Formed in 2014, Soul Ska is a Bay Area collective with a
fresh take on the classic ska/rocksteady idiom. The 10 piece band is
comprised of veteran members of Bay Area bands such as Vinyl,
Stymie & the Pimp Jones Love Orchestra, The Right Time, Albino!, El
Radio Fantastique, Jethro Jeremiah Band and more. Drawing equally
from the original Jamaican first wave as well as the British second
wave the band’s rootsy, upbeat sound leans heavily on vocal harmony
and a three-piece horn section. Soul Ska has become a Northern
California festival favorite, playing rousing sets at Sierra Nevada
World Music Festival (Mendocino), Ocean Beach Fest (SF), Summer
Arts & Music (Humboldt), Fairfax Festival and more.
Soul Ska has had the pleasure of supporting such
legendary acts as Yellowman, Don Carlos, Capleton, Zulu Spear, Israel
Vibrations, Fishbone, Third World and more. In 2017 Soul Ska teamed
up with The English Beat at SF’s Independent and bandleader Dave
Wakeling called the band “Simply smashing!” in 2018 a sold-out Great
American Music Hall crowd celebrated the release of their debut
album “Propaganda” produced by David Simon Baker (ALO/Jackie
Greene). Their new music video ‘Mean Curries” (avail on YouTube)
was produced by Agent Ogden (Primus).
In 2018 Soul Ska teamed up with the Godfather of Ska and
legendary Jamaican guitarist Ernest Ranglin for the smash hit
“Lover’s Melody” (released on vinyl 12”). Angelo Moore of Fishbone
is a frequent guest onstage and recorded the single “Mash Em Smash
Em” with the band in 2019. Soul Ska proudly supported NYC’s
legendary Slackers on their 2019 West Coast tour.
Soul Ska was awarded “Best Band” in 2020 + 2021
by the Pacific Sun Magazine’s Reader’s Poll.
