San Diego Reader

Brian Teel: Guitar (acoustic), Guitar (electric), Keyboards, Vocals | Ivan Garzon: Bass guitar, Vocals | Alex Somerville: Keyboards | John Allen: Drums, Vocals

Genre: Reggae & Ska, Rock

Sound description: Roots reggae dub.

RIYL: Yellowman, Steel Pulse, the Mighty Diamonds, Elijah Emanuel and the Revelations, Quinazo

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Related Links

• Devastators website

• As I Hear It · March 26, 2008
• As I Hear It · March 26, 2008

• MySpace page · Jan. 4, 2008

Synoposis

Inception: San Diego, 2001

Influences: Steel Pulse, Bob Marley & the Wailers, Gregory Isaacs, Black Uhuru, Yellowman, Freddy Mcgreggor, Big Mountain

Background:

The Devastators were nominated in the 2004 and 2006 San Diego Music Awards in the category of "Best World Music." They are entering their fourth year of residency at Longboards Bar and Grill in Pacific Beach, performing three sets every Sunday evening to a packed house. In addition to Longboards, they have held residence at On Broadway, Thin Room, Winston's, and the Wave House.

Their sound is a soulful mix of roots reggae, dub, and funk, combining inexhaustible drum grooves and the old-school sounds of Hammond organ, clavinet, and piano. The current line-up consists of some of San Diego's top reggae musicians, including Ivan Garzon (lead vocals, bass), John Allen (drums), Alex Somerville (keyboards), and Brian Teel (backing vocals, guitar, keyboards). These four musicians alone share well over 10,000 hours of stage experience.

A graduate of Cal Arts with a BA in Fine Arts, singer/songwriter Ivan Garzon (Spaceman Spiff/Citizen X/The PHD's) is both an accomplished bassist and vocalist and possesses the rare ability to combine the two seamlessly in live performance. Garzon's talents blend well with one of the hardest working rhythm sections in Southern California, best known locally for their many years performing with Elijah Emanuel and the Revelations and Quinazo (solo project of singer Quino McWhinney of Big Mountain).

In September 2010, the band won Best World Music at the San Diego Music Awards, followed up by a Best World Music Album trophy in August 2012.