Cultivated Mind EPK

ARTIST BIOGRAPHY:

CULTIVATED MIND is a reggae, dub, and jazz act from the Hampton Roads area of South Eastern Virginia that has been creating socially conscious, high-energy, infectious roots and dub music since 2013. Formed by Italian American producer and multi-instrumentalist Anthony Brand, Cultivated Mind has grown over the years, producing multiple albums, EP's, and collaborations with artists at home and abroad. He has performed heavily in the United States and has toured internationally, steadily building a dedicated fanbase through equally dedicated live performances and studio releases. Inspired by Jazz, Blues, NY Hip Hop, Salsa, East Coast Hardcore, and especially old school Dub Reggae production, Cultivated Mind continues to push the boundaries of the Reggae and Dub genres, while simultaneously embracing and respecting the traditions from which they came. Performances take the form of loop shows with drum, bass, guitar, keys, horns, vocals, and live dubbing done by the maestro, and often with longtime drummer and collaborator TC Cline and live sound engineer Lucian Ford. Though mostly playing original music, Cultivated Mind's concerts also include medleys of old reggae classics, dub versions of classic soul and blues songs, and live flamenco and jazz improvisations. Studio releases are typically produced and performed by Brand at his home studio "King Street Records," which was originally located on King Street in Hampton, Virginia.

SHARED THE STAGE WITH:

Steel Pulse, The Wailers, HR of Bad Brains, The Movement, Beres Hammond, Mike Love, Marcia Aitken, Culture & Kenyatta Hill, Midnite and Akae Beka, Black Uhuru, The Wailing Souls, Everton Blender, Fortunate Youth, Arise Roots, Tribal Seeds, Desert Dwellers, The Expanders, Etana, Slighty Stoopid, 311, Chuck Fenda, EarthKry, Ras Attitude, Pato Banton, Collie Buddz, Tropidelic, Hirie, Common Kings, The Elovators, Passafire, Signal Fire, Little Stranger, Ballyhoo, Bumpin Uglies, Bubba Love, Fayuca, Badfish, Artikal Sound System, Jakob Nowell, Giant Panda Guerrilla Dub Squad, Sensi Trails, Vana Liya, Jesse Royal, Tropidelic and more.

AWARDS/ACCOLADES: 

2023 Winner of VEER Award for Best World Music

2019 VEER Award nominee for Best World Music and Album of the Year (No Quarter for Thieves)

2018 nominated for Reggaeville.com Album of the Year (Tend the Garden)

2016 VA Reggae Awards winner for Best New Artist.

REVIEW “NO QUARTER FOR THIEVES” BY TOM ORR OF NICEUP.COM/JAMMIN REGGAE ARCHIVES:

“Besides singing like a rootsman and chanting like a Bobo Ashanti, Brand captures a vintage reggae vibe through the way he works the instruments… dub-drenched real reggae music with hints of jazz, blues and Latin flavors. It all adds up to what Brand calls East Coast Reggae. A designation like that makes me proud to be from the east coast, but regional specifics notwithstanding, Brand's brand of reggae is a mixture of multi-talent, lessons learned well and a commitment to reality that hits the mark and never disappoints.”

FIRST LISTEN REVIEW BY DAVE SHIFFMAN OF ROOTFIRE

“features a roots reggae sound saturated in dub, seasoned by flamenco and jazz…a nasty bassline front and center. Brand compliments his strong vocals with his own overdubbed harmonies in a haunting, falsetto style reminiscent of The Congos.”

REVIEW OF NO QUARTER FOR THIEVES BY DOPECAUSEWESAID.COM:

“Gorgeous dubbed-out bliss…The lush sound surrounds the listener with a low-end that simply will not quit. Firmly rooted in the reggae tradition.”

REVIEW OF KING ST. DUB BY REGGAE-VIBES.COM:

“project brimming with originality, versatility and Roots matter. Serious sounds. The atmosphere is Dubbed with original theory; a Rootical odyssey that flows…The listener steps into unpolluted Dub country here…This is a Roots symphony all the way! Anthony offers up truthful lyrics with conviction; arranged anthemwise, undiluted and unapologetic…reflects a sense of purpose and strength to people across Creation.”

Featured Videos

Socials/Links

INSTAGRAM: @cultivatedmindmusic

FACEBOOK: Facebook.com/cultivatedmindband

FAN GROUP: Facebook.com/groups/1711936672446405/

SOUNDCLOUD: Soundcloud.com/cultivated-mind

REVERBNATION: Reverbnation.com/cultivatedmind

TWITTER: @MindCultivated

YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdgFfJu0JTLGQrd3OCnPlow?view_as=subscriber

STREAMING PLATFORMS That Contain : Spotify, I-Tunes, Deezer, Amazon Music, I-Heart Radio, Reverberation.com, Google Play

Musical INFLUENCES:

Dennis Brown, Midnite, Michael Prophet, Sugar Minott, Gregory Isaacs, Scientist, King Tubby and King Jammy, Josie Wales, Capleton, Saves the Day, Sizzla, Glen Washington, Horace Andy, The Police, Steel Pulse, Protoje, The Gladiators, Burning Spear, Culture, Paco De Lucia, Tomatito, Al di Meola, The Wailing Souls, Bill Whithers, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Kenny Burrell, Ray Barretto, Eddie Palmieri, Dean Martin, Renato Carosone, Charles Mingus, Desmond Dekker, The Clash, Alborosie, Marcia Aitken, Junior Cat, Connie Francis, and many more!