WITH the release of their debut single Rich in Spirit, Tower Band is ushering in a new era: the transition from backing band to genuine show and recording band.

Comprising Rayon “Prof” Smith (vocalist and keyboard), Corey Coombs (guitars and vocalist), Tesla Rein (keyboard), and Andre “Kryss Ras” Barnes (drummer and vocalist), the Kingston-based Tower Band has been together for the past eight years. The act has developed a reputation for backing music industry luminaries like Marcia Griffiths, Ken Boothe, Tanya Stephens, Bugle, Junior Kelly, Skeng, Gyptian, Tony Rebel, Queen Ifrica, Jahshii, Richie Spice, Kevin Downswell, I-Octane, Nadine Sutherland, among others.

This new musical project is geared to take things to a new level.

The video for Rich in Spirit was shot on the roof of the Digicel headquarters in downtown Kingston, sections of Half-Way-Tree, and at a radio station. It was directed by Barnes and Smith, while the song, which delivers a message of empowerment, is produced by Tower Music Media Group.

“The visual is out and it is uplifting music. It’s about showing different aspects of skills and fun and enjoying what you do as a creative,” Barnes said.

He added, “We are a band, musical entrepreneurs. We are empowering our generation to say, ‘Step out and do you; put your skills and talents to use. Don’t waste time; don’t procrastinate.'”

Barnes explained that the decision to become a recording band was born out of the band’s growth over the past few years.

“We want to share our music with the world,” said Barnes, who highlighted that Rich in Spirit is just the first taste of an EP that is currently in production.

“Being in the dancehall space [and] playing for currently hot dancehall artistes like Skeng, Valiant, TeeJay and Stalk Ashley, and seeing how people react to our music, we decided that we wanted to put words to melody and melody to music,” he continued.

He explained that the band has no intention of abandoning its backing band duties.

“We are just adding our repertoire to the industry with a standard, knowing that clean music still lives on so being around artistes like Beres Hammond, we realised that we need to do clever music, make it nice; people will love it. And based on how you project it people will buy into it because there is a market for every genre. It all depends on how you market it,” Barnes continued.