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Inner Visions

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Artist Web Site: www.innervisionsreggae.com
Management: Inner Visions Entertainment LLC
Booking: Naomi Baylarian (Caribbean)
(340) 774-6105
Fast Lane International
(USA)
(757) 497-2669

Inner Visions are stalwarts of the Virgin Islands' reggae scene.  Formed in the early 80's, Inner Vision originally consisted of Paul H. Samms and brothers Alvin 'Jupiter' Pickering and Phillip 'Grasshopper' Pickering.  In 2003, Grasshopper's sons Akiba Pickering and Aswad Pickering joined the band to make it a real 'family affair'.  

Music Biography Photos Reviews Related Links


The Music

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Inner Visions are one of the VI's hardest working reggae bands.  Their 20+ years of playing together gives Inner Visions a sound that is fuller and more refined then most other Virgin Islands reggae.  Hailing from the island of St. John, Inner Visions has released 5 studio albums to date on their Blue Bitch Music label: Street Corner Musicians, Spiritual Dancer, Love One Another, Frontline and Stay Alive!  2008 brought the release of their first live album: Finally Captured.  For more information, click on one of the images below.

Inner Visions - Frontline
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Inner Visions - Street Corner Musicians

Inner Visions - Spiritual Dancer

Inner Visions - Love One Another

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Biography
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Twenty-three years of trying to get their musical vibes known in a Calypso/Soca music-infested environment has not been easy. Still, through sheer determination and will, Inner Visions has finally surfaced internationally to become one of the most sought after reggae bands over the last decade. In 1995, after release of their first CD, Love One Another, the question was asked, “Where have you guys been? You are the Virgin Islands’ best kept secret!”

The band has struggled from the beginning. Living on St. John, one of the U.S. Virgin Islands and a beautiful nineteen square mile Island in the northeastern Caribbean, has had its pluses and its drawbacks. Being so far from everything and not having the resources to record without extensive traveling abroad, Inner Visions built a reputation for being the band to see while visiting St. John. They managed to gain a fan base that would envy some of the most well known groups anywhere. Over the course of time, they have come to realize that they did not lose anything over the years by remaining stagnant. Instead they have seen where their labor of love has paid off. On their 2003 stateside tour, die-hard fans traveled for miles crisscrossing the United States just to see them perform. Of the fifty performances delivered, there were always folks present who had seen them at one time or another.

After several years the collaboration with Radiant Enterprises, USA booking agency, has been very fruitful taking them from Tampa to Vermont, New York to California, Texas, Colorado, Chicago, Nashville, Boston and Maine, just to name a few of the places they have performed. Still it was at a very small but wonderful club by the name of Club Helsinki in Great Barrington, Massachusetts that the band realized they had arrived. Again folks traveled for many miles to see the band. Although this in itself was impressive, it was the poster on the marquee that said it all - “Performing here tonight is Inner Visions ‘A Secret No More’!”

To round off a wonderful six months, the gigs culminated with a four-day stint at Universal Studios’ Club Bob Marley - A Tribute to Freedom in Orlando, Florida. Today Inner Visions is poised to take the world by storm. Just a mention of their recorded music brings smiles to their adoring fans everywhere. The quality of each of their productions speaks for itself. “We spare no funding when it comes to recordings. When we get old and gray, we’d like to be proud of the legacy we will be leaving behind. It sometimes takes us years to create a new product but it’s always done with the highest level of Grammy Award-winning sound. This is why we only have three CD’s and one single in circulation since our first recording in 1995,” says Grasshopper, band leader. In times like these when everyone can make a CD at home, it sure is nice to find that quality still matters to this group of “Street Corner Musicians”!

Inner Visions

Inner Visions is:
Phillip “Grasshopper” Pickering Guitar/Lead Vocals
Paul “Ras Paul” Samms Percussion/Lead Vocals
Alvin “Jupiter” Pickering Bass/Vocals
The Players are:
Leroy “Spikie”Guiste Keyboards/Vocals
Akiba Pickering Keyboards
Aswad Pickering Drums

Amazingly, on their 2003 USA tour, it was Aswad and Akiba Pickering that stole the show. Barely performing more than a couple of months at the tours’ inception, their delivery was a testament to their hard work and the knowledge their father imparted to them. They are the sons of Grasshopper who, on the road, spoke first hand of the responsibility of men to take more of a direct approach to supporting their offspring.

So, take the plunge, “ride the waves,” and be inspired. But most of all get ready to meet the most wonderful group of musicians to have surfaced in a very long time. “They are simply marvelous! They are filled with so much love, it’s contagious! They’ve got that “Inner Visions!”

Album Reviews
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Finally Captured Live

Achi's Reggae Blog:
Finally Captured Live is SO well put together that it’s almost like less of a ‘live album’ and more of a greatest hits to a degree. So if you, being a fan of modern Roots Reggae (with a slight inclination to the old school) come to your senses and decide to ‘finally’ check them out, Inner Visions’ Finally Captured Live might not be too bad of a place to start.  - More

Street Corner Musicians

“Once you slip this CD into your player, I think the chances are pretty good that you’ll say:  “Now that’s what I call Reggae!”……
DJ Edward Burke
St. Michael’s College, WWPV 88.7 FM,
Colchester VT

“This CD is packed full of nice and sweet feel good music. Definitely Five Stars!”…
Brittany La Croix USA (Five Star Rating, amazon.com)

"Inner Visions Has it all! As always with Inner Visions; concious
lyrics, sweet harmony and moving rhythm!…..
Reggae Fan
Mansfield Center, CT (Five Star Rating, amazon.com)

“All I can say is aaaaAAAAHHHHH! This new CD is awesome!”……..
Joe Mongie
St. John USVI

“It Just lives in my CD player”………..
Smiley
Cruz Bay, St. John

"I just love My “FATHER’S PRAYER.” It’s also a favorite here at KNON 89. 3 Dallas TX!”…
Felicia Strickland
KNON Reggae DJ and PR Person
JOBE Enterprises

Spiritual Dancer

"I saw Inner Visions live on St. John Virgin Island and they are amazing! It’s rare to find a quality
Roots Reggae Band these days when all I seem to hear is Dance Hall. I guarantee after one listen
you will be hooked and selling them to your friends”…..
Jonathon Iszard
Trenton NJ  (Review from Amazon.com. Rating: Five Stars)

"This Album portrays an amazing amount of talent from everyone involved-it’s awesome!”…….
Collette
Round Pond, ME

“Hottest Reggae Band I’ve ever seen in years! Inner Visions performed reggae like I have not heard in a long time! Their songs are visionary and  they sing from the heart! “Spiritual Dancer” and “Good loving” just blew me away. If you have this CD, you simply must also get their CD entitled “Love One Another”……
A Music Fan
Washington DC (Review from Amazon.com. Rating: Five Stars)

"Guys I just slipped it in and found the spiritual medicine in proper quality and quantity!….  Sorry, I can’t review any further as I must “REWIND and COME AGAIN-” but trust me, GET THIS CD! IT’S WORTH IT! …….
Robert Luke McCrary, Morning DJ
WVJZ-FM, (105 JAMZ)
St. Thomas USVI

Love One Another

“Takes me back to my trips to St. John. This is home to this fabulous band. If you go there you may get lucky enough to see them perform live. If not, this is as good as it gets and almost like being there”……
Jonathon Iszard (Five star rating. Review taken from Amazon.com)

“I heard Inner Visions in 1997 on vacation in the Virgin Islands and I have been addicted ever since”……
Denise Beal
Mansfield Center, CT

"You will be rewarded for your purchase of this ten track CD by Inner Visions”…
The Rastaman Times Special Edition

"It’s a worthy listen and a good example of alternative reggae”…
Bermuder Pete
Dub Missive Magazine

"Vocal quality-Very good, Backing-Very good, Very good Production and Sleve-Superb Sound, Superb Remarks: “Suprisingly wicked album from this (to us) unknown band. They play in a Bob Marley/Steel Pulse/ one drop style at times mixing it with unexpected influences- A promise for the future. Wonder if there are more materials out there?  If I bought this CD I would not be disappointed.  Inner Visions shows promise. We will keep watching for future works!”….
RAS Records, 1995 (Rating: Possible five stars of David) 
Sleve-5 Stars, 
Sounds-4 Stars 



Photos
Click on thumbnails for full-size photos

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Inner Visions - Live at Monterey Bay Reggae Festival 2004 - Photo by Diane 'Livonn' Adam Inner Visions - Live at Monterey Bay Reggae Festival 2004 - Photo by Diane 'Livonn' Adam
Monterey Bay Reggae Fest 2004 - Photos by Diane 'Livonn' Adam

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