Two former members of Madness are bringing ska classics back to life as an eleven-piece orchestra. Thirty-five years after the birth of the leading band of the 2 Tone wave in England in the early 80s, saxophonist Lee Thompson is reunited with bassist Mark Bedford around one idea: to pay tribute to the music that inspired them as teenagers.
After a few concerts, they set about recording an album, calling on Mike "Prince Fatty" Pelanconi to co-produce it, recorded at the Ironworks studio in Brighton. Entitled "The Benevolence of Sister Mary Ignatius", it pays direct tribute to Sister Mary Ignatius, music teacher at the famous Alpha Boys School in Kingston, where some of the island's finest musicians were trained: Don Drummond, Johnny "Dizzy" Moore, Tommy McCook, Rico Rodriguez…
The programme features covers of classics such as Guns Fever by Baba Brooks, Ali Baba by John Holt, Eastern Standard Time by the Skatalites, Soul Serenade by the Soul Brothers (a cover of King Curtis), Napoleon Solo by Lynn Taitt & The Jets, and the album's single, out on 26 May: a splendid cover of Desmond Dekker's Fu Manchu with Bitty McLean.
The Lee Thompson Ska Orchestra feat. Bitty McLean – Fu Manchu:
"The Benevolence of Sister Mary Ignatius" will be available on 3 June 2013.
Tracklist:
01. Guns Fever
02. Bangarang
03. Midnight Rider
04. Fu Man Chu feat. Bitty McLean
05. Ali Baba
06. Mission Impossible
07. Eastern Standard Time
08. Hot Reggae
09. Hello Josephine
10. Napoleon Solo
11. Soon You'll Be Gone
12. Soul Serenade