This new project, Ska-j, borns putting together musicians, living in Venice and grown with different music background as jazz, pop, and reggae music. The aim is to transfer the most famous jazz standard to the ska, personalizing brass section and groove remembering the root sound of Ska-talites and the finest jazz armonic solutions.
The band is so composed: Cristiano Pastrello “The General”, well known drummer of the best reggae-roots band as Kito-roots, SoVibes, performing with Pitura Freska in the project “Nyabinghi i tamburi de Marghera”, touring with Patakin theatre “Ombra di Luna”. Sandro Caparelli, double bass, first lerning with famous jazz bass player as Salvatore Majore, Lello Gnesutta, played with “Orchestra del Suono Improvviso”, directed by Giannantonio De Vincenzo, plays with Fabio Bambini (song writer from Mantova), Rondň Veneziano, and gipsy jazz with the Tony Green Trio. Tommaso Viola, guitar, stuied with Sandro Gibellini, Bob Bonisolo, plays with Fabio Bambini, Maxistecco (fusion) and other jazz band (pURPLEjAZZ)and teaches jazz guitar in Venice. He is also involved in other musical project as the CD attached to the last Poetry-book of Marco Piamonte in wich, beside a Ska-j track that he remixed, there also other tracks recorded with other musician of wich is also auctor. Federico Nalesso, trombone, played and recorded with Jazz Musician Association and with main venetian band as Charly e le cattive notizie, Zoo Zabumba, Fahrenheit 451, Venexia Reggae All Stars, Thelonius Monk Big Band, Mamacaleba, The Venice Gospel Ensamble, The Joy Singers and many others. Luca Toso, tenor sax, long time playng in many funk and fusion band (Zoo Zabumba, Maxistecco) and first creator of SKA-J project. Last but not least, Marco “furio” Forieri tenor sax and voice of Pitura Freska, writer of many song of that reggae band, studied with Pietro Tonolo, Marco Castelli, Sal Nistico, Steve Lacy, Gerry Barts. Leader of many bands, the last one “Davidemato tributo a Bob Marley”.
The set list provides original songs and covers from NY Ska-jazz Ensemble (Don Tojo, Prime suspect, Nelson Mandela, Midnite crazies), jazz standard (St. Thomas, On green dolphin street, I mean you, Harlem nocturne, Haitian fight song, Straight no chaser, All of me, Well you needn’t, Minnie the moocher, Giant Step, Sophisticated Lady), historical cover as Man in the street, Independent anniversary ska, Latin goes ska, I’m In the mood for ska, Guns of Navarone form the Ska-talites, and others as Bolero-ska, The Flintstones, The Pink Panther.
The band can also play in completely acustic version without needing any service.
In 2002, year of foundation of the band, SKA-J played during Venetian Carnival as buskers, in major northern Italy Ska-festival opening great concert as those of The Wailers and of the Ska-talites. In november, after recording live in studio the first album, the SKA-J went touring in Sicily and many other club around Italy. The CD Venice goes ska will be avaiable from the end of january 2003, recently Ska-j were invited to take part of Tv programs and in radio as Caterpillar, a very popular show on air in the main time of RAI the national radio-tv italian network.
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