From The Hilltops

Artist Bio / Album Info

What began as a group of friends with common interests in music evolved naturally into the current configuration that is, Don Chani.  Mark Shaddock, lead singer and principal songwriter, spent time in Jamaica as a teenager absorbing the music and culture that is so strongly associated with the island nation. After meeting guitarist Erick Bohorquez, drummer Jacob Benenate (Dr. Dubbist), and Oney their mutual love for the Reggae style blended nicely with the Latin influences of Bohorquez to form the one and only Latin/Reggae Austin based band, Don Chani.

As Don Chani has progressed over the years the band has grown to a larger number of members enabling their warm organic sound to rise to new levels. With the addition of keyboardist Matt Jacobs, rhythm guitarist Mike Franklin, bassist Nico Sanchez, third singer Chris Nerren, horn player Jason Frey, and last but certainly not least, most recent addition, drummer Johnny Radelat, Don Chani has carved out a unique sound unmatched by any of its contemporary counter parts. By drawing from what many consider to be Reggae’s “Golden Age” of the late 60’s to70’s, as well as a deep-rooted Latin influence of two Chani members, they are constantly turning heads and gaining fans at every live performance.

Don Chani is touring regularly across Texas along with runs to the east and west coasts. You can find them every year as a regular performer at Texas’s largest Reggae festival The Austin Reggae Festival.  Added to the touring and festival gigs are all the club shows at which they have been blessed to share the stage with many reggae greats. Some of these greats include The Skatalites, Culture, Eek A Mouse, Luciano, Sister Carol, The Wailing Souls, Morgan Heritage, The Meditations, Sierra Leone Refugee AllStars, and The Mighty Diamonds. The band recently released its first studio album, “From the Hilltops” along with a corresponding dub album, “Dub the Hilltops."  These albums as well as other details can be found at the links below.