The Guitar Player's Resource
Guitarist/singer Damian Hagger and rapper Tahit Jahi have released Race Card, their self-titled debut CD of intense hip-hop lyrics and subjects mixed with riff-oriented rock and pop hooks. Rounding out the band's rhythm section are bassist Aaron Schwoerer and drummer Jay Warren. Personal tastes will primarily dictate the effectiveness of the combination, with Hagger doing his level best to make sure a cutting, solidly overdriven guitar sound is mixed high, while providing incendiary solos worthy of a hard listen. Hagger uses a guitar arsenal (including a Fender Clapton, Steinberger, and a Fender Beck) to deliver hard tones and aggressive rhythms, when called upon to do so. Check out Race Card for a contemporary take on this musical meld.
Guitarist and vocalist, Damian Hagger, like vocalist Jahi, is also an African-American... OK, not literally, but he spent part of his childhood in South Africa and the rumor is that his first words were spoken in Zulu. After high school in Singapore and South Africa, he was accepted to study at the prestigious Berklee College of Music in Boston. Damian graduated cum laude from Berklee in 1998 with a Bachelor of Music in Contemporary Writing/Production and Music Business. He met rapper/vocalist, Tahir Jahi (who was mastering a craft all his own, competing in local battles, performing on occasion, and honing an artistic, standout, and standalone mic style) in 2000 when they both worked at MP3.com.
Race Card is currently playing live shows to promote their new CD, including an upcoming show at the Connexion Music Festival.
Damien Hagger
United States
Web site: www.racecardband.com