"There's just something so compelling about ska and Saaraba captures it so well."

14 MP3 Songs
ROCK: Ska, WORLD: Reggae



Details:
There's just something so compelling about ska and Saaraba captures it so well. The appropriately compact band with guitarist/vocalist Danny Marks, saxophonist Joshua Scalf, bassist Josh Riley, trombonist Luke Hudleston and drummer Boyanna Trayanova embrace the simplicity of its sound and innocent nature. Those elements immediately grab you on Marks' opener "To Be." It's classic from the guitar riff that kicks the song off to the drum flair that follows and the horns that set the melodic tone. Marks voice suits the tradition. Also in the groove are his straight-forward, socially conscious lyrics that define "Disturbing the War," which folks will undoubtedly request as the "Why?" song. Smartly, the group invites the female back-up vocalists of Zion Trinity to offer fuller harmonies. Zion Trinity is also heard on Marks' successful war questioning "Son of Free America." This freewheeling band doesn't stick within the confines of ska and reggae though they are obviously Saaraba's most successful environs. It heads to the Middle East for the klezmer-ish "Ebar" and evokes "Wipeout" meets Latin realms on Scalf's "September Serenade." A cornucopia of musical elements come into play when the trombonist, who adds much to the band's authentic roots sound, offers his "Blue Green Peppers." Meanwhile, bassist Riley brings funk to the mix with his "Mellowfunkulous." Without a blink, Saaraba employs scratchin' turntables on one cut and the elegance of the flute on the next. What ties all of this music together is that it totally encourages dancing and it's damn fun.
--Geraldine Wyckoff, OFFBEAT Magazine, October 2004