The Flood is a musical group from Seattle, Washington featuring three vocalists and a seven-piece live band. Our music displays funk, jazz, reggae, roots rock, spiritual and progressive hip-hop influences. We are determined to spread positive inspiration and love through dynamic performances, innovative recordings and direct involvement within our communities. We feel success is measured by the diversity of our audience. The ensemble's vocalists are Kelly Montague, Bjorn Ruud and Gyasi Mose. Kelly Montague is an energetic vocalist whose passionate style has been influenced by the likes of Gil Scott-Heron, Eddie Vedder and Tupac Shakur. After graduating from Garfield Highschool in 1998, he completed a term of service in the Americorps NCCC. He is currently working at Hawthorne Community Day School Association. Bjorn Ruud is a vivid lyricist and a proud non-graduate of Garfield Highschool who has had the benefit of traveling extensively throughout the U.S. as well as the global community. Gyasi Mose is an active member of Youth Undoing Institutionalized Racism and The People's Coalition for Justice. He is also a student of life's Variety Pak who reasoned to rhyme by the rhythms of the rain. Aaron Walker-Loud was an award-winning drummer in the Garfield High School Jazz Band, graduating in 1998, and has received an Associates Degree in Liberal Arts from Seattle Central Community College. His main influences have been Elvin Jones (and the entire John Coltrane Quartet), Jimi Hendrix, Buddy Miles, Mitch Mitchel, Public Enemy, Gangstar, Outkast and Camilo Estrada. He currently works at the Leschi Community Day School Association. Daniel Rapport plays guitar, slide and lap steel. He played in the 1998-99 Garfield High School Jazz Bands. Camilo Estrada, who also attended Garfield High School, plays the fretless bass. His main influences are Bootsy Collins and Ron Carter. He worked at the Madrona Community Day School Association for two years. Arie Pytel began playing the flute when he was four years old and switched to electric and acoustic guitar when he was eleven years old. He attended Garfield High School for two years and then was a graduate of Seattle Academy of the Arts and Sciences. Currently Arie has been studying at University of Washington majoring in ethno-musicology. Jumaane Smith, on trumpet, attends the New School in New York City. A 1999 graduate of Roosevelt High School, he won an outstanding trumpet soloist award at the Essentially Ellington Jazz Festival at Lincoln Center last year. Jason Chambliss won outstanding trumpet soloist awards at both the Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival and the Essentially Ellington Jazz Festival. He has attended Rutgers University where he majored in jazz studies. He currently lives in Seattle and will be attending Seattle Central Community College. Dylan Heaney, who plays alto and soprano sax, played in the '95 through '99 Garfield Jazz Bands. He too won an outstanding soloist award at the Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival. He is now studying at the Berklee School of Music in Boston. The Flood released a self-titled, independently distributed and produced LP in July 2000. We just released a (self-produced) 24 minute, three song single entitled "The Reason I Speak" on September 2nd, 2001. This is a prelude to a full album which is in the works as we speak. The Flood has played extensively in the Northwest region; many of the shows successfully self-produced and promoted, and have developed a strong following in Seattle's growing artistic and activist community. We performed at SCCC's Red Square and the Labor Temple on November 30th, 2000 and demonstrations in protest of the 1999 WTO, Ralph Nader's campaign headquarters in Seattle, the Y.U.I.R. Police Accountability Rally in August 2001 at Westlake Center, the 2001 Northwest Folklife Festival, the 2001 Bumbershoot Festival NW Hip Hop Showcase in the EMP Sky Church, the EMP Liquid Lounge, the VERA Project at Local 46, the 2001 Seattle Young People's Project MLK Jr. Wake Up Hip Hop Show at the Rainier Cultural Arts Center, the I-SPY, the Langston Hughes Cultural Arts Center, the Sit and Spin Cafe, the Stage Cafe, the New Black Arts Theater, the Rainbow Room Bar and Grill, Verbal Tea, Basement Nation, the Sundiata Festival, the 911 Mumia Arts Festival, the Ballard Firehouse, the Madrona Barbeque Festival, Leschi Elementary School and Madrona Elementary School. We have also entertained numerous parties and informal events. Our collective aspiration is to improve our communities around us as well as the planetary condition through grass-roots activism and innovative music. The Flood wishes to extend love to our families, friends and supporters. Without all of you this would not be possible - look out for the full album in 2002!
E-mail: flood@trnsnd.net
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