Rasheed Ali has performed in Africa, Brasil & the Caribbean.
He has recorded and toured with many international artists as a keyboardist and percussionist. During his many travels,Rasheed realized the far reaching oneness of his own Afro-Caribbean traditions. He had a dream of weaving the diverse African musical styles of the Americas into a distinct new sound.
"One Tribe, Many Voices" is the motto of his group.
Rasheed's vision is to break down the language barriers in Black Music. He writes and
sings in English, Spanish, Portuguese, French and Yoruba.
The music of Rain People is gradually circling the globe as Rain People's audience grows through the internet's word-of-mouth. Each day, Rasheed moves closer to fulfilling his dream of celebrating the musical melting pot of the Americas.
Rasheed, who founded the the DJ cult favorite Natural Essence, was previously signed to Atlantic & Fantasy Records prior to releasing the first of seven "Rain People" CDs in Japan in 1995. Since then, his music has continued to mature.
In 2002 he produced the critically well received; "Thunder in the Jungle" on his own Digital Rain Factory label. In 2004 he recorded "Tristeza e Beleza na Cidade Negra" (Sadness & Beauty in the Black City") recorded in Bahia, Brasil. Inspired by his trip to Africa, Rasheed created "The Empty Vessel Speaks"; a CD of Traditional African drumming in 2005. He followed up the recording by forming a folkloric group of drummers that performed in many international drum festivals. In 2006, Ali recorded a Spanish language CD; "Agua que va Caer" (Water that's Going to Fall) after spending a summer in Puerto Rico. That same year Rasheed Ali was invited back to Bahia, Brasil to perform in Bahia Carnival 2006 as a specially-invited guest artist.
Rasheed Ali has a relentless energy to explore and create new musical adventures. A prolific composer, Ali was driven to record two distinctly different CDs in 2007. One with songs written in Spanish and the other written in Portuguese.
"Agua Santa" (Holy Water), his sixth CD, is rooted in the musical traditions of African mysticism. An 'unplugged' effort, this is a raw recording that features the simplicity of drums and voices.
Inspired by his 2006 trip to Brasil, his latest odyssey, "Beijos Azuis" (Blue Kisses), is a mystical fable set to the backdrop of Bahia Carnival. As his message continues to deepen, Rasheed Ali continues to expand his audience and his sound.
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