YOGOMAN - ABOUT

ABOUT YOGOMAN

Band Leader/Conductor/Songwriter Jordan Rain/YOGOMAN is a world class drummer and highly dynamic singer who leads his band from the drum kit. Rain formed YOGOMAN Burning Band in 2005 to bring musical sunshine to his often rainy Pacific Northwest region by way of his original mix of Jamaican and New Orleans Dance Riddims. YOGOMAN Burning Band engages and compels audiences to get up and dance with shout outs, sing a longs, and call and response lyrics, bringing to mind artists such as Toots & The Maytals, Louis Armstrong, Fats Waller, Cab Calloway, Bob Marley, James Brown and the Meters. YOGOMAN's music removes the barriers between audience, entertainers and the industry, making it a community party.

Aiming to connect with people of all-ages and backgrounds through vibrant dance music, Rain is building off the rhythmic foundation of his favorite music from around the globe coupled with his innate sense of harmony. From beats to melodies to lyrics, Rain communicates primarily with energy and intuition along with his voice and cues from the drum set to the YOGOMAN Burning Band players and audience simultaneously, making each performance a new experience.

YOGOMAN Burning Band travels widely to play festivals, private parties, weddings and anywhere a celebration is needed. YOGOMAN Burning Band is internationally recognized for a ridiculously fun and top quality musical experience. Rain's aim is to travel to as many places as he can with YOGOMAN Burning Band, spreading as much love and community through music as possible in his life, with his family and friends.

YOGOMAN Burning Band has been voted and awarded the following:

* BEST BAND/MUSICIAN by Cascadia Weekly Magazine

* BEST BOOTY SHAKIN' MUSIC by What's Up Music Magazine

* BEST UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL by What's Up Music Magazine

* BEST SELLING LOCAL ALBUM at Everyday Music (Bellingham)

* LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD by What's Up Music Magazine

* WINNER OF LAST BAND STANDING CONTEST by KISM 92.9FM

YOGOMAN Burning Man has opened for the world famous Skatalites in Seattle and Los Angeles, and recently completed a tour with Jamaican reggae legend and pioneer Winston "Flames" Jarrett of Alton Ellis and the Flames.

YOGOMAN Burning Band has also shared the stage with other Jamaican Music legends including Toots & The Maytals, Third World, Clinton Fearon (of the Gladiators) and Pato Banton, while also co-billing with contemporary star groups such as Iron & Wine, Lost Bayou Ramblers, ORGONE, Dengue Fever, Cave Singers, Camper Van Beethoven, RJD2, and collaborating live on stage with Pato Banton, Winstrong, SambAmore, Lucky Brown, the Polyrhythmics, Junior Reid (Black Uhuru), Blue Scholars and Earles Of Newtown.

With multiple appearances Nevada's Burning Man festival to repeat performances at Reggae on the River in Humboldt County, to amazing gigs at Victoria BC's Skafest and down in New Orleans, Rain is continuing to work toward his dream of travelling to as many places as he can with YOGOMAN Burning Band, spreading love and community through music with his family and friends.

PLAYERS

Jordan Rain/Yogoman - Songwriter/Conductor/Drums & Lead Vocal

Raised in the Jet City, Rain came up through Seattle's underground music scene in the 1990', and started performing in the Northwest in 1993. Rain grew up on Classic Rock, Soul and Hip-Hop, while having toured nationally in the Underground/All-Ages music scene (punk/hardcore/experimental/indie rock, etc.). As a family man, Rain tours with his wife Jacqueline "Bongo Jac" Rain who sings and plays percussion in the band, while occasionally featuring their musically talented children. He also spins as DJ Y OGOMAN, and performs with his wife in a live duo as Yogoman & Bongo Jac for occasions that call for a more laid back/romantic listening setting.

Rain and Jac spend their winters in Texas performing duo shows, as well doing DJ YOGOMAN gigs, and return to the Northwest May through September to lead the YOGOMAN Burning Band.

FEATURED PLAYERS:

Jacqueline “Bongo Jac” Rain - Vocals & Bongos
(Photo by Tad Beavers)

Jacqueline was raised in East Texas bayou country in Linden, a very small town home of the famous blues guitarist/singer T-Bone Walker and Don Henley of the Eagles. In Linden, Jac got her start singing blues, roots country, gospel music and on the playground chanting double dutch rhythms. As a coloratura Soprano, Jac sang and studied Opera in New York City, Seattle and Europe. After a major car accident which left her with a complex disability, Jac sought out roots music as therapy and was advised to play percussion by her brain doctor. She met Jordan Rain/DJ YOGOMAN spinning vinyl records at his Soul Night at the Green Frog in Bellingham, WA, where they fell in love. YOGOMAN caught her singing jazz standards with a remarkable voice and asked her to join the band. They are now happily married and tour with their young son Buck Rain who is constantly immersed in music.

Johnny Toulouse - Bass Guitar
Johnny has a history of Jazz guitar and bass and has come full circle into the Reggae world of bass rhythms through touring with YOGOMAN and Reggae music legend Winston Jarrett. His presence and strong understanding of melody and harmony keep his playing engaging and fun to listen to.

Pat “Tyagi Ji” Doran -
Alto & Bari Sax/Clarinet/Melodica/Tap Dancing
(Photo by Tad Beavers)

Pat “Tyagi Ji” Doran of Twisp, WA plays Alto Saxophone as his primary instrument, several other woodwinds, and the Banjo. Tap Dancing since the age of 5, Doran’s fancy footwork has also worked its way into YOGOMAN’s live set as a feature. Tyagi Ji plays with consistent presence that always produces a fiery sound. While in India Pat was given the name Tyagi Ji by his musical Guru.

Denny Franzmann -
Guitar, Fiddle, Trumpet & Vocal
(Photo by Tad Beavers)

Denny was raised musically on a wide range of styles from around the world. Franzmann sings lead vocal and plays guitar in the dynamic Old Time Rag duo called The Copacetics with his cousin Pat Doran. Denny and Pat always wanted to combine fiddle and sax or clarinet for a feature section in a group and when they met YOGOMAN, the dream became reality. Denny has incorporated fiddle with flying colors, featuring an instrument not usually heard in Jamaican music. Franzmann also blends nicely with harmony vocals and also produces a nice tone on the trumpet.

Matt "Mash" Nash - Tenor and Baritone Sax

Mash brings a raw and soulful quality to his playing that keeps you on the edge of your seat wondering which way he's going to turn on his solos. Mash and his family hail from lovely Whidbey Island, in Puget Sound north of Seattle.

YOGOMAN IS AN EVOLVING COLLECTIVE THAT COMES IN MANY FLAVORS AND CONFIGURATIONS, BUT ONE THING IS CONSISTENT, WHICH IS THE VISION OF YOGOMAN TO BRING PEOPLE OF THE WORLD TOGETHER THROUGH FUN, POSITIVE & LIFE AFFIRMING DANCE MUSIC.

*A BIG THANKS TO THOSE WHO HAVE JOINED THE RANKS AND CONTRIBUTED TO YOGOMAN'S RICH MUSICAL HISTORY AS A BAND (you never know when you might see them again on stage with YOGOMAN):

YOGOMAN Family Foundation Players (in order of appearance): Joseph "Captain Seahorse" Miles- Saxophone, Isaac "Izzy" Weiser- Bass, Andrew Clarke- Drums, Tyler Clarke- Guitar, Tim Holmes- Keys, Norah McLaughlin- Vocals/Bass, Stell Newsome- Guitar/Vocals, Dan Lowinger- Guitar, Ben Wildenhaus- Keys, Thomas Akihiro Deakin- Saxophone/Vocals/Percussion/Arrangements, John Sampson- Trombone, Lupe Flores- Percussion/Vocals, Mars Lindgren- Trombone/Vocals/Percussion/Arrangements, Julian McDonough- Drums, Joel Ricci- Trumpet/Vocals/Percussion/Arrangements, Mike Mitchell- Drums, Josh Holland- Guitar/Vocals, Jason Cressie- Trombone, Robert Sarazin Blake- Guitar, Sara Jerns- Trumpet, Nelson Bell- Trombone, Cornet, Sousaphone, Amanda Rhine- Saxophone/Vocals, Miles Harris- Guitar/Vocals, Jimmy Austin- Trombone, Renard Copelin - Piano/Keys/Cowbell, Chris Senac - Bass, Kenta Gumbert - Keys/Trombone/Guitar, Joseph Vacca- Bass Guitar.

Yogoman opens for the world famous Skatalites on their 50th Anniversary World Tour

We were honored to join positive forces in Seattle, WA with Jamaica's original Ska band, the Skatalites for their 50th Anniversary World Tour. Hard to believe they started back in 1964, but you'd never know it by the energy and life they breathed into the Nectar Lounge on September 14th, 2014. Here's a few pictures of their Studio One album, the night's poster and the Skatalites performing that night followed by a great review of the show:

(photos by Hollie Homan)

Pictured above is Lester Sterling on Alto Sax, co author of Bangarang, one of Yogo's favorite Jamaican tunes/riddims. To Sterling's right is Trever "Sparrow" Thompson wailing on Yogoman's drums during Skatalites set.

From Left to Right is Travis Antoine on Trumpet, Val Douglas on Bass (what an amazing bassist!), and Andre Murchison on Trombone (he really was on fire this evening).

Azemobo "Zem" Audu on Tenor Saxophone and Doreen Schaffer, original Skatalites feature vocalist!
We all had fun backstage chatting, and I also found Roots Reggae singer Winston Jarrett in the crowd and we ended up singing THIS TUNE to one of the Skatalites instrumentals, which was originally a 45rpm record cut on Jamaica's Studio One label in 1969.

Here are a few pics of Yogoman Burning Band during our set and a link to the photographer/writer Holly Homan's East Portland Blog, who reviews the show, quite favorably of YBB. Thanks for checking this little piece of history out and we hope to see you dancing and smiling at the next show. Cheers- Jordan Rain/Yogoman

YOGOMAN FROM TOP TO BOTTOM- Yogoman on drums ringin' da Dragon bell,
Dan deLisle on Trombone, Jimmy Austin - Trombone, and Will Glazier - Trumpet,
The lovely Jacqueline Rae on Bongos and Vocals,
& Papa Mike Rain on thee bass guitar!