Gonjasufi

Gonjasufi

Gonjasufi in Budapest, Hungary, 2011.
Background information
Birth name Sumach Ecks
Also known as Sumach Valentine,
Origin San Diego, California, United States
Genres Experimental, lo-fi, alternative hip hop, psychedelic rock, trip hop, dub
Occupation(s) Vocalist, producer, DJ, actor, yoga teacher
Instruments vocals, turntables
Years active 1990s–present
Labels Warp, A.I.R., Hit + Run
Associated acts Flying Lotus, The Gaslamp Killer
Website www.sufisays.com

Sumach Ecks[1] (born 1978),[2] better known by his stage name Gonjasufi, is an American vocalist, producer, disc jockey, actor and yoga teacher.[3]

Life and career

Ecks was born in 1978 to a Mexican mother and an American-Ethiopian father.[1] He spent his formative years in Chula Vista, California.[4]

Ecks got involved early on in the arts, playing Helios the Sun God in the opera Persephone.[5]

In the early 1990s, he began releasing music within the San Diego hip hop scene; notably with the Masters of the Universe crew.[6][7] Touring under the stage names Sumach Valentine and Randy Johnson,[6] his first band was called Plant Lyphe.[5]

Ecks gained notice from Warp Records in 2008 after an appearance on Californian musician Flying Lotus' album Los Angeles, on which he sings on the track "Testament".[7] His Warp debut album, A Sufi and a Killer, was released on March 8, 2010.[8]

Ecks' voice has been described by Pitchfork Media as "a scraggly, scary, smoked-out croak that creeps like the spiritual offspring of George Clinton and Lead Belly."[7] He attributes his singing style to his day job teaching yoga, where he was forced to learn how to "project from [his] stomach more".[7] His music is largely experimental, fusing urban beats with psychedelic flourishes.[9][10]

Besides singing and rapping,[11] Ecks also serves as a producer,[12] DJ,[13] actor,[14] and yoga teacher.[4]


Discography

Studio albums

Remix albums

EPs

Singles

Guest appearances

References

  1. 1 2 Meer, Malik (March 6, 2010). "Gonjasufi – the electro Hendrix". The Guardian. Retrieved July 4, 2010.
  2. ↑ Green, Thomas H. (January 14, 2012). "theartsdesk Q&A: Musician Gonjasufi". The Arts Desk. Retrieved April 15, 2015.
  3. ↑ SDR - Gonjasufi Extended Interview
  4. 1 2 Deal, Chad (January 20, 2012). "Gonjasufi Extended Interview". San Diego Reader. Retrieved April 15, 2015.
  5. 1 2 Gimme5 Interview: Gonjasufi Archived March 8, 2010, at the Wayback Machine.
  6. 1 2 Lymangrover, Jason. "Gonjasufi Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved March 8, 2010.
  7. 1 2 3 4 Dombal, Ryan (February 25, 2010). "Rising: Gonjasufi". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved March 6, 2010.
  8. ↑ Hogwood, Ben (March 8, 2010). "Gonjasufi – A Sufi And A Killer". MusicOMH. Retrieved April 15, 2015.
  9. ↑ Dacks, David (May 13, 2010). "Gonjasufi: A Sufi And A Killer". Exclaim!. Retrieved April 15, 2015.
  10. ↑ Fantano, Anthony (June 8, 2010). "Gonjasufi: Musings Of A Hip-Hop Mystic". NPR. Retrieved April 15, 2015.
  11. ↑ Olshevski, Andrew (November 2, 2011). "New Mini-Album From Gonjasufi". CMJ. Retrieved April 15, 2015.
  12. ↑ Roberts, Randall (February 21, 2012). "Video premiere: Gonjasufi roams downtown L.A.". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved April 15, 2015.
  13. ↑ Pressman, Joshua (March 15, 2010). "Tonight In Rock: She & Him, Gonjasufi, Moonrats, The Delta Mirror". LAist. Retrieved April 15, 2015.
  14. ↑ "The Cure star legally changes his name as he leaves the music world for art". Hollywood.com. March 15, 2015. Retrieved April 15, 2015.

External links

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