The Rocksteady 7 is a musical collective that draws up a pool of the finest ska and reggae musicians in New York and beyond. Here are some of the players that play with the band;
Saxophone/Band leader: David Hillyard;
Percussion: Larry McDonald
Drums: Eddie Ocampo, Benny Herson, Glen Hackett
Trumpet: Rolf Langsjoen, Rich Graiko
Trombone: Phil Cooper,Buford O'Sullivan, Chris "Squantch" Sears
Guitar: Justin Rothberg, Dave Hahn, Jay Nugent
Bass: Dan Jesselson, Sheldon Gregg, Chris Weiggers
Keys: Dave Wake
Influences
NEW CD OUT NOW ON BRIXTON RECORDS (ES), SOON ON DISK UNION (JP) AND BIG DEMON (USA)! www.brixtonrecords.com
NEW 45 OUT NOW ON GOLDEN SINGLES (ES)! www.myspace.com/thegoldensingles
Sounds Like
Skatalites, the Upsetters, Count Ossie and the Mystic Revelations of Rastafari, John Coltrane, Lester Young, Sidney Bechet, Idris Muhammad, Toots and the Maytals, the Pharoahs, Light of Sabaa, Almeyehu Eschete, Charlie Whitehead, Pharoah Saunders, Fela Kuti, Mongo Santemaria, Gene Ammons, Illinois Jacquet, The Impressions, Duke Ellington
Booking:
Steve Bordin at Big D Booking
bordinst@aol.com
001 917 204 8218
“Bandleader, composer and saxophonist David Hillyard has done more to advance the mix of reggae and jazz...than any number of big names in jazz who have tinkered with the Jamaican Sound” -
The African Beat Magazine
Tenor and soprano saxophonist, David Hillyard is one of the innovators of the American ska scene. His group, the Rocksteady 7, mixes instrumental Jamaican “roots” rhythms ala the Skatalites, Burning Spear, and extended jazz improvisation ala David Murray, Charlie Haden, and Pharaoh Saunders.
His forthcoming cd, Get Back UP!, is a blinding tour de force of his Jamaican Jazz conception. The title track evokes the power of Coltrane's Love Supreme and is a screaming triumph over adversity. Through the baldhead reggae of "Death Ride", to the Brazillian Bingi, "Ca Purange", and a confident ska version of the 60s classic, "Sunny", Dave and his friends are at the top of their game.
Dave has been a professional musician for over 20 years. As a 17 year old youth he played with The Donkey Show, one of California’s pioneering ska bands. He also played with Hepcat which went onto become one of the biggest ska acts of the 1990's. He has also performed with ska groups like the Stubborn All-Stars, Skinner box, reggae artists like Cornell Campbell, Congo ‘Ashanti’ Roy and Johnny Osbourne, jazz artists like Roy Campbell, blues artists like Simon Chardiet, soul singers like Archie Bell (“Do the Tighten Up" ), and even punkrockers like Rancid.
But Dave is best known for his work with the Slackers. He continues to be a key member of that organization and has appeared on their 10 cd releases and 1,000s of live gigs. With the Slackers, he currently averages about 120-150 gigs a year in the USA, Canada, Japan, Latin America, and Europe
Through his diverse experience, Dave has developed an unique style. A mix of the warm island tonalities of Roland Alphonso and Tommy McCook, the strident cries of John Coltrane, the smears of Sidney Bechet, the otherworldliness of Pharaoh Saunders, the honking blues of King Curtis, and the swing of Ben Webster, Lester Young, and Coleman Hawkins. As Jazziz magazine put it succinctly, “HILLYARD CAN PLAY ”
His band, Rocksteady 7, is a shifting collective of musicians featuring some of the best players in New York City. They have experience playing with everyone from Sting to the Skatalites. Senior among them is veteran percussionist, Larry McDonald. Larry began his career back at the inception of ska music with Carlos Malcolm’s Afro Jamaicans. He went on to perform on several classic reggae tracks such as Cherry Oh Baby, Funky Kingston, and Rivers of Babylon. Then he left Jamaica and played long stints with Taj Mahal and Gil Scott-Heron.
The Rocksteady 7's debut cd, Playtime (Hellcat/Epitaph), was widely praised for its innovative mix of Jamaican “roots” rhythms with Jazz and Latin influences. The title track, Playtime, where nyabinghi drumming met a jazz Miles Davis-esque waltz, was widely played on the National Public Radio show, “Morning Becomes Eclectic.”
The Rocksteady 7's second cd, United Front (Do Tell/Brixton), mixed free improvisation, reggae, and revolutionary rhetoric. The African Beat magazine referred to the group as “real musical revolutionaries” and stated that they “cut the competition.” Ragga magazine referred to them as “the magnificent 7.”
Their 3rd cd, Way Out East (Brixton), captured the powerful energy of the band live. Recorded in Jena, Germany this disc was noted by Worldmusic.com as a perfect Jazz/Reggae fusion and will leave fans of both in a "state of bliss."
In the meantime, Dave put out a japanese release that still has to see the full light of day in the rest of the world. Entitled "Hits of Jackpot", it features Dave playing over classic Bunny Lee and Lloyd Charmers rhythms. It was produced by Glen Adams of Wailers and Upsetters fame.
Currently, "GET BACK UP!", should be out in may of 2009.
Dave’s band has played numerous venues in New York City from SOBs, the Knitting Factory, Wetlands, Bbkings, and the Bottom Line. For most of 2005, they were regulars at Detour, a small jazz club on the lower east side of New York. They have also played at Los Angeles’ Whisky A Go Go, Knitting Factory, Echoplex (dub club), and House of Blues; the Toronto Jazz Festival; and numerous club dates in the eastern United States and Canada. Since early 2004, they have also completed 3 European tours, playing in Spain, France, Belgium, Holland, Switzerland, and Germany.
David Hillyard & Rocksteady 7 Discography:
Playtime (Hellcat/Epitaph) - 1999
United Front (Do Tell/Brixton) - 2002
Way Out East (Brixton) - 2007
Selected David Hillyard Discography:
w/the Slackers
Better Late Than Never (Moon) - 1996
Red Light (Hellcat) - 1997
The Question (Hellcat) - 1998
Live at Ernesto’s (Hellcat) - 2000
Wasted Days (Hellcat) - 2001
Slacker and Friends (Special Potato/Echo Beach) - 2002
Close My Eyes (Hellcat) - 2003
Upsettin Ernestos (LAE) - 2004
Afternoon in Dub (Special Potato/Echo Beach) - 2005
Peculiar (Hellcat/Epitaph) - 2006
Boss Harmony Sessions (Special Potato) - 2007
Self Medication (Indication/Moanin/Skaintheworld) - 2008
w/Glen Adams
Hits of Jackpot (Ska in the World, 2007)
w/other artists
The Donkey Show - Cant Get Enough Of (A to Y) - 1998
Hepcat - Out of Nowhere (Moon) - 1992
Rancid - Life Wont Wait (Epitaph) - 1999
Rancid - Beavis & Butthead Do America (Geffen) - 1996
Skinnerbox - What You Can Do & What You Cant (Moon) - 1997
Stubborn All- Stars - Open Season (Profile) - 1995
Stubborn All- Stars - Back With A New Batch (Profile) - 1998
David Hillyard & the Rocksteady 7's Friend Space (Top 20)
David Hillyard & the Rocksteady 7 has 5894 friends.
BERLIN PRESSURE DROP Berlin's neue Ska/Reggae Reihe alle zwei Monate im Lovelite Am 14.11. mit: LOS PLACEBOS / Reggae-Ska-Dancehall / Bochum http://www.myspace.com/losplacebosska
FREIKARTEN ZU GEWINNEN Es
werden 10 x 2 Free Tix verlost. Schreibt einfach eine Nachricht
unteroben angegebener MySpace Adresse. Wer zuerst kommt, mahlt zu erst.
:)
Samstag, 24. Oktober 2009 1 Jahr Beat!Club // 1 Jahr Sick in the City - 22Uhr
Los jetzt! Kerzenausblasen - eine für den Beat!Club und eine für Sick in the City. Die stattlich hüftende Tanzrocksause mit The Aguileras feiert ebenso das Einjährige wie auch der Beat!Club. Also, bitteschön rein in den feinen Zwirn und abgehen wies Zäpfle zu Pop'n'Roll, Indie, Alternativen, Tanzrock, Punkerei und full-on Ballsaalbrechern von your favourite DJ Team The Aguileras a.k.a. Frank Gasoline & Sad Sir alias Gundula Kleber & Claus Gause. Getränke gibt's vorne links, beziehungsweise hinten rechts oder oben unten - je nach Blickwinkel.
Esta semana es nuestro cumpleaño...!!! Y hemos preparado una gran fiesta para celebrarlo!!!! Powered by FUNKTION ONE SOUND SYSTEM Chupito gratis hasta las 2:00 y + sorpesas.... Os esperamos a tod@s!!!!!!!
--- Todos los Viernes --- Every Friday ---
--- DRUM'N'BASS - HARDTEK - TEKNO ---
Entrada promocional a 1€ antes de las 2:00 enviando un mail con nombre+apellidos a guest@guerrillabasement.com (el mail tienes que enviarlo antes de las 21:00 del viernes)
Ya esta en la calle el Nº7 de La Nariz Roja, esta vez entre el contenido encontrareis entrevistas a Trinken Bier (Oi!),Aurka (Punk),Jah Danti Selektah (Sound System Ska Reggae), KK-LPA (Punk), Punkats (Psychobilly Punk), Oidos Sordos/Boikot (sello, discográfica), Carniceros del Norte(After Punk) y Kaskarriak (Punk Ska), articulos sobre ante la escuela, historia del Oi!, A circulada, Centro Social El Fuelle, cultura, El Libro Negro(Cinturón de castidad y pera vaginal),The Row (Punk Rock Metal), cine(Rebelión en la Granja), el día que conocí a Tarantino, La Burla(Rock), menstruación, Histopia(quinta parte), Sally Brown(Ska), Los Olvidados, más criticas musicales y fanzines.
Todo ello como siempre por 2 euros(más 0,75 de gastos de envió en caso de pedidos por correo).
Para pedidos por correo recomendamos el ingreso bancario (por rapidez y seguridad) en La Caixa N º de Cuenta 2100-2172-35- 0100456036 a nombre de Isabel, una vez realizado el ingreso, nos mandas un mail a lanarizroja@yahoo.es con tu dirección y nombre, comprobamos el ingreso y te enviamos el zine.
Online Now!
BERLIN PRESSURE DROP
Berlin's neue Ska/Reggae Reihe alle zwei Monate im Lovelite
Am 14.11. mit:
LOS PLACEBOS / Reggae-Ska-Dancehall / Bochum
http://www.myspace.com/losplacebosska
RAGGA GAGGA GANG / Ska-Reggae-Pop / Berlin
http://www.myspace.com/raggagaggagang
An den Plattentellern:
DJ BELA Ska-Reggae-Dancehall
DR.JEKYLL Ska-Rocksteady-Reggae
SELECTOR SOULFIRE Reggae-Roots-Dancehall /Vocals from VOODOO MOON
BossK Mr. Reggaexplosion Ska-Reggae Rocksteady
Mehr Infos unter
http://www.myspace.com/berlinpressuredrop
FREIKARTEN ZU GEWINNEN
Es werden 10 x 2 Free Tix verlost. Schreibt einfach eine Nachricht unteroben angegebener MySpace Adresse. Wer zuerst kommt, mahlt zu erst. :)
Vorfreudige Grüße,
das BERLIN PRESSURE DROP Team