Music

Root Source - Roots Sound

Breaking Through From Underground

Grooving at 1RPH: One Revolution Per Heartbeat.

Historical Mission

Music as the key to social change:

Music is the soundtrack to human history. It sets the dance of the world’s heartbeat …

Remi D

Turns The Key

A drummer from age 11, Remi grew up among the greats of Jazz… 

Remi hasn’t led his own unit since 1990, Cha Wa, seen here headlining at the first ever Brighton Festival, featuring Byron Wallen on horn and Adrian Oxaal on guitar. 

Remi was born for a purpose. He’s not done yet. In fact he is just getting started.

Next Generation

Now a brand new star of the next generation beckons Remi into action again. Max Ayinde is an exciting next-generation pianist with a lot of feel in his playing. Plus he’s a great sound engineer too.

Max Ayinde heard that Remi wanted to record some tunes for his novel so he volunteered and the ‘TreeSongs’ album began to emerge.

It was no surprise that Max and Remi shared a musical understanding and communicated so well despite never having played together seriously before. They are a father and son team.

Next Level

As soon as London St Vincent gospelist and guitar supremo Day Levale heard what was happening he wanted in!

A stringman of exceptional melodic and harmonic understanding and sensitivity, Day brings another huge weight of knowledge and experience to the band.

The moment Day Levale and Max Ayinde crossed over together into Abracadia it took Remi’s music to the next level: ready for you!

Music Reveal it

TreeSongs: Feel it

Picking up where Mittoo, Ranglin and Hibbert left off, the debut album ‘Treesongs’ brings you the mellow Jazzy side of Reggae with the deepest African roots and a hint of Latin vibe.

Produced in Uganda, Jamaica and London, ‘TreeSongs’ is the real thing: improvised musical conversations between players with something meaningful to say, full of truthful statements (‘for the record’) on the experience of being human.

Sample Track

Soon Come

No peeking till the launch :)

Meet

The Tonic Roots


  • Sticks and Wind.

    As a child, Remi was taught drums by Victor Feldman, Michael Silva and Phil Seamen, plus snips and tips from Art Blakey’s lips.

    Vibraphone’s a new self-taught thing. Remi dabbled with marimba in the early 80s, recording with the likes of Mad Professor, Johnny Clarke and Barry Isaac and supporting such names as Joseph Hill’s Culture and Freddie McGreggor live.

    Windwise, melodica is a new self-taught avenue too. His main wind influences from early childhood: Charlie Parker and John Coltrane. Late teens led to Augustus Pablo.

    Now Remi puts it all together with his own unique sound, matured for 50 years like a fine rum. Savour the flavour.


  • Buttons, Bass And Keys.

    On piano, Max Ayinde carries the swing every time.

    Composer, arranger, pianist, bassist and guitarist, as Count Kujo, Max Ayinde led his own  band on the Brighton music scene for some years before hitting London as a freelancer.  

    Not only is Max Ayinde a super-talented multi-instrumentalist and composer, he is also an ace sound engineer and recording studio technician with a fine ear for the elements and facets of sound. He really understands the sound that we’re aiming for and can deliver it.


  • Stringman

    An easy natural as comfortable in a village hall as the Albert Hall, Day is one of London’s leading senior gospelists.

    Day is also a gold star multi-instrumentalist who brings more than just a first rate guitar, vocals, bass and keys. Day has played a major part in building the Abracadia studio up from scratch as well as playing.

    Day has deep musical understanding as an experienced composer and arranger, and like Max Ayinde he is up on sound tech as well, making him an essential part of all we do in the studios.