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http://www.herald-progress.com/ |
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In the band: Juma By OLIVIA LLOYD H-P Staff Writer |
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Juma is more than your average garage band. It’s a
business. With Atlee High School seniors Michael Reid, 17, on lead guitars and vocals and James Anderson, 17, on bass, and Hanover High School seniors Kevin Foster, 17, on drums and Adam Parsons, 18, on rhythm guitar, the foursome has taken the state by storm. But while the four high-school seniors crank out tunes, the band’s manager, accountant and personal assistant work behind the scenes to keep things running smoothly. "The band has evolved not only into a band," said band manager David Foster, "but into a business. "We treat it just like a business and we raise our own money to produce our own CDs." Reid, Parsons and Anderson already had formed a band of their own, but they were missing a key element: the drummer. One hot summer day, Reid and Parsons made their way to Foster’s house and asked David Foster if his son, Kevin, could play drums for them. Before he would agree, Foster said he asked the duo to let him hear some of their material. After a few minutes of equipment set up, the two performed for the now-band manager. While they performed, people began to pull their cars to the side of the road to listen to their music. And Kevin Foster became their drummer. "We always talked about putting a band together," Kevin Foster said, "but we never did it until that day." Once the final piece of the musical puzzle was in place, the foursome needed a name. Juma is Swahili for "born on a Friday," David Foster said. Somehow, the members figured out that they were all born on a Friday, he said. They did an Internet search for "born on a Friday" and Juma came up. The name stuck. "It’s hard to define that band," David Foster said. "There’s no band you can compare them to because they’re so unique." An energetic collection of reggae, funk and classic rock, they’ve been compared to the likes of the Dave Matthews Band. "We play from B.B. King to CCR (Creedence Clearwater Revival)," Kevin Foster said. "We kinda go our own way." For David Foster, the driving force behind Juma is singer Michael Reid’s vocal and writing talents. "The talent is not just in the music," Foster said. "The talent is in Michael’s ability to write lyrics. "All the lyrics have an interpretation," he said. "Each song has a message." "A talent scout for Got Milk? found their Web site," David Foster said. After listening to the band’s music, the scout asked Juma to perform — and bypass the application process — in the Got Milk? battle of the bands. More than 40 bands in the Richmond area applied to perform, David Foster said. But in the end, it was between Juma and Richmond indie band Rachel Leyco Band, and the boys from Hanover brought home the gold. After winning the competition, the band and its music was featured on the Got Milk? national Web site, David Foster said. Juma has also been highly sought after by a number of local venues including the state fair and the upcoming Ukrop’s 10K. "Their motives are to become famous," David Foster said. "But if they don’t, it’s still been fun." "They’re going to stay together," he said, "but they won’t be able to play as many venues as they have in the past." The band currently is getting ready to send copies of its CD to a couple of major labels, David Foster said. If by chance they should be offered a major record deal while in college, he said, the members would have to rethink their situation. But, he said, school is the No. 1 priority. "We’ve never lost sight that there will be life after the band," David Foster said. The band currently has two studio CDs, "Born on Friday" and a self-titled CD, which can be picked up at Mechanicsville Music, Coffee Talk Café, Plan 9 music, and starting next week at Mechanicsville Drug. For more information about Juma, visit the band’s Web site: www.jumaband.com |
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