Gidon Shikler

"Reggae music lives in my heart, soul and bones. It is my musical temple where I can sing praises and offerings of gratitude. I can speak about common individual and collective suffering while at the same time shine rays of hope, self- awareness and empowerment. But it is the deep meditative groove that really sets my mind and body free." These are the words of Gidon Shikler, the singer/songwriter citizen of the world who is responsible for creating one of the most original Reggae sounds in the world today. Born in Holland, he has lived and performed in California, France, Israel and currently resides in London, England.
Gidon is a one-man music machine: he writes, arranges, produces and performs all of the instruments in his recordings including: guitars, saxophones, drums, bass, percussion, keys and vocal harmonies. He is particularly adept at mixing the vibes of many styles into a unique concoction that flows effortlessly into the listener’s ears. His love of reggae, jazz, soul, folk, rock and world music gives him the freedom to reach out and pull in a variety of flavours; at the same time he does not forget about keeping things simple and grooving. He is also an accomplished photographer, which he believes has helped him gain an acute insight into the human psyche and the wonders of the natural world - subjects that his strong lyrical talents illuminate with such great candour.
He is currently working on a follow up album to his debut release Deeper Groove (©2007 Spicy Pickle Music). An album the legendary radio Reggae DJ Chuck Foster reviewed in The Beat Magazine - Vol. 26. No.2 2007:
"…The warm studio sound, this album is 100 percent feel and Gidon Shikler, who plays nearly every instrument….skanks merrily [and has created] a diverse and personalized approach that has a charm all its own."
Recently Gidon has joined forces with Soundflower in London, an independent studio and label that will be releasing his first single early this year. He is aiming to tour a variety of worldwide festival scenes this Spring/Summer. In London he has put together a slamming band of accomplished musicians that deliver a crowd-pleasing performance, forged by their respect and understanding of the history of Roots, Rock, Reggae. Their shows have been embraced and enjoyed by musicians and fans alike, helping to create an ever-increasing loyal fan-base.
Gidon Shikler feels blessed to have shared a multitude of magical musical moments in his career. Among the most memorable have been: sharing a stage with Carlos Santana while playing saxophone at a San Francisco Menorah Lighting; opening up for Matisyahu and Michael Franti in S.F. as a member of the L.A. based rock band Moshav; forming and performing with his L.A. based band The Rockrites; playing live and being interviewed on Voice of Africa Radio in London. However he feels the best times are still ahead as he aims to take his music worldwide, lifting a candle to the darkness and spreading the love of conscious Roots Reggae music from his soul to yours.