The sultry sounds of jazz,hip-hop, R&B, rap and spoken word are all infused in The Band Se7en.
“I had a vision of something new,a new groove and a new feel,” said George Buckner Jr., a senior music educationmajor from Marrero, who started the band.
“We are a melting pot of all thedifferent styles of music and that is why we call ourselves Se7en, because wefeel like the band is complete as far as sound,” Buckner said. According toDaiovon Carft the bands manager seven is a biblical term that meanscompleteness.
“We are just trying to bring backthe sound of live bands, but make it hip,” he said.
“We are out for people thatappreciate music and for those that don’t, that is where the raw edge comestogether. Music is a universal language spoken without words.”
Buckner plays the base, guitar andpiano and is one of the lead vocalists.
Cecile Jackson, senior Baton Rougeresident and mass communications major at Louisiana State University, adds thevoice of a songbird to The Band Se7en.
“I think that because I am afemale I add a little bit of femininity to the band and sexiness along with avoice,” Jackson said. “They can look forward to a different style with originalmusic from the heart so that when you hear it, you can feel it, understand itand you can relate to it.”
The band collectively writes andproduces their own songs, but since they are a new group, they sample worksfrom more famous artists.
The Band Se7en can mimic verbatimthe sounds of artist such as Anthony Hamilton, Alicia Keys, John Legend andmany more. Reddrick Price, a former SU student from Marero is thepercussionist.
The band practices regularly andperformances are directed by Kiran Gullage who also plays the keyboard.
“It is fun performing. We getexposure and let everybody hear how we sound and it is really fun,” he said.
Gullage attended SouthernUniversity in 1996 and was a member of the SU Human Jukebox, where he playedthe trumpet. He is very familiar with the connection between students in BatonRouge who attend Southern University and LSU and he is really enjoying thiscollaboration.
“I think it is nice that they cancome together and be one, because we all have to stick together even though itis two different schools we are not divided we are still one people,” Gullagesaid.
Music is not what brought themtogether. The members of the band are like family and grew up in the same neighborhoodwhile their music relationship was fused through friendship.
“With anything as far as it beinga group you have to have friendship first and I think that is what makes thisthing special. All of us basically grew up around each other,” said Kerry”Intelligence” Gibson, who raps.
They are trying to put a positivetwist into their music to motivate listeners any way that they can. “Thechildren are our future and in order to change the way of our future I try toput as much positive energy into my music as possible,” Gibson said.
Terence Hudson is a LSU seniormass communications major from Marrero and recites poetry and background vocalsfor Se7en, “Music is love and all I am trying to do is spread love to the wholeworld,” he said.
The Band Se7en has performed atSoul Fusion, the November Galla at LSU and in the New Orleans Center for theState Farm Bayou Classic and Essence Festival. Saturday Jan. 29 The Band Se7enperformed at the Mardi Grass Masquerade Ball hosted by House Party and PrezidentialProductions.
“We have a CD coming out soon andwe are looking to make it big,” Gullage said.
The Band Se7en will be performingat The Black Family Reunion. All future bookings for The Band Se7en can be madeat (504) 650-4790.
