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April 23, 2024


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Easy Big Fella
Eat At Joey's (Moon Ska Records)

By: Alex Steininger

East Big Fella brings it's brand of jazz, ska, and swing from the Northwest! That's right! The rainy old Northwest. This seven piece band is dancing their way into a growing number of fans. And with the recent release of Eat At Joey's, they should have no trouble collecting a growing fan base and a reputation for tasty ska.

To kick the CD off, the first track is "Found Love." It starts out with some bass and then the rest of the band enters. When vocals enter the music you can't help but start dancing. A mellow type of ska/swing song. Not fast, but certainly not slow. The right pace to sit back, dance, and enjoy all your surroundings. Guitar that makes you want to jump and dance, horns that make you want to cry. That is the way track two, "Picture Show," starts out. But half way through the song, the tempo changes to an upbeat, dance or die beat. Horns that make you want to laugh and have fun, combined with the vocals entering, make this song a crowd pleasure. A little "were getting married music" is the brief intro starting to "Locked in the Chapel of Love." Then the real music starts. Mellow vocals, some good keyboards, and horns that are very mood setting. Nice, calm, and relaxing is the pace of the song. Track five, "Rude Boy," has a more Jamaican feel to it. It must be in the vocals. Track eight is the classic tale of what goes on in a "Dorm Room." A jazzy kind of ska tune. Horns that get the show going, guitars that get your feet going, and drums that set everything up nicely. Track ten, "Come Back to Me," is a very mellow song. Laid back. Gently sway to this song as your body absorbs all the music. Track thirteen, "We Have To Go Now," is the final track on the album. It starts off with a weird type of jam. It sounds like everyone is just playing what they want to play. In some parts it levels out and sounds synchronized, but for the most part, it just sounds like they went crazy in the studio. A short minute and a half instrumental. But wait! There is a hidden track! A ska/swing/jazzy song that is very brief and has a beautiful melody to it!

I am very proud to have Easy Big Fella representing the Pacific Northwest Ska movement. In a scene that is mostly rock, Easy Big Fella delivers a gentle alternative to all the other options. From swinging and swaying, to out and about skankin' EBF delivers it all! I would give this CD an A!

***To order this CD, visit the Moon Ska NYC web page: http://www.moonska.com

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