Groundation

Groundation
Groundation performing at the 2006 Jamaican Reggae Festival in Kandel, Germany
Background information
Origin	California, United States
Genres	Roots reggae, Jazz fusion, Dub
Years active	1998–present
Labels	Young Tree
Associated acts	Don Carlos Israel Vibration
Website	www.groundation.com
Members	Harrison Stafford Marcus Urani Ryan Newman David "Diesel" Chachere Te Kanawa Haereiti Jason Robinson Kim Pommell Sherida Sharpe Nicholas Daniel Wlodarczyk

Groundation is an American roots reggae band with jazz and dub influences, from Sonoma County in Northern California. It is named for Rastafarian ceremony of Grounation.

Formed in the fall of 1998 by Harrison Stafford, Marcus Urani, and Ryan Newman, Groundation began on the campus of Sonoma State University's Jazz Program. Between 1999 and 2001, Harrison Stafford taught the first course on the History of Reggae Music at the University. In 1999, Stafford teamed up with Kris Dilbeck to found Young Tree Records and release Groundation's debut album Young Tree. "Groundation" comes from the Rasta term "Grounation".

Grounation Day is an important Rastafarian holy day celebrated April 21, which commemorates Haile Selassie’s first visit to Jamaica in 1966. Grounation Day is second in importance to Coronation Day, which is celebrated November 2, in honor Hail Selassie’s Coronation in 1930.

In 2000 they added to the line up David Chachere, a San Francisco-based jazz trumpeter, and Kelsey Howard, a North Bay trombone player. Saxophonist Jason Robinson was a member of the band for a time, and has since gone on to become the head of the jazz program at UC San Diego. Drummer Paul Spina (Les Claypool, Will Bernard's Mother Bug) has been with the group since taking over for James Stafford in December 2001; he left the group in summer 2008. Kim Pommell and Kerry Ann Morgan (both graduates of Kingston's Ashe performing arts school) joined in 2006, and are featured lead vocalists on Groundation's 2009 release Here I Am. In 2012, vocalist Jhamiela Smith joined the group, daughter of legendary reggae guitarist Earl "Chinna" Smith, to sing chorus along with Kim Pommell. They are current chorus vocalists for Groundation.