THE SHAKE IT UP’S – Ki Sap Instrumental – CD

Label: Brixton Records (Silver Bullets)
Code: SB-003-CD
Format: compact disc, album
Release: 2008

For nearly 15 years now, the Valencian band KI-SAP have been touring venues across Spain, Germany, France, the Netherlands and Portugal. They have released five albums (four studio albums and one live recording). A total of 16,000 copies have been sold – quite an achievement given the current climate, and bearing in mind that these are self-released albums distributed via alternative channels by anti-commercial distributors and squatted community centres. There have been nearly 100,000 free downloads from their website. Their musical evolution has taken them on a journey from the ska-punk of their early days to the reggae-roots/ska-rocksteady they play today. Their live performances and albums have always been enriched by classic-style instrumental ska tracks, which has led to the creation of a side project, THE SHAKE IT UP’S, where they delve into that more ‘vintage’ side.,

It was in 2007 that they set about recording a 100 per cent instrumental album. On it, they delve into everything that has shaped this genre since its birth in the Caribbean in the early 1950s: Ska-Swing, Ska-2Tone, Ska-Jazz, Rocksteady, Dub, and more… These are the elements that make up the 12 tracks we can enjoy on this album, where we find echoes of artists such as the Skatalites, Rico Rodríguez, Don Drummond, Augustus Pablo and the New York Ska-Jazz Ensemble… For the recording of this album, they’ve been joined by some top-class collaborators: Txoni (trumpet) and Miquel (trombone) from ‘Skaparapid’, Rober (saxophone) from the ‘Benifajazz Big Band’, and Toni Belenguer, a Valencian trombonist well known on the jazz circuit. They have all contributed a touch of their artistry to make this album something truly special. This CD is their unique take on the evolution of ska from its origins to what it has become today: a rhythm and a way of understanding music that is practised all over the world. Produced by J.L. Shipley (except for the more Reggae-Dub tracks, which are co-produced by Dr Jau). Music to think with your feet and dance with your head.