Shireen Amini (Vocals, Guitar, Percussion), Patrick Pearsall (Bass), Lindsey Elias (Drums), Brent Alan (Vocals, Guitar, Percussion), Scott Hersh (Keys)
Influences
Early Soul music, the Motown sound, Al Green, Jackson 5, Stevie Wonder, contemporary Soul music, Amos Lee, Ben Harper, Blues ladies, Bonnie Raitt, Tracy Chapman, Jazz, 60s-90s pop/rock, Michael Jackson, Madonna, Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey, Boyz II Men, TLC, Gloria Estefan, Billy Joel, the Beatles, John Mayer, Sara Bareilles, Joan Osborne, downhome Southern rock & blues, Marc Broussard, Dave Barnes, music of New Orleans, Hip-hop and hip-hop fusion, Mos Def, Talib Kweli, Michael Franti, Lauryn Hill, some Country music, Dixie Chicks, some Alt rock, Iron and Wine, Gospel music and gospel fusion, Kirk Franklin, the Sisters Folk Festival scene, Susan Werner, Keith Greeninger, American folk music, all local Central Oregon singer-songwriters and musical acts, Tropical Latin music and all sounds from the Caribbean, Celia Cruz, Bob Marley, Latin rock fusion, Gustavo Santaolalla, Juanes, Carlos Vives, Ozomatli, Selena, Spanish flamenco, Gipsy Kings, West African music, music of South America, Perú Negro, Brazilian music, Middles Eastern music, beautiful melodies, beautiful thick harmonies, interesting/unique chord progressions, vocals that are soulful, raspy, fluid, deep, powerful, with wide range, earthy acoustic tones, interesting & innovative rhythms & polyrhythms, innovative recording production, lyrics that are socially conscious, moving, witty, poetic, heartfelt, truth
Shireen Amini is a 24-year-old Bend-based singer-songwriter who was born in Puerto Rico, raised in a suburb of San Francisco, and earned a Bachelor’s degree in Ethnomusicology at UCLA. At age 6, she began her musical rendezvous with classical piano and eventually veered toward folk-pop guitar with which she began developing her voice and songwriting abilities. Puerto Rican family gatherings incited a new passion for tropical polyrhythmic music, which became her gateway to studying music from all over the world. When channeled through her voice and guitar, her long-running & eclectic musical background emerge as her own brand of globalized folk-funk with strong roots in African-American music spanning the Motown sound to 1990s rhythm&blues/hip-hop. Her lyrics are deeply heartfelt and humorous as she sings with gospel spirit and Stevie Wonder-esque soul. Beneath her melodies, she lays down grooves on guitar with a uniquely World-influenced percussive style. In her full band format, she pieces together an uplifing blend of original songs and 90s covers while creating an exciting onstage dynamic. You can expect anything from beautifully melodic bass and guitar duets to straight groovin' percussion breakdowns.
She lives a musical double life as a sit-in percussionist on her specialty instrument, the Afro-Peruvian cajón, as well as congas with which she accompanies various local acts. In 2007, Shireen released her first album, an EP entitled Turnaround. Currently, she finds inspiration in the beautiful surroundings of Central Oregon, where she is working on her second album to be released by spring of 2010.
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