New York Ska-Jazz Ensemble – Low Blow – Review

New York Ska-Jazz Ensemble

Low Blow (Moon Ska NYC)
by Michael D. Toole

Now here we have a truly impressive group of musicians. These guys have current and former members of the Toasters, the Scofflaws, and the Skatalites. With that kind of background, you’d think that their music would be straight-up traditional ska. The New York Ska-Jazz Ensemble definitely does excel at playing traditional ska, but that term alone doesn’t adequately define the band’s sound; their real talent (and appeal) lies in their ability to take jazz standards, as well as their own compositions, and place them in the musical context of ska.

I’ll come out and say it: There isn’t a single bad song on this album. Predictably, it consists largely of instrumentals, but since ska works quite well as instrumental music, that’s no problem. It starts off running with the title track, a light saxaphone romp with some emphasis on the rhythm section. Steve Jackson of the Pietasters lends his vocal prowess to a cover of Otis Redding’s “Mr. Pitiful,” which is easily the highlight of the album. Jackson has never sounded more soulful, and the band are really at their best. While the instrumental tracks are uniformly dazzling, they don’t compare to the album’s three vocal tracks. “Mr. Pitiful” is the first and best; Caz Gardener of the Checkered Cabs appears in the second vocal track, “Teardrops from My Eyes.” While her performance is excellent, she’s outdone by both Jackson and NYSJE drummer Jonathan McCain, who delivers surprisingly strong vocals on the Huey “Piano” Smith R&B classic “Blow Wind Blow.”

Other highlights include a wailing, rocksteady cover of John Coltrane’s “Naima,” a campy, highly-enjoyable cover of the funk classic “Yo’ Mama,” and the album’s sole composition by former Scofflaws bassist Victor Rice, “Hawaii” which simply proves that Rice is quite possibly the best songwriter in ska music today.The album is technically amazing. Jazz aficionados and general music snobs will enjoy it immensely, and the average Skankin’ Pickle fan should give it a chance. The NYSJE are amazingly talented and groovy as hell! This is easily the best ska album I’ve heard so far this year.