The Pinstripes
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The Pinstripes are a six-piece ska band from Cincinnati, Ohio. They play a combination of ska, punk, reggae, swing, and hip-hop. Similar bands are The Toasters, The Skatalites, Catch 22, and Streetlight Manifesto.
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[edit] Members
The Pinstripes are:
- Mike Sarason: Saxophone, Vocals
- Ben Pitz: Trumpet
- Matt Kursmark: Guitar
- Chris Grannen: Bass
- Casey Weissbuch: Drums
- Chap Sowash: Trombone
- Jack Wright: Organ
Former members include:
[edit] History
The Pinstripes are a seven-piece ska band hailing from Cincinnati, Ohio. The band was formed in October of 2003 when a group of friends from the Cincinnati scene decided to try their luck at making music. The Pinstripes sound is an experimental mix of rock, ska, reggae, punk, funk, and even hip-hop. They derived their sound from such influential bands as The Toasters, The Skatalites, Streetlight Manifesto, and The Slackers. The result is a new twist to an old, familiar, and catchy style.
The Pinstripes have been on the Cincinnati scene playing numerous shows since their inception and have had many distinguished honors since then. During this time, The Pinstripes have shared the stage with such notable bands as the Toasters, Cacth-22, Mustard Plug, Westbound Train, The Know How, Big D & The Kids Table, and the Aggrolites. In addition, they were awarded a spot on the local Ernie Ball stage at Warped Tour in 2005. Another distinctive honor came for The Pinstripes in the summer of 2006, when they played at CBGB’s, the underground rock club in Manhattan famous for being the stomping grounds for such legendary bands as the Ramones and Blondie.
Starting in 2004, The Pinstripes released a series of short EPs, each with a completely different feel than the other. Their first release, an all original self-titled 7 song opus, showed their raw talent and enthusiasm. They also released a split EP with fellow Cincinnati ska-rockers The Prairie Dog Gangsters and an acoustic EP in the December of 2005. All of these recordings displayed the group’s increasing songwriting skills and overall tightness as a band.
More recently, 2006 has proved to be an eventful year for The Pinstripes. The group independently recorded and released its first full length album, entitled Higher Ground and received much praise for it. In a review for AbsolutePunk.net, Brandon Allin says, “Higher Ground is, without a doubt, one of the most impressive, commendable, and downright dazzling offerings a label-free group has ever constructed. The hooks shine at every opportunity, the instrumentation is impeccable, and the overall presentation is near flawless.” However, you cannot fully experience The Pinstripes sound until you have been to one of their live shows. They bring a tremendous amount of energy into each and every one of their shows; something that one has to witness firsthand in order to comprehend. Music fans across the Midwest, East Coast, and parts of the South have had their chance to do that, as The Pinstripes toured all around these regions, booking and managing each one of their tours completely their own.
They have played with such national acts as:
- The Toasters
- Mustard Plug
- Big D and the Kids Table
- Westbound Train
- The Know How
- Arrogant Sons of Bitches
- Catch 22
[edit] Discography
- The Pinstripes: Self Titled (August 2004)
- The Pinstripes/Prairie Dog Gangsters Split CD (July 2005)
- The Acoustic EP (December 2005)
- Higher Ground (July 2006)
