On October 26 Brother Ali graced Santa Cruz with his presence downtown at The Catalyst. Homeboy Sandman opened, freestylin’ up a storm and bringing some serious energy to the room with his conscious lyrics. Brother Ali in my opinion is a true artist, making his music for the poeple and about the people, not the money. As he took the stage, everyone fell silent. His first words were a message, encouraging people to appreciate life, love who and where they are, and enjoy every second they can. Then the beat dropped and the live band began to play, complete with trombone, trumpet, drummer, guitarist and more. Every time a beat began you could feel the floor tremble as if an earthquake approached. His words served as a sermon to all who attended, telling stories of life, regret, hope and love. This was no show…it was a religious experience. Brother Ali is still on tour for his new album Mourning In America And Dreaming In Color, check out upcoming tour dates at www.rhymesayers.com/brotherali!