Jacques Ibula brings passion at the heart of music with an unique style reminisent to african tradition, blues, pop and rock.

Best Pop Song on Broadjam
The members have made their choice and the winning song for the Pop Song Contest: "Proposal"

March, 2007

The Music Scene Magazine
Call him "The Rising Star", one of the most talented singer and song writer in the East Bay with unique voice Jacques has a poignant way of sharing his story.

BIO

We are all defined by the inward strivings of our hearts more than by our outward struggles; ultimately, our lives simply reflect the sum of the choices that we make.

As a boy growing up in the Congo, Jacques would frequently venture into the villages of the countryside, where he would join with other youths in impromptu musical ensembles. Playing drums made from rubber inner-tubes and empty cans, the boys would join in with vocals to create unique harmonies. It was through these boyhood experiences that Jacques developed an appreciation for the liberating experience of mixing diverse musical ingredients to create an entirely new voice.

Jacques? interests gradually expanded to new areas. His creative energy turned to painting, while his desire to make a contribution to his countrymen drew him towards pursuit of a medical degree. But when his country descended into a deep civil war, Jacques sought refuge in California. The heartbreak of his beloved Congo?s pain coupled with the unfamiliarity of his new surroundings filled him with a deep emptiness ? a longing for his home, for peace among his people, for the simple joy he had felt creating music from nothing with the other children in the villages.

Jacques knew that he had to return to his first passion as a way to bridge the chasm between the life he had known and the new life he had begun. He took his rent money and bet everything on the purchase of a guitar, then set about to learn how to play. He drew musical influences from Ben Harper, the Dave Matthews Band, the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Jack Johnson, as well as from his native Congo. The result is a blend of African tradition, blues, pop and rock with a strong message of faith and social consciousness.

Jacques creates music as an instrument of his faith. He writes songs that are stories to remind us where we have come from and where we are going. He shares a faith that embodies the freedom to embrace different outlooks and that celebrates each of us as the very essence of God. He challenges us to both lead and follow, with the understanding that we can only exist because others exist around us.

Jacques understands that artists are the ?high priests? of our modern culture, and seeks to use the magic of his music to contribute positively to the spiritual healing of the Congo, America, and the world.