West Bank, simply put, defies all conventional definitions. Known for their juicy cuts which are a smattering together of reggae and dancehall marinating in the sauces of the Caribbean, West Bank has a sound like no other with straight club rockers, and fun-filled messages on laid-back dancehall robo-pop rhythms. Just when you think youve finally figured them out, they sprint off in another musical direction: jazzy grooves, funk, R & B and even hip hop, but always with a reggae undertone. They have the island feel and unforced charisma of the early Fugees.

"We want to create a whole new sound, always with that Reggae vibe, says lead group member, Joe West.

Weve been in house for four years straight, rehearsing and finetuning this sound, and now we have an album, 14 amazing tracks, this is our Initial Deposit.

The members are Joel Isaacs, aka Joe West, Patrick Livingston a.k.a Mr. Millinium, and Jodaine Penrose aka Jody Jode. Group leader Joe West is no stranger to the music industry. Behind the scenes as a writer and producer, he enjoyed success managing two popular groups, ARP and Emerge, in his native Jamaica. Now he is relishing his time in the limelight, and his enigmatic stage performances are a joy on the east coast club scene.

I like this group, everybody shares the weight, everybody brings something to the table. The group is a musical bank of talent that represents the West Indies as well as the whole Western hemisphere, he said.

The other one-third of West Bank is Patrick Livingstone, aka Mr. Millinium,  a deep-voiced deejay from St. Croix. Born in Antigua, Mr. Millinium grew up in St. Croix and now lives in New Jersey. Hes written performed and perfected various forms of Reggae and Calypso music in different venues and was lighting up the dance hall scene with his explosive lyrics before finding a home with West Bank.

I grew up listening to mostly reggae and hip hop and as I get older, I got more into straight dancehall, my influences are Ele, Mad Lion, Buju with that deep voiceI love getting out there and doing my thing, the girls love it, he said, confidently.

The final piece, and a delicious one at that, is Jodaine Penrose, aka Jody Jode. Her silky sound is the perfect element that glues these divergent voices into a sweet Caribbean collision of harmonies.  Jody Jode,  a Jamaican native also currently living in New Jersey,  who has been singing since she was seven years old. Her voice is pure sensual soul and even on weed odes like More I Smoke My Trees, her class shines through like a beacon. She can also deejay as well, bringing a smile to your face as she deejays about being a hot gal prone to conspicuous consumption, or iced-out bracelets on Hot Girl.

But the girl has game, check her out as spits a vicious eight bars rap-style on All Night Long after singing a super-sexy, deliriously amped hook. When she says youll never find another like me, you believe her and you regret it. Jody Jode balances all the garden variety tough talk with some decent singalong hooks. She is a fierce and powerful young voice moving toward something bigger. She is da b****! 

West Banks first single, Never Find Another has already placed them firmly on the lyrical stage. This sexy, jazzy reggaefied groove demonstrates the groups versatility, and has created enough positive buzz to get to #7 on the Suzie Q Reggae Trail chart which airs on TVJ and on stations in New York.

They will be appearing on a show on July 13th in Maryland, and recently appeared alongside Daville on a Mothers Day show in Queens, New York. While they were in Jamaica in May, they hit the stage at the Asylum nightclub and the Up and Live show on HYPE and represented well.

It was a great experience, performing for our own Caribbean people, and getting a great response, Joe West said. Bookings are handled in house and by US-based agent Delroy Carroll.

West Banks debut album, Initial Deposit, is a must-have asset for any long term music collector because this is an investment that keeps on generating interest.  Even with a politically controversial name, they dont get involved in discussions of religion and politics. They know how to party, and has built up a decent underground following performing at reggae clubs along the east coast. And the West Bank just keeps growing and growing. And growing. First stop, West Indies. Next stop, the world.