As a gifted child, he was exposed to a variety of Black Culture music in his home, artists such as Miles Davis, Miriam Makeba, Harry Belafonte, Ahmad Jamal and Oscar Brown Jr. and many r&b, blues, folk and gospel artists. As product of CPS and recognized by a teacher in 5th grade, Stann was enrolled at the Chicago Art Institute Junior School. There he began his career in the cunning arts and has a watercolor works owned by the Smithsonian. It was 1980 as a Columbia College graduate, Stann was employed at a Chicago Michigan Avenue ad agency by day and playing music at night when he was approached by a singer/songwriter from the island of St. Kitts to record at Bob Marley’s Tuff Gong Studios in Jamaica and Curtis Mayfield’s Curtom Studios in Chicago. While in Jamaica, Stann met members of the Wailers, Third World, Roger Lewis of Inner Circle, producers Kiddus I and Neville Lee, brother of Byron Lee. Stann was also presented the “Playing for Peace” award for a performance in Kingston with Third World, I Kong, Chalice and the Fantastic Four, which set the tone for a new musical direction.
Stann formed Roots Rock Society in 1986 to maintain his African-Caribbean-American culture through voice, music and dance with their energetic live performance blending reggae, calypso, soul, zouk and other rhythms of the African diaspora. With RRS, Stann established performance workshops to teach children and adults about the history of the drum and guitar before they reached the Caribbean and Americas. Even in the beginning, Stann’s focus was on his talent for songwriting and storytelling which developed into the band’s loyal following. RRS released their first recording in 1987 on cassette, to a favorable response and sold quickly. With that in mind, Stann produced and released “Bass Mint Sessions” in 1993 with co-producer David Axelbaum (Bob Seger, Koko Taylor, Johnny Winter). Playlists were coming in from the U.S. and far away places as France, Africa, New Guinea, Germany, Poland, Spain and Ireland, critics have labeled RRS, “nation’s best.” In 2003, with the release of their award-winning CD, “Riddim to Riddim,” RRS reached 1 million viewers and listeners with television and radio performances, matched with articles, ads in newspapers and magazines. Soon after, Champion added a strong cyber space presence and out of Chicago, Stann created the Tropical Roots sound. Since the beginning, Stann has taken his music to the community to the general public by appearing at schools, hospitals, churches and serving organizations in the 8th and 39th Wards of Chicago.
Awarded “Contribution to World Beat Music” in 2009 and “Best Entertainer” in 2008 by the Chicago Music Awards. Hailed as “Chicago legends,” by Tribune’s Metromix TV and “Chicago’s premier roots band,” by WGN Morning News. Using marketing his skills and working as Artist as Entrepreneur, Sam Ash Music became a sponsor and Elixir Strings invited Stann to be part of their “Product Endorsement Program” since 2006. With the 2007 release of “La Familia,” the 2009 opening of the RootsRoom, the official RRS Headquarters/Event space and Merla’s Kitchen featuring Asian/Pacific cuisine, both located in Chicago, along with the 2011 world release of “Cost of Living,” Stann is preparing to reach his largest audience ever.
25 Year Event is Saturday November 10th 9p @RootsRoom 5203 North Kimball Ave. Chicago.
Stann uses Elixir Strings Exclusively.
Visit www.rootsrocksociety.com
773.994.6756