BIOGRAPHY
Rocksteady Freddie: tenor sax,flute lead vocals
Kevin Batchelor: trumpet, vocals
Simone Amodeo: guitar, vocals
Andy Mittoo: keyboards
Mark Damon: bass guitar
Karl Wright: drums
The New York Ska-Jazz Ensemble (NYSJE) is an internationally renowned recording and touring group. Since the bands inception in 1994, they have released fifteen albums and have performed regularly throughout Europe, Canada, USA,The Caribbean and South America.
NYSJE
BIO
Since originating the ska-jazz style and name in
1994, the group, led by founder Rock Steady Freddie, has released 15 albums. Strongly committed to touring and bringing their music to people all over the world, NYSJE has logged over 80 European tours to date and continues to
perform regularly throughout Europe, Canada, USA, Mexico, the Caribbean, South America and the Far East.
NYSJE’s recordings and performances have garnered worldwide critical acclaim for their high energy, creative originals, kinetic ska interpretations of jazz standards, as well as their potent mix of dance hall, reggae, rock steady and jazz.
Performance highlights include: The North Sea Jazz Festival, the Montreal Jazz Festival, The Quebec Festival de Musique, Musiques en Ete (Geneva), as well as the Bob Marley Reggae Festival (with Israel Vibration and Sister Carol), The Discover and Bell Atlantic Jazz festivals in the USA. In addition, NYSJE has the singular distinction of being the first American Ska band to play in Poland after the wall came down.
The band had been featured in Downbeat, Reggae Nucleus, The Beat, Ragga and Jazziz magazines. NYSJE’s music can be heard regularly on television on the Nickelodeon network, MTVs Road Rules, as well as two nationally airing Campbell’s Soup Commercials. In Italy, their video, Properly, airs on MTV. NYSJE's song "Prime Suspect” is featured in the HBO documentary “Redemption" which was nominated for a 2014 Academy Award. The song and documentary
were featured on all Delta Airlines International flights.
Going strong for 30 years now, NYSJE shows no sign of slowing down! Their latest studio recording, “In The Moment” finds the band in top creative and musical form, delivering the goods at the highest level in the NYSJE tradition! Forward Selector!!!