Xavier’s Ruddy Band

Rudd’s band dates back to last year when he toured with the musicians who laid down the rhythm for the late, great Lucky Dube – bassist Tio “Toto” Moloantoa and drummer Andile Nqubezelo.

Rudd must have enjoyed the “band” experience because the musicians thenb played on his new studio album, Koonyum Sun, released last month.

Rudd met up with Nqubezelo and Molantoa when the rhythm masters were touring with Eddy Grant.

“Then we got talking in the catering, later,” Rudd told Pollstar last summer. “I was always a big fan of Lucky Dube. He was a big part my journey. And we made a really strong connection. I didn’t really think about playing with them. I was talking to the bass player and the guy told me they wanted to play. And that’s how it came together. We ended up having a rehearsal.”

Billed as “Xavier Rudd and Izintaba,” the tour begins outside Seattle in Redmond at the Marymoor Amphitheatre, plays Troutdale (Portland) at Edgefield Aug. 14 and arrives in Santa Cruz, Calif., for a gig at The Catalyst Aug. 16. Other dates include Los Angeles at the Greek Theatre Aug. 18; Morrison (Denver) at Red Rocks Aug. 20; Berkeley, Calif., at the Greek Theatre Aug. 21 and Vienna, Va., at Filene Center At Wolf Trap Aug. 24.

Other cities include New York (Aug. 25), Philadelphia (Aug. 26), Cleveland (Aug. 27), Royal Oak, Mich. (Aug. 28), Nashville (Oct. 30) Louisville (Sept. 8) and Chicago (Sept. 11) before hitting the proverbial end of the road in Boston at Wilbur Theatre Sept. 14.

Rudd and Izintaba join guitar duo Rodrigo Y Gabriela Aug. 13-14 and 18-24. For more information, click here for the Xavier Rudd website.