RIVERTRIBE ARE:
MIKE LANE - didgeridoo, djembe, low whistle, uilleann pipes
JONO CALLOW - percussion
SIMON LEWIS - keyboards & harmonium
JAY WEILER - violin
RIVERTRIBE BIO
Rivertribe combines instruments from around the world to create music that takes listeners on a journey to places only conceived in the imagination. It breaks down walls to go where songs with words can’t go.
 With the release of Did You Feel The Mountains Tremble, Rivertribe brings their unique mix of meditative, spiritually charged indigenous soul tribal music, which has gained them a reputation as one of Australia’s premier world music acts, to the United States. This project is their third release, but their first label release under the Elevate Records label. It follows two successful independent releases, Journey and The Blessing. “There’s a spiritual element to life,” says founding member Mike Lane, “which we’ve largely taught ourselves to ignore both inside the Church, as well as outside it. I hope when people hear our music it will remind them of that aspect of their existence and in a small way plant a seed.”
Using the ancient textures of the didgeridoo blended with a soundscape of violins, Native American flutes, Irish whistle, African drums, piano, Armenian duduk and sounds of the Australian native forests, Rivertribe has created a unique texture of rhythm and harmonies. This multicultural sound has a beautiful, deeply reflective and soulful quality that has won over audiences across the world. They have performed on streets to big auditoriums, including the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, the Singapore River Festival, the Asia-Pacific Political Forum, Sydney Opera House, Melbourne International Festival, United Nations Day of the Older Person, and Awakening 200 concert at Stadium Australia.
“Rivertribe started with a gift,” says founding member Mike Lane, “I was playing in a funk band when my brother gave me two didgeridoos. Once I picked up that instrument my whole view of music changed and Rivertribe grew out of that.” At that same time, Lane had a vision of what Rivertribe would eventually become. The original vision for Rivertribe was to create instrumental worship music or meditation music with a Christian basis that would speak to all people. That way anyone could listen to the music without being offended.
Once the group was assembled, Rivertribe’s first performances were on street corners at shopping areas and craft markets. From one such performance came the opportunity to perform at the Singapore River Busker Festival. The response from that festival was so overwhelming that they were next invited to perform at the largest busker festival in the world, held in Toronto. Eventually, the group began playing at festivals. All of which lead to the larger venues they play regularly today.
In spite of their success internationally, Rivertribe continues to remain true to their original mission, exploring their musical gifts and offering those gifts to God. The result is a musical experience that leads listeners on a journey that extends from the earth to the heavens and back.
catch them soon! |
