Biography
Thievery Corporation is an American electronic music duo formed in Washington, D.C. in 1995 by Rob Garza and Eric Hilton. The group emerged from the vibrant nightlife and eclectic music scene centered around the Eighteenth Street Lounge, where Garza and Hilton bonded over their shared love of club culture and diverse musical genres such as dub, bossa nova, reggae, jazz, and electronic dance music. Their debut album, 'Sounds from the Thievery Hi-Fi' (1996), established their reputation as pioneers of song-based electronic music, blending global influences with a lounge aesthetic. Over the years, Thievery Corporation has released a dozen acclaimed studio albums, remix collections, and concert recordings, consistently pushing boundaries and incorporating a wide array of international sounds and vocalists.
Musically, Thievery Corporation is known for their genre-defying style, which fuses trip-hop, downtempo, acid jazz, and lounge with elements of Indian classical, Brazilian, and Middle Eastern music. Their production approach emphasizes inclusion and experimentation, drawing from secondhand record stores and live collaborations with musicians from around the world. The band’s legacy includes defining a sub-genre of electronic music and influencing a generation of artists with their cosmopolitan sound and DIY ethos. Their music has been recognized for its social and political commentary, and they have performed to enthusiastic audiences across five continents.
Fun Facts
- Thievery Corporation's name is a tongue-in-cheek commentary on the corporate world and its seedy aspects.
- The duo started making music in the liquor room of Washington D.C.'s Eighteenth Street Lounge, surrounded by boxes of spirits.
- They once lost the master tapes to their second album, which became a notable anecdote in their career.
- Thievery Corporation recorded parts of their album 'The Temple of I & I' at Geejam Studios in Port Antonio, Jamaica, where locals were amazed by their authentic reggae sound.
Members
- Jeff Franca - additional, drums (drum set)
- GARZA
- Rob Garza
- Eric Hilton
Musical Connections
Mentors/Influences
- Cal Tjader - Stylistic influence through jazz and Latin jazz (Verve Records compilations curated by Thievery Corporation) [1990s–2000s]
- Wes Montgomery - Stylistic influence through jazz guitar (Verve Records compilations curated by Thievery Corporation) [1990s–2000s]
- Sérgio Mendes & Brasil '66 - Stylistic influence through bossa nova and Brazilian jazz (Verve Records compilations curated by Thievery Corporation) [1990s–2000s]
Key Collaborators
- Emilíana Torrini - Vocalist on studio albums (The Mirror Conspiracy, The Richest Man in Babylon) [2000–2002]
- Pam Bricker - Vocalist on studio albums (The Mirror Conspiracy, The Richest Man in Babylon) [2000–2002]
- Loulou Ghelichkhani - Vocalist on studio albums and live performances (The Mirror Conspiracy, The Richest Man in Babylon) [2000–2002]
- Puma Ptah - Vocalist on studio albums and live performances (Culture of Fear) [2011–present]
- Rob Myers - Sitar and guitar player in studio and live (Multiple studio albums and live tours) [2000s–present]
- Jeff Franca - Drummer in studio and live (Multiple studio albums and live tours) [2000s–present]
Artists Influenced
- Various downtempo and trip-hop artists - Inspired by Thievery Corporation's genre-blending and global approach (Numerous independent and international acts in electronic music) [2000s–present]
Connection Network
Discography
Albums
| Title | Release Date | Type |
|---|---|---|
| The Richest Man In Babylon | 2003-01-14 | Album |
| Mirror Conspiracy | 2000-08-09 | Album |
| Saudade | 2014-03-25 | Album |
| Radio Retaliation | 2008-09-23 | Album |
| The Cosmic Game | 2005-02-22 | Album |
| Temple Of I & I | 2017-02-10 | Album |
| Treasures From The Temple | 2018-04-20 | Album |
| Culture Of Fear | 2011-06-28 | Album |
| Sounds From The Thievery Hi Fi (Remastered 2022) | 1997-06-07 | Album |
| Symphonik | 2020-04-03 | Album |
| Babylon Rewound | 2004-11-03 | Album |
| Sounds From The Thievery Hi Fi | 1997-06-07 | Album |
| Mirror Conspiracy (Remastered 2022) | 2000-08-09 | Album |
| Radio Retaliation (Deluxe Edition) | 2008-12-23 | Album |
Top Tracks
- Lebanese Blonde (Mirror Conspiracy)
- All That We Perceive (The Richest Man In Babylon)
- Until The Morning (The Richest Man In Babylon)
- Sweet Tides (Radio Retaliation)
- Shadows of Ourselves (Mirror Conspiracy)
- Saudade (Saudade)
- The Richest Man In Babylon (The Richest Man In Babylon)
- Amerimacka (The Cosmic Game)
- Décollage (Saudade)
- Un Simple Histoire (The Richest Man In Babylon)
External Links
Tags: #chill-out, #downtempo, #dub
References
Heard on WWOZ
Thievery Corporation has been played 1 time on WWOZ 90.7 FM, New Orleans' jazz and heritage station.
| Date | Time | Title | Show | Spotify |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 25, 2025 | 00:49 | All That We Perceivefrom The Richest Man In Babylon | Adjacentw/ Benny Poppins |