Skavoovie and the Epitones
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Skavoovie and the Epitones is a ten piece third wave ska band that formed in Newton, Massachusetts in 1994.
Skavoovie and the Epitones have a traditional 1960s ska sound with heavy swing and big band influences. The band was signed to Moon Ska Records before the members had finished high school, and they released their debut album Fat Footin' in 1995. Fat Footin was one of the fastest selling albums for Moon Ska.[citation needed]
Their blend of new and old styles of ska is apparent in songs such as "She Sure Can Cook." They have released albums in Europe and Japan and have appeared on over a dozen music compilations. Their musically diverse album Ripe was released in 1997, featuring songs such as Blood Red Sky and Drunk. The album showcases their lighter side with songs such as Aquaman. After upwards of a thousand live shows and numerous US and European tours, the band became inactive in 1999 because the members were in college.
Guitarist Kevin Micka is actively touring for his project Animal Hospital.[1] Ansis Purins is an award winning freelance illustrator and self publishes his own comic series "Duppy." [2] Ethan D'ercole now plays in the Chicago based band "The Watchers." Ben Jaffe is now playing with the Boston-based bands "Eli Paperboy Reed and the True Loves" [3] and "The Diamond Mines," and occasionally tours with New York-based "Murphy's Law." Eugene Cho is a principal member of the brooklyn based disco band "Escort", he also runs a music studio and writes music for television networks and national advertising campaigns. [4] Ben Herson is the founder of Global Hip-Hop record label and production company - Nomadic Wax [5] Dan Neely is an ethnomusicologist and has a Ph.D. from NYU. His dissertation is about Jamaican mento music. [6] Jon Natchez is touring with Zach Condon's band Beirut, playing a variety of wind, string, and percussion instruments.
One of band's favorite all night drive activities was holding round robin wrestling tournaments, using the large loft in the back of their tour bus as the ring. To this day the undisputed champion is Jon "Butterbean" Natchez.
[edit] Lineup
- Ansis Purins (Vocals)
- Ben Herson (Drums)
- Ben Jaffe (Tenor sax)
- Eugene Cho (Keyboards)
- Jesse Farber (Trumpet)
- Eric Jalbert (Trumpet)
- Joe Wensink (Euphonium)
- Ethan D'Ercole (Guitar)
- Kevin Micka (Guitar)
- Dan Neely (Guitar)
- Ben Lewis (Trumpet)
- Jon Natchez (Flute, Alto & Baritone sax)
- Rob Jost (Bass)
[edit] Discography
- An Evening With Skavoovie (1994)
- Fat Footin' (1995)
- Beardman Ska/Riverboat 7" (1996)
- Ripe (1997)
- The Growler (1999)