Drums

Drummer on the album Fight For Your Mind (1995), Oliver played his first show as an Innocent Criminal on September 04, 1994 at the Rose Garden (Portland, Oregon). He left the band fall 1996. NBC's Tonight Show with Jay Leno marked his return on June 06, 2001. Concert at the Big Cat (Osaka, Japan) on June 14, 2001 is his first full length performance.

Oliver Charles in the backstage lounge of the Beacon Theatre - New York - October 11th, 1995. Concert of Ben Harper and The Innocent Criminals, supporting PJ Harvey | Photo © courtesy of Baptiste Lignel / www.otra-vista.com

Chili Charles

Oliver Charles : "My father Chili [...] played in the Innocent Criminals, briefly. He was in the band for about three weeks as a percussionist. Leon couldn't make a tour, and my dad stepped in for a good three weeks. We went to Turkey and to France on that run." — source : www.benharper.net

Bio from artists.mp3s.com — "Chili was born in Trinidad & Tobago. He moved to New York in his teens and was influenced by the Jazz Latin and Rock’n’Roll scene while attending college. After entering the music business he moved to the west coast where he was involved in music production (Jazz Crusaders, Hugh Masakela…). Then he moved to England where he was signed as a solo artist with Virgin (Busy Corner, Quickstep). Chili moved back to the west coast of the USA and worked as a side man /session player in the Jazz, Pop, Blues and Reggae genres, with the likes of Muddy Waters, Taj Mahal, Ringo Starr, Brian Wilson, Mike Oldfield, Lowell George, the Beach Boys, Joe Higgs, to name a few. Chili now resides in Los Angeles. He’s now composing and arranging new alternative Caribean music using the Steeldrums – he has a blues rock band called the "Chilidogs" which features Sonny Mascar on vocals guitar and blues harp."

Interview by Emmanuel Rivet / swer.net -  May, June 2003

Chili Charles : "I am familiar with Ben’s music. Very. My close friends Rock Deadrick and Leon Mobley (and drummer I gave lessons to) and percussionist were my homies. I played with them long before the started in Ben's first band. I saw the whole thing start."

"Oliver studied piano from the age six to eighteen and became a master pianist. He played Chopin like Chopin played Chopin. He studied drums with me and became a real badass drummer. He also was a premier bassoon player in high school and the community symphony orchestra in Los angeles."

"He started first band Bone Fire at age 15. He studied taekwando martial arts and got a black belt. Then he went on to start and lead one of Los Angeles best ska bands called Ocean 11, left that band and played with Ben Harper for a few years then moved back to Los Angeles and played with Cree Summer, Spearhead, Rythm Room, The Soul of John Black, Daniel Lanois and many others."

"Oliver and his two close friends started a 50 piece full hiphop orchestra called DAKAH - a fantastic big band with five rappers three turntables - full orchestra from full section string, horn and rythm section, including harp. Oliver is the executive producer of the act and resident drummer. And the band has been given the honor of being a Los Angeles Symphony Orchestra, the first hiphop symphony orchestra in the country or the world."

"I love [With My Own Two Hands single] that was Oliver’s arrangement of an old song that Ben had. He took it and re-arranged it. I was there in the studio when they recorded it. I am even in the music video of the song."


R.I.P. — Darryl Francis “Chili” Charles, 58, of Paradise Park, Hawaii, a musician, artist and filmmaker, died in Hilo Medical Center. He was born in Trinidad. He is survived by wife Daniela Schmid, sons Jomo X. and Oliver, daughter Danielle Hunter and a grandchild.
starbulletin.com (May 28, 2005).

Dakah Hip Hop Orchestra
www.hiphoporchestra.com

Interview by Emmanuel Rivet / swer.net - June 2003

Geoff 'Double G' Gallegos (Dakah founder, conductor and composer) : "Oliver's role in Dakah has been pretty important in our evolution. He joined about two years ago, and I'm sure you know what an outstanding musician he is. So obviously, having Oliver play the drums made the orchestra sound great.
In addition to his role as a musician, he shared the responsibilities of executive production on our debut studio recording. He helped coordinate one of the studios, brought our supervising engineer in, and helped pay for some expenses out of his own pocket. He also laid down some very strong drum tracks. He has one of the best memory retention abilities I have ever witnessed in any musician, I think he also has perfect pitch, very rare for a drummer.
Getting used to a drummer like Oliver has been hard for other drummers that want to play in his spot while he is on tour with Ben. He's left some pretty big shoes to fill, and I haven't found anyone I like as much as Oliver to play the drums yet."

"My first time playing with Oliver was in a band called Weapon of Choice with an amazing bassist named Lonnie Marshall. I have never heard Oliver play bassoon, or didn't know he played piano until Weapon was recording an album in the studio. I had always known him as a great drummer. I imagine his classical interest is what drew him towards Dakah and also what helps him remember music so well."

Oliver playing with The Soul of John Black
www.thesoulofjohnblack.com

John “JB" Bigham, May 2003 (swer.net): "Oliver is a bad mf. I love him. He can play anything and he knows what everybody else is playing too!! Actually it's hard for us to go on without him. But I love seeing him play with Ben also. I am a Ben Harper fan."

Oliver playing with Cree Summer
source : Sigrid_Miranda

Oliver posing with Paul McCartney
Glastonbury Festival, Somerset, England. June 26, 2004.
Photo © Jeff Colen

Danielle Charles Hunter

Oliver's sister played violin on :

• Power of the Gospel (Fight For Your Mind, 1995).

• Roses From My Friends (The Will To Live, 1997).

• Strawberry Fields Forever (I Am Sam, 2001).
She appears on "Pleasure And Pain" DVD (Bonus > Live Tracks > Strawberry Fields Forever) and performed live on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno", aired March 08, 2002 (photo).

• When She Believes (Diamonds On The Inside, 2003)