Andru Branch
Encyclopedia
Andru Reginald Arnold Branch (born June 27, 1968, Sackville
, New Brunswick
) is a Canadian reggae
musician
, singer-songwriter
and leader of the reggae
band Andru Branch & Halfway Tree.
(Best Reggae Recording
) in 2000
for his debut album titled What If I Told You, recorded at Kingston Muzik Studio in Kingston
, Jamaica
. The album was distributed with modified artwork in Europe
and the United States
by Tabou 1 Records and features Earl “Chinna” Smith and members of Bob Marley
’s backup band “The Wailers”; Aston “Family Man” Barrett
, Tyrone Downie
, and Alvin “Seeco” Patterson
.
His second album The Only Constant was released in January 2008 and features Squidly Cole and Chris Meredith of Ziggy Marley
's band along with Alvin “Seeco” Patterson
from The Wailers. The Only Constant is straight-up roots-reggae, brimming with lush horns, placid backbeats and spiritual proclamations".
Its title was taken from a popular saying
("the only constant in life is change") favoured by Andru's late mother. The album was recorded at Kingston Muzik Studio in Jamaica
, Victory Drive Studio in Toronto
, Ontario
and was mixed
and mastered
at Common Ground Studio in Halifax, Nova Scotia
, Canada
.
Andru’s traditional roots-reggae
style is wide-ranging, varying from African high-life to suggestions of country
influence and has been described by Exclaim! Magazine as “some of the rootsiest bottom-heavy music ever to come out of the Great White North”. He performed at Jamaica’s 1998 Reggae Sunsplash Festival and as a percussionist, has backed musicians Brinsley Forde
, Gregory Isaacs
, Glen Washington, Vybz Kartel
and Sean Paul
.
Studio One’s original Soul Vendors bassist Brian “Bassie” Atkinson joined Andru Branch & Halfway Tree in 2002 and the band is currently making new reggae
music.
Andru developed a profound love for reggae
music while growing up in multicultural Toronto
, Ontario
where he was mentored by Tony "Raffa" White and Bernie Pitters before moving to Halifax, Nova Scotia
in 2000. Andru Branch graduated from Lawrence Park Collegiate
and received a "Sound & Music Recording Diploma" from Recording Arts Canada.
Sackville, New Brunswick
Sackville is a Canadian town in Westmorland County, New Brunswick.Mount Allison University is located in the town...
, New Brunswick
New Brunswick
New Brunswick is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the only province in the federation that is constitutionally bilingual . The provincial capital is Fredericton and Saint John is the most populous city. Greater Moncton is the largest Census Metropolitan Area...
) is a Canadian reggae
Reggae
Reggae is a music genre first developed in Jamaica in the late 1960s. While sometimes used in a broader sense to refer to most types of Jamaican music, the term reggae more properly denotes a particular music style that originated following on the development of ska and rocksteady.Reggae is based...
musician
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
, singer-songwriter
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
and leader of the reggae
Reggae
Reggae is a music genre first developed in Jamaica in the late 1960s. While sometimes used in a broader sense to refer to most types of Jamaican music, the term reggae more properly denotes a particular music style that originated following on the development of ska and rocksteady.Reggae is based...
band Andru Branch & Halfway Tree.
Career
Andru Branch was nominated for a Canadian JUNO music awardJuno Awards of 2000
The Juno Awards of 2000 were held in Toronto, Ontario, Canada during the weekend of 11-12 March 2000.The primary ceremonies were hosted by The Moffatts at the SkyDome on 12 March 2000 and broadcast on CBC Television...
(Best Reggae Recording
Juno Award for Reggae Recording of the Year
The Juno Award for "Reggae Recording of the Year" has been awarded since 1985, as recognition each year for the best reggae album in Canada.-Best Reggae/Calypso Recording :*1985 - Liberty Silver & Otis Gayle, Heaven Must Have Sent You...
) in 2000
Juno Awards of 2000
The Juno Awards of 2000 were held in Toronto, Ontario, Canada during the weekend of 11-12 March 2000.The primary ceremonies were hosted by The Moffatts at the SkyDome on 12 March 2000 and broadcast on CBC Television...
for his debut album titled What If I Told You, recorded at Kingston Muzik Studio in Kingston
Kingston, Jamaica
Kingston is the capital and largest city of Jamaica, located on the southeastern coast of the island. It faces a natural harbour protected by the Palisadoes, a long sand spit which connects the town of Port Royal and the Norman Manley International Airport to the rest of the island...
, Jamaica
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
. The album was distributed with modified artwork in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
and the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
by Tabou 1 Records and features Earl “Chinna” Smith and members of Bob Marley
Bob Marley
Robert Nesta "Bob" Marley, OM was a Jamaican singer-songwriter and musician. He was the rhythm guitarist and lead singer for the ska, rocksteady and reggae band Bob Marley & The Wailers...
’s backup band “The Wailers”; Aston “Family Man” Barrett
Aston Barrett
Aston Barrett , often called "Family Man" or "Fams" for short, is a Jamaican bass player and Rastafarian.-Biography:...
, Tyrone Downie
Tyrone Downie
Tyrone Downie is a Jamaican keyboardist/pianist who is most known for his involvement as a member of Bob Marley and The Wailers. He studied at Kingston College and joined the wailers in the mid-1970s, making his recording début with the band on Rastaman Vibration, having previously been a member of...
, and Alvin “Seeco” Patterson
Alvin Patterson
Alvin "Seeco" Patterson is a Jamaican born percussionist. He was a member of The Wailers Band.-References:...
.
His second album The Only Constant was released in January 2008 and features Squidly Cole and Chris Meredith of Ziggy Marley
Ziggy Marley
David "Ziggy" Marley is a Jamaican musician and leader of the band Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers. He is the oldest son of famed reggae musician Bob Marley...
's band along with Alvin “Seeco” Patterson
Alvin Patterson
Alvin "Seeco" Patterson is a Jamaican born percussionist. He was a member of The Wailers Band.-References:...
from The Wailers. The Only Constant is straight-up roots-reggae, brimming with lush horns, placid backbeats and spiritual proclamations".
Its title was taken from a popular saying
Saying
A saying is something that is said, notable in one respect or another, to be "a pithy expression of wisdom or truth."There are a number of specific types of saying:...
("the only constant in life is change") favoured by Andru's late mother. The album was recorded at Kingston Muzik Studio in Jamaica
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
, Victory Drive Studio in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
and was mixed
Audio mixing (recorded music)
In audio recording, audio mixing is the process by which multiple recorded sounds are combined into one or more channels, most commonly two-channel stereo. In the process, the source signals' level, frequency content, dynamics, and panoramic position are manipulated and effects such as reverb may...
and mastered
Audio mastering
Mastering, a form of audio post-production, is the process of preparing and transferring recorded audio from a source containing the final mix to a data storage device ; the source from which all copies will be produced...
at Common Ground Studio in Halifax, Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
Andru’s traditional roots-reggae
Roots reggae
Roots reggae is a subgenre of reggae that deals with the everyday lives and aspirations of the artists concerned, including the spiritual side of Rastafari and with the honoring of God, called Jah by rastafarians. It also is identified with the life of the ghetto sufferer, and the rural poor...
style is wide-ranging, varying from African high-life to suggestions of country
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
influence and has been described by Exclaim! Magazine as “some of the rootsiest bottom-heavy music ever to come out of the Great White North”. He performed at Jamaica’s 1998 Reggae Sunsplash Festival and as a percussionist, has backed musicians Brinsley Forde
Brinsley Forde
Brinsley Allan Forde is best known as the founding member of the reggae band, Aswad and as a child actor in the children's television series, Here Come the Double Deckers ....
, Gregory Isaacs
Gregory Isaacs
Gregory Anthony Isaacs was a Jamaican reggae musician. Milo Miles, writing in the New York Times, described Isaacs as "the most exquisite vocalist in reggae". His nicknames include Cool Ruler and Lonely Lover....
, Glen Washington, Vybz Kartel
Vybz Kartel
Adidja Palmer , better known as Vybz Kartel, is a Jamaican dancehall artist, songwriter and businessman. He has many nicknames, including Addi Teacher and Gaza Emperor.-Biography:...
and Sean Paul
Sean Paul
Sean Paul Ryan Francis Henriques , who performs under stage name Sean Paul, is a Jamaican pop rap and reggae singer.-1973–1996: Early life:...
.
Studio One’s original Soul Vendors bassist Brian “Bassie” Atkinson joined Andru Branch & Halfway Tree in 2002 and the band is currently making new reggae
Reggae
Reggae is a music genre first developed in Jamaica in the late 1960s. While sometimes used in a broader sense to refer to most types of Jamaican music, the term reggae more properly denotes a particular music style that originated following on the development of ska and rocksteady.Reggae is based...
music.
Andru developed a profound love for reggae
Reggae
Reggae is a music genre first developed in Jamaica in the late 1960s. While sometimes used in a broader sense to refer to most types of Jamaican music, the term reggae more properly denotes a particular music style that originated following on the development of ska and rocksteady.Reggae is based...
music while growing up in multicultural Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
where he was mentored by Tony "Raffa" White and Bernie Pitters before moving to Halifax, Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
in 2000. Andru Branch graduated from Lawrence Park Collegiate
Lawrence Park Collegiate Institute
Lawrence Park Collegiate Institute is a high school in the Lawrence Park neighbourhood of Toronto. It is a non-semestered school and focuses mainly on academics, drama, music, and visual arts, featuring strong French extended and immersion streams....
and received a "Sound & Music Recording Diploma" from Recording Arts Canada.
Albums
- Andru Branch: What If I Told You (1998)
- Andru Branch: The Only Constant (2008)
- Andru Branch & Halfway Tree: My Jamaican Weed - Single (2008)
Appears On
- Confrontation; It's A New Day (1999)
- Various; Roots with Quality: Best of Tabou 1, Vol 1 (1999)
- Chris Bottomley; Knotty Bits (2003)
- Various; Real Roots Reggae - A Canadian Story (2007)