The Spatial AKA Orchestra is a music ensemble led by Jerry Dammers of The Specials, an English

2 Tone Two-tone, two tone, or 2 tone, etc., may refer to: Audio and sound * Two-tone analysis, in nonlinear system measurement * Two-tone attention signal * Two-tone chime, such as the "ding dong" sound of a doorbell * Two-tone sequential paging, sel ...

ska band popular in the late 1970s (which also went by the name the Special AKA). Dammers formed the orchestra in 2006 as a tribute to American jazz musician Sun Ra, though it grew to include other genres such as reggae,

funk Funk is a music genre that originated in African American communities in the mid-1960s when musicians created a rhythmic, danceable new form of music through a mixture of various music genres that were popular among African Americans in the m ...

, and

classical music Classical music generally refers to the art music of the Western world, considered to be distinct from Western folk music or popular music traditions. It is sometimes distinguished as Western classical music, as the term "classical music" also ...

. The shows are as much about theater as music. At a festival in Norwich, England, Dammers donned a golden mask behind a row of keyboards on a stage cluttered with Egyptian mannequins, astronauts, and spaceships. The rest of the band emerged disguised as aliens and superheroes. Over 20 band members populated the stage during the night including Denys Baptiste,

Larry Bartley Larry is a masculine given name in English, derived from Lawrence or Laurence. It can be a shortened form of those names. Larry may refer to the following: People Arts and entertainment * Larry D. Alexander, American artist/writer *Larry Boone ...

Roger Beaujolais Roger is a given name, usually masculine, and a surname. The given name is derived from the Old French personal names ' and '. These names are of Germanic origin, derived from the elements ', ''χrōþi'' ("fame", "renown", "honour") and ', ' ( ...

, and

Finn Peters Finn Peters is a flautist and saxophonist. "After the best part of a decade immersed in dance, hip hop, Afro-Cuban, electronica and contemporary classical musics, flautist and saxophonist Finn Peters returned to his jazz roots with ''Su-Ling'' (Ba ...

. A similar show took place at the Barbican in London. The band played cover versions of Sun Ra's songs before covering the Specials, other work by Dammer, and ska music. Performers included poet

Anthony Joseph Anthony Joseph (born 12 November 1966 in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago) is a British/Trinidadian poet, novelist, musician and academic. Biography Joseph was born in Port of Spain, Trinidad, where he was raised by his grandparents. He beg ...

, former Specials vocalist Francine Luce, Jamaican singer Cornell Campbell, and trombonist Rico Rodriguez.

Personnel

* Alcyona Mick – piano *

– vocals *

Crispin Spry Robinson Saints Crispin and Crispinian are the Christian patron saints of cobblers, curriers, tanners, and leather workers. They were beheaded during the reign of Diocletian; the date of their execution is given as 25 October 285 or 286. History Born t ...

– percussion * Denys Baptiste – tenor sax *

– flute * Francine Luce – vocals * Harry Brown – trombone * Rico Rodriguez - trombone, vocals * Jason Yarde – soprano sax * Jerry Dammers – keyboards * Nathaniel Facey – alto sax * Ollie Bayley – bass * Patrick Hatchett – guitar * Patrick Illingworth – drums * Reuben Fox – tenor sax /flute * Robin Hopcraft – trumpet *

– vibes *

Shabaka Hutchings Shabaka Hutchings is a British jazz musician, composer and bandleader. He leads the bands Sons of Kemet and Shabaka and the Ancestors. He is also a member of The Comet Is Coming, performing under the stage name King Shabaka. Hutchings has p ...

– bass clarinet * Terry Edwards – baritone sax * Larry Stabbins - saxophones * Zoe Rahman - piano * Neil Charles - double bass * Mat Fox - baritone saxophone * Guy R Clark - guitar * Steve Gibson - classical percussion, vibes

References

External links

Official site

Article at ''the Guardian''
{{DEFAULTSORT:Spatial AKA Orchestra, The English ska musical groups British reggae musical groups Modern big bands British jazz ensembles Jazz fusion ensembles Swing revival ensembles