With a beautiful video filmed on location in and around Brighton and its historic Royal Pavilion, comes The Phoenix Rose, and their reggae-tinged song, ‘Is This Luv’.
Fronted by Jarvis Smith, The Phoenix Rose was founded when Jarvis and his cousin James Keefe began composing songs together in 2003. The band started performing live with the addition of Steven “Fingerz” Carty, and they found the audiences loved their unique blend of pop, rock, and reggae, as Jarvis whipped up the crowd with his skanking.
A chance meeting with Glastonbury founder Michael Eavis saw them invited to play at the famous festival, which was followed by a run including Sunrise Festival, Croissant Neuf, and the Isle Of Wight Festival. Not bad for a band who had previously spent years playing small venues in London and Brighton.
From their Isle Of Wight set, they were approached by Native Wayne Jobson, best known for producing the likes of No Doubt and Gregory Isaacs. Jobson offered to produce their first record, and brought in Junior Marvin (Bob Marley & The Wailers) and UB40s Patrixx Anthony to record guitar and trumpet for them.
The Phoenix Rose fuses pop, hip hop, and Indian music, while their self-titled album, which has been described as “A multicultural, modern classic”, bridges worlds and honours nature through harmony.
Jarvis’ passion for the natural world is echoed in his life – he is the founder of My Green Pod magazine, an ethical lifestyle title, which is distributed quarterly to an audience of over 3 million UK readers.
‘Is This Luv’ is fun and groovy, with Jarvis and a female vocalist repeat the title. It’s accompanied by a beautiful video, vibrant and colourful, just like Brighton, with Jarvis, the band, and locals, getting into the groove.
‘Is This Luv’ is from the album, ‘The Phoenix Rose’ and is out on Gypsypop records. The video was directed by Charlie Havord and Sophia Ray. The album is available to download from iTunes and stream on Spotify. Find The Phoenix Rose online on Twitter, Facebook, and their official website.
