality of the musicianship, the arrangements and the tunes is staggering... I have taken a real shine to this - John Creedon | RTE Radio 1
'Soothing ' is certainly the right adjective to describe the feel of this release from Avatar. It's relaxed in the manner of closing your eyes on a pleasant summer day but avoids MOR blandness . On the contrary the melodies and arrangements are more complex than they seem ,and bring in numerous influences from reggae and elsewhere .The most striking thing is that a reggae big band with numerous instrumentalists generate a sound that is understated and subtle ,holding back from an assault on the senses with a disarming and thoughtful style .This makes it quite unlike any other currently performing band . - reggaemusic.org.uk
A beautiful album, a masterclass in feel good vibes, all the little subliminal elements in the mix are a delight ..... A lovely album , a wonderful laid back listening experience, highly recommended. - Gibsy Rhodes | versionist.net
A masterpiece... every song on this cd is a killa... 'Time takes Care Of All' is one of the most beautiful reggae songs I have ever heard. - Keith Mitchell Sr
Like River To Ocean is an album of instrumentals,a very good one with superb sound production that could almost be Tommy McCook & the Supersonics styleee....very much my cup of tea..a fine Earl Grey in fact. 9/10 - Springline Jamaica | Gibsy
Subtle jazzy touches... sparkling guitar work throughout.. vibraphone dulcet flute ,mournful trombone brings you round hazily from the excess of the night before in a mellow chilled out way... A blissed out affair . - United Reggae Magazine
Original, tuneful, danceable, and highly entertaining, Like River To Ocean is a most enriching experience. - Irish Examiner | Gerry Quinn
Avatar are one of the countries best kept secrets and they fuse Reggae, Dub and Jazz in a way that the original Jamaican master did long ago... - Evening Echo | Stevie G.
I hereby offer you a fabulous album... enchantingly soothing, yet motivating and uplifting. Check it out, I think you'll like it. - Bass Guitar Magazine | Steve Harvey
Avatar are real musicians rather than electronic sound tinkerers... Like River To Ocean fits well with Santa Fe's chillosophy it is not possible to relax more. - Hanfblatt | Judge Head
Assembled by instrumentalists Jah Bass and Tony O'Flaherty and specialising in their own brand of dub, they have succeeded in producing an eight-track CD entitled 'Like River To Ocean' that reflects their love and respect of reggae. Their style is far from the simple reproduction of past Jamaican models or a variation on the popular UK Nu-Roots mould. Playing all original tunes, it's clear that they've absorbed all manner of diverse influences that are difficult to pin down precisely. It's music that's difficult to categorize, then, but it's engagingly different, atypical. It's also nicely put-together and presented. - Riddim Magazine | Simon Buckland
The elegant and timeless songs featuring on avatars Like River To Ocean create a unique blend of harmony, sonic balance and groove.... enriched with Irish flavour. The beautiful horn arrangements are to the fore, and it is often here that the unique Irishness is most evident. irieites.de | Carson Frehe
'Like River To Ocean' makes a welcome change from most Irish rock... Avatar bring a bright sound to these darkling days. - Hot Press | Jackie Hayden
Like River To Ocean will leave you with hope in your heart in these bleak times. As a whole this album manages to soothe, groove and uplift simultaneously. Whether you like dub or not, you should go treat yourself and buy this album
- it's a right little gem.
- The Kerryman | Mikey Maguire
I keep playing this album over and over. I find it both musically intricate and a joy to listen to. It is beautifully recorded and composed. The standard of musicianship cannot be faulted. If you haven't heard it then give your ears a treat now ! - Del Palmer
A rich and beautifully melodic sound... it's impossible not to be moved by musicians so obviously on top of their game, with music born of life, love and spirituality - Jason O'Mahony | Samhlaiocht Chiarraí
....one of the County's most prestigious and accomplished bands. Avatar are without question, ones to watch ! - Karl Wallace | Siamsa Tire Tralee
Ancient Echoes from Avatar is a beautiful album. It is full of smooth Reggae instrumentals that make you want to sit back relax and let the music take you to a musical paradise. It is music that makes everything alright in the world. - Karl Collins | Rocksteady Rhythms Showe
Smooth and silky, Ancient Echoes is a beautiful album...absolutely fantastic. - Lee Madge | Wolfman Radio
Ancient Echoes is an album of sweet sounds mixed with excellent production and very deep tranquility. It's truly a superb album - Gerry Mulkerrins | Vinyl Choice Radio Show
I can't stress enough just how good Avatar's new album Ancient Echoes is. There are fantastic arrangements and fantastic musicianship. It is a breath of fresh air featuring great musicians. - Alan Madigan | Dub Posse Reggae Show

Interviews

  • Irie Up Magazine | Avatar - Irish Reggae Style
  • Bass Guitar Magazine
  • Irie Ireland
  • The Global Village | Radio Kerry
Dub a sub-genre of Reggae, has become an entity of its own. It's influence on hip-hop,trip-hop,techno and general rock music cannot be underestimated.A dub record from Co Kerry is a rarity ,but this new offering is catchy and charming.Created by writer Jah Bass and acclaimed studio engineer Tony O'Flaherty,Like River To Ocean is a delightful fusion of ambient sounds ,jazz and reggae. There's an organic feel to this music,despite the fact that the project relies on studio effects,with echo and reverberation to the fore .Jah Bass' bass and guitars ,plus reliable percussion ,lay down a solid vibe enhanced by brass,keyboards,and sporadic etheral vocals.With strong melodies adding to the appeal,Avatar are surely on a winner with this their second release. A sublime trumpet line pilots the opening track,Sunrise Dub,through calm and tranquil musical waters ,while Joyful Dub does just what it says on the tin-it's a ska infused floor-filler.The title track chugs along with an infectious beat ,supporting an inspiring flute /guitar/trombone lead melody. Mellowness Dub segues seamlessly back and forth,from a tune like The Archies Sugar Sugar to what sounds suspiciously like Bob Marley's I Don't Want To Wait In Vain .Throughout, earthy and simple grooves abound, accentuating Kennedy's obvious gift for melody. At all times ,the brass section lends a richness of tone.Original,tuneful,danceable,and highly entertaining,Like River To Ocean is a most enriching experience.

-Gerry Quinn/Irish Examiner 17th Oct 09.
avatar > reviews & interviews

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Contact




Connect with Avatar

  • twitter.com/AvatarSounds
  • facebook.com/AvatarDub
  • youtube.com/AvatarSounds
  • soundcloud.com/AvatarDub
  • flickr.com/AvatarDub
  • Avatar3.bandcamp.com
avatar > connect
site visits

May all Beings be filled with Loving Kindness,
safe from harm.
May they be well in body & mind,
peaceful & happy.

Melodies as ancient echos,
forged from the landscape.
Blades of grass,
benarth one's feet,
sunlight on a mountain.
- Jah Bass
vool
f l x 3