(Fear of Missing the Ska Orchestra!)
The Melbourne Ska Orchestra are amazing. Providing high-octane performance that can only be described as euphoric. Led by the enigmatic Nicky Bomba, and with a brand-new album Sierra-Kilo-Alpha out now, this is one gig you don’t want to miss! Mr Bomba had a quick chat with The Echo about the upcoming performance!
How many of you in the Ska Orchestra?
It ranges from around 20–35 depending on where we are playing… and budget… and sometimes stage size! It’s basically a cruise liner of musicians.
How does a person become part of the MSO? Are you often canvassing for new players or knocking people back?
Well the original gig we did in 2003 as a celebration of ska included most of the peeps in the Melbourne ska reggae scene at the time. Around half of that team still form the core of the MSO today. There’s no real audition process; it’s an organic thing where, if someone can’t make it, we look at our pool of players available and when we’ve exhausted that we get recommendations. The pool sits at around 45 at the moment. One big happy family really. We do have many requests for people to join and we usually get their deets. You never know.
How do you manage touring? The travel and accommodation must be challenging at times!
It’s a ramshackle train that threatens to fall off the tracks… but never does! Essentially we’ve built up a solid team over the years with our own kooky system that works for us. I wouldn’t use it as a template to run a country but there’s definitely an underlying theme of fairness, fun and efficiency. This bus has to run on the smell of an oily rag for now but everyone seems to get it. There is a lot of friendship and respect within the band and a genuine love for the music we’re making and what we’re achieving. The only real problem is with accommodation and the snoring factor. We’re at present seeking an earplug endorsement to sort out that drama…
What was the concept for your new album Sierra-Kilo-Alpha?
We wanted to take the music to an intergalactic zone! It’s always a blast when we get to design our album art and this concept had been brewing for a while… interplanetary journeys, new discoveries, uncharted parts of the universe etc, matching what we’re trying to do with the genre. There is a lot of media coverage on space frontier and I’m genuinely excited at the mysteries before us. The 3D concept (with the glasses supplied) was a further development that really gave the whole presentation an international quality. The fantastic reaction to the presentation has been heartwarming.
What do you think is the defining characteristic of a SKA Orchestra show?
Every show is a mission to take the crowd on a real journey using the full palette of the orchestra. Everyone onstage understands that we’re lucky to be playing the music we love, music we’ve written and music that moves. Fun is a major factor, connecting with the audience so they feel genuinely inspired by the community event (gig) and performing our own brand of ska/reggae that has a fresh wave. We almost demand people walk away feeling positive,uplifted and smiling.
How do you write the album?
It’s very much a community effort in that anyone can contribute to the writing pool of songs when we are in that mode. Some may bring complete tunes, totally orchestrated, others may send an mp3 file recorded on a phone in a toilet. The initial seeds are then put on a shortlist for more development, collaborations, lyric writing, etc. We always leave 20 per cent of work to be done in the studio at recording time (grooves, tempos, small arrangement changes) so there is a freshness and a window for magic to happen. We ended up recording 23 songs when we only needed 12 or so. Lots of amazing musicians in this band.
What about rehearsing for recording, or for touring?
Because of the member count in this band, getting together can be problematic so we do as much homework beforehand so that when we rehearse (usually for an upcoming tour) it is quick and efficient. The main expense is the catering bill! It’s amazing how organised a group of musicians can be if there is a meal provided… and drinks… and…
As far as recording is concerned, there are smaller group sessions to knock the songs into some kind of template shape. It’s best to leave the full orchestra excitement for the studio.
What should we expect for the show in Mullumbimby?
Mullumbimby has always been a favourite touring spot so playing there with the orchestra is a real buzz. The hall is perfectly suited for the community event vibe that our gigs are so I’m expecting an electric energy in the room. We’ve got some special things planned, lots of fun with the crowd, new tunes… and we’re currently negotiating with the local council about how we’re going to land the parachuting trombonists… See you all on the dancefloor. Bless!
Saturday 25 June at the Civic Hall in Mullumbimby. Doors at 7pm. Tickets from redsquaremusic.com.au.
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