Rocksteady@8
Singer and songwriter Jason Nwagbaraocha leads this seven-piece roots-rasta-rocksteady crew, but he's not the only Caribbean influence in Tampa's ska supergroup - drummer Jonathan Priest hosts The Roots Train, WMNF's reggae show. Joining them are Bryan Zink (guitar), Joe Grady (bass and vocals), John Richardson (keyboards), Rob DeDios (sax) and Brian Aulisio (trumpet and vocals). Their semi-regular gigs at Yeoman's Pub on Davis Islands are wildly popular. They've opened for Toots and the Maytals, Eek-A-Mouse and Jimmy Cliff. www.myspace.com/rocksteady8
Offshore Riot
They've only been together a little more than a year, but Offshore Riot has already recorded a slick, catchy, self-titled debut CD. Equal parts ska, dub and beach-bum manifesto, Offshore Riot is all about sipping margaritas and Coronas and, um, a failed attempt to purchase a giant bong decorated with flames and dragons. "I guess you can't say 'bong' in a head shop, or they kick you right out," laughs 30-year-old singer/guitarist Tyson Marshall of Clearwater, who's joined by bassist Lawson White and drummer Mike Tzigos. "I've been writing songs since I was like 12, and they're all pretty comedic punk songs. I try not to take it too seriously whenever we play. It's all about trying to get everybody moving or dancing or having a good time."
Variety Workshop
"If the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Sublime had a love child, they would name it Variety Workshop," this Oldsmar outfit boasts on its MySpace page. Understated, they're not. But Variety Workshop, a funk and reggae-tinged ska band, isn't far off on the description. Evan Brenner (vocals) and Rob Perierra (vocals and guitars) combine for a voice that falls somewhere between that of Blues Traveler's John Popper and Fall Out Boy's Patrick Stump, while Ryan Reilly (bass) and Brad Whitsett (drums) anchor a danceable rhythm section. www.myspace.com/varietyworkshop
Weaksauce
Here's a new twist on the standard CD premiere: Win a date with the band. That was the tactic employed by Clearwater's Weaksauce, a big-sounding ensemble with percussion and horns galore. Justin Vilardi (vocals and bass), Paul Liparoto (drums), Eric Douthirt (guitar) and Brad Gilmore (vocals and trumpet) have been jamming together since 2002, but their tight, focused roots-reggae - imagine Cake, Sublime and 311 rolled into a single fat blunt - sounds like they've been a team forever. They landed a gig on the 2005 Vans Warped Tour. www.weaksaucetheband.com
Skull and Bone Band
Says local country-punk performer Crash Mitchell of the Skull and Bone Band: "Imagine Glen Danzig and Jim Morrison sharing the same body and soul while singing for a Southern jam band." Singer and guitarist Troy Youngblood, drummer Jon Lencioni, guitarist Jeramy Martin and bassist Chris Brown somehow pull off a mind-bending blend of styles and can play for 20 minutes without coming up for air. Pretty impressive stuff.
Can't Do It
Young, lively and eclectic ska ensemble Can't Do It might be the most ironically named band around. Josh Sullivan, the "band daddy and comic relief," teams up with Matt Simms on trumpet; John Sansone on trombone; George Retkes on rhythm guitar; Tyler Sayles on trumpet; Jeff Sears on bass; Andrew Mort on drums; Josh Fuller onlead guitar; and Kathrine "Kat" De Nomme on sax. Fuller, a.k.a. Josh 2, began asking musicians to play with him in 2003; Sullivan, a comic artist and former barista at the Globe Coffee Lounge, joined soon afterward. The animated frontman dresses up in all sorts of funky getups, including one as Abraham Lincoln, with a sock for a beard. www.myspace.com/cantdoit, cantdoit.net
Impulse
Each Wednesday at Skipper's, the laid-back regulars of the Tampa music shanty have enjoyed these West Indies natives' powerful mix of island styles from several Caribbean cultures. Ted Henderson (bass and vocals), Derrick Liverpool (drums and vocals) and Leroy Guiste (guitar and vocals) formed in 1997 and are joined by semi-regular Russell Henderson, Ted's brother, on guitar and vocals. All members trade off singing and harmonize with ear-pleasing force. In between songs, they joke and talk to the audience. They even sing songs in Spanish and French from time to time.
Also check out...
Boon, a jammy five-piece from St. Petersburg, borrows from everything from funk to folk to the Grateful Dead, yet still manages to sound original. www.boonband.com
The Griz Collective describes their weird brand of Phished-out world music - did someone say didgeridoo solo? - as "experimental reggae." Sounds about right to us. www.grizjams.com
St. Petersburg's Rude Squad plays fast, spunky ska, and they play it well - they're headlining Skafest 2007 on May 19 at the Junction in Clearwater. www.rudesquad.com
Infinite Groove Orchestra is just what the name implies - big sounds that have no boundaries. The group includes drummer/percussionist Jonathan Priest, keyboardist John Richardson of Rocksteady@8 and Hong Kong Fooey along with saxophonist Jeremy Powell and bassist Jon Shea. www.myspace.com/infinitegrooveorchestra
Gravy puts a soulful spin on things with funky, down-home numbers. (www.freewebs.com/gravyband)
