Meet the Skamonics
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Leah Thomas is a rising London jazz star. She also runs Blue Flamingo Jazz, and plays mean dirty honking tenor solos. She is half German (but never lets on which half), and plays gospel piano. More about Leah. |
| Steve Burnett’s powerful alto sax is vital to the Skamonics front line. You would never guess from his ska solos that his other instrument is the bassoon. More about Steve. |  |
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Nick Richards began playing the trombone after hearing old ska records featuring the legendary Don Drummond. Ska veteran Rico Rodriguez (Prince Buster, The Specials) has praised his playing.He’s performed with a dub soundsystem, a latino-reggae band and a German classical guitarist at venues as exotic as a beach in Amsterdam, a squat in Russell Square and a tattoo festival in Derby. More about Nick. |
| Veronica Martell is the band’s singer and tickles the odd ivory substitute. Veronica is an experienced vocalist who has sung jazz, soul and rock across London. Her other gig is with the City Lit Acapella group, but she would rather be Bruce Springsteen’s backing singer. More about Veronica. |  |
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Holding down the bottom end is the band’s veteran, Nigel Stanley on bass guitar. He is old enough not only to remember when some of the band’s tunes were hits the first time round, but also running away from the skinheads who loved them.He also plays jazz in the City Lit Big Band and the Brent Jazz Orchestra.Nigel writes many of the Skamonics arrangements. It’s how he keeps the bass parts easy to play. More about Nigel. |
| One of the most versatile drummers on the London jazz and ska scene, Mark has worked extensively with ska legends, free improvisers, classic big bands, latin groups and singer-song writers: basically everyone. He regularly plays with The Trojans and Annie Whitehead; and co-leads Anglo-South African jazz group – the Dan Wilson Mark Huggett project.He records and produces, including a cd nominated for jazz album of the year in South Africa. Mark has performed live with Prince Buster, Jason Rebello, Jean Toussaint and Dudley Phillips.More about Mark. |  |
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Drenched in the blues, Frank Cooke has played guitar in bands in Cambridge and London. He also plays in the Astrojets in which surf guitar gets down and dirty with 60s R&B, and in a rare modern setting )at least for the Professor 70s band, the Electric Cucumbers. He has a sideline in repairingguitar amps, and never uses the same vintage amp twice at gigs.More about Frank |
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