The Expanders

Description

The Expanders may play vintage reggae, but they are much more than just revivalists. This band from Southern California champions the classic roots reggae of the 70s and early 80s, emphasizing three-part vocal harmonies and thoughtful songwriting. Musicians John Asher (drums, vocals), John Butcher (guitar, vocals), Roy Fishell (organ, piano), Chiquis Lozoya (guitar, vocals), and Devin Morrison (guitar, vocals) have captivated fans and critics with their take on "golden age" reggae for over 20 years. Butcher and Morrison grew up together listening to the record collection of renowned reggae archivist Roger Steffens, and attribute much of their love and knowledge to the accessibility and education from those experiences. While many of their contemporaries in the current American reggae scene play music that strays a step or two from those original influences—often coming to reggae via Sublime, for example—The Expanders stand out by drawing directly from those foundational tracks and groups, managing to reproduce the sound while bringing their own style and contemporary approach. The band spent its early years rooted in the California reggae and ska scene, establishing itself as the go-to backing band for legendary Jamaican singers such as Alton Ellis, Pat Kelly, Stranger Cole, Leonard Dillon of the Ethiopians, Roy Shirley, Willi Williams, the Wailing Souls, the Maytones, and Prince Jazzbo whenever these legends passed through the area. "Listening to their music and falling in love with it is one thing, but having the opportunity to play alongside these artists and absorb their vision of the songs we love is priceless," explains Lozoya. "Our sound blends a deep knowledge of classic Jamaican riddims with a long-standing friendship and a true love for this art." The band's first original album, simply titled "The Expanders" and released in 2011, combined carefully crafted compositions with a studied approach to roots and rub-a-dub styles. It was mixed by engineer J Bonner, who brought a crucial element of classic dub mixing to the project (Bonner also created the album's memorable cover). Old Time Something Come Back Again Volumes 1 and 2 (released in 2012 and 2017, respectively) build on The Expanders' deep knowledge of reggae through 27 covers. The song selection on these two albums is very thorough, drawing from some of the most obscure yet amazing tracks in Jamaican music history. Both volumes of Old Time Something were recorded live on an eight-track tape to pay homage to the style of the Jamaican pioneers dear to the band. "It was a mark of respect towards these artists. We tried to shine a light on those artists who might have been forgotten," explains John Butcher. "If you love Sublime or Slightly Stoopid, you will love what we do, because it's everything those guys listened to and were inspired by." The Expanders' third studio album, Hustling Culture, was released in 2015 on the independent label Easy Star Records and was produced with the help of the band's extended family: keyboardist Roger Rivas of the Aggrolites and Rivas Recordings, and Orgone guitarist/Killion Sound producer Sergio Rios (who also engineered the self-titled album). After Hustling Culture, The Expanders released the albums Top Shelf, Piece Of Love, and Thanks For Life, all remixed by Walshy Fire of Major Lazer. "Reggae is a very international music genre, and this project is a perfect illustration of that, as it brought together artists from many different backgrounds, not just from the Caribbean diaspora," explains John Asher. Devin Morrison took a break from the band in 2018, and in the following years, the band released a series of singles and EPs, including "Sweet & Slow" with Kyle McDonald of Slightly Stoopid, and TWO FOR TOOTS, an EP tribute to the late Toots Hibbert. Morrison rejoined the band in 2025.