the soul motivators
saturday, september 14 @ 9:25 pm
A sonic fusion of the past and the future, The Soul Motivators are here to make you move. Masters of the stage, this Toronto band weaves timeless grooves of classic RnB, soul, funk, psychedelic jams and hip-hop breaks. They’ve shared bills with legends like Grandmaster Flash, Afrika Bambaataa, Lee Fields and Bernie Worrell. They’ve ignited crowds at TEDx, TD Toronto Jazz Festival, PanAm Games, Calgary Folk Fest, FEQ, Sunfest, Mont Tremblant International Blues Festival and NXNE.
In 2015, debut album ‘FREE TO BELIEVE’ was released on Do Right! Music to national and international acclaim. With 2017’s ‘Dirt on The Floor’ EP, they dug into the crates for a selection of deep funk and rare grooves, solidifying their reputation as purveyors of authenticity. Sold-out tour dates became the norm, as they brought their high-octane live show to the masses.
Fast forward to 2020, and sophomore album ‘DO THE DAMN THING’ dropped, with airplay on BBC and CBC Radio, and acclaim from magazines Exclaim, Mojo and Uncut. It was also the first recording to feature Shahi Teruko as songwriter and front woman, whose relentless fire and electrifying performances have been shaking audiences ever since she joined the band in 2015. Following their tenth anniversary, The Motivators unleashed their third album, ‘DO IT TOGETHER’ in 2023. Hits like Raise A Glass, Power! and It Is What It Is were heard across the country as they undertook their biggest tour to date with club, theatre and festival bookings across Canada.
The heartbeat of The Soul Motivators is Shahi Teruko on vocals, James Robinson on keys, Marc Shapiro on bass, Voltaire Ramos on guitar, and Doug Melville on drums. This line-up is augmented with a rotating cast of veteran players on horns and percussion, giving each performance a seal of quality.
This is not just music; this is a movement. Let yourself be Motivated!