Let the Light Unify Us: Matisyahu

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BEFORE MATISYAHU WAS "the Jewish reggae guy," Matthew Miller was a bona fide "Phan" — one of the legions who followed jam band Phish on tour during the '90s. At the band's reunion in Hampton, Va., this March, Matisyahu — who's since toured with Phish frontman Trey Anastasio — returned to the well.

"I think I've moved on a little bit, which is the case with a lot of people," he said. "We had those life-changing experiences at those shows and in our youth," he added. "It totally formed us and inspired us. A lot of our lives are searching for inspiration through maybe more authentic means, without drugs, and even music, to try to reach those heights, and a lot of people obviously have been unsuccessful. There was that feeling of: Can we have this again?"

The guy who used to take LSD at Phish shows is now a devout father of two, one whose song "One Day" will be featured prominently during the 2010 Winter Olympics.

"I don't think you could write a better song for the Olympics," Matisyahu said. "The song is about getting past the differences and coming together. It's about hope and unification — that's what the whole deal with the Olympics is."

The song is also the first single from Matisyahu's third studio album, "Light," which was released three years after "Youth" following a host of delays. On it, he expands his musical palate beyond his trademark spiritually charged reggae and rap.

"The process leading up to 'Light' was listening to a lot more music: more electronic stuff, indie-rock stuff — still hip-hop and reggae, but variations of it all," he said. "So I wanted to try working with people who are involved in those genres to create one sound. I wanted to bring people together."

Sounds like something from Phish's playbook.

» Sixth & I Synagogue, 600 I Street NW; with Trevor Hall, Wed., Nov. 25, 8 p.m.; sold out; 202-408-3100. (Gallery Place-Chinatown)

Written by Express contributor Rudi Greenberg
Photo courtesy Dan Mandell