The Spatial AKA Orchestra is a music ensemble led by Jerry Dammers of the Specials, an English 2 tone 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, and classical music.
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, Roger Beaujolais, and Finn Peters. 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 Dammers, and ska music. Performers included poet Anthony Joseph, former Specials vocalist Francine Luce, Jamaican singer Cornell Campbell, and trombonist Rico Rodriguez.
Personnel Alcyona Mick – piano Anthony Joseph – vocals Crispin Spry Robinson – percussion Denys Baptiste – tenor sax Finn Peters – 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 Roger Beaujolais – vibes Shabaka Hutchings – 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.