The Steady Ups is a six-piece group from Sacramento, California, that plays a heavy Jamaican set ranging from Rocksteady, Early Reggae and Dancehall. Formed in 1994, the Steady Ups have constantly toured the West Coast delivering heavy rhythms, sweet female vocals and dominating, yet soulful male vocals.
They have shared the stage with legendary reggae vocalists and the best newcomers including After Hours, See Spot, Rhythm Doctors, Aggrolites, and Debonaires. In early 2002, the Steady Ups relased a split CD with The Speakeasies from Connecticut that generated a cult following across the world, especially within “skinhead reggae” scenes. They have appeared on countless compilations in the USA and Germany, most notibly “Smash Your Radio 2″ on JUMP UP and 2003′s monster 4xCD American Ska anthology “Still Standing,” which has sold over 5000 copies to date.
Their debut album “Soul Of The City” delivers 20 tracks of sheer reggae brillance, capturing the sounds of late ’60s/early ’70s Jamaica made famous by The UPSETTERS, DERRICK MORGAN, SYMARIP, THE PIONEERS, THE RUDIES, HARRY J ALL STARS… and labels like PAMA & TROJAN. The album also features guest vocal appearances by one man ska gurus Mike Mowry & Chris Murray. What more can we say…. the American traditional ska/reggae scene is alive and well and the STEADY UPS are part of the West Coast movement that’s keeping the ORIGINAL sounds strong and true.
For Fans of: Hepcat, Rhythm Doctors, Afterhours, Isralites, Desmond Dekker, The Maytals, The Skatalites.
Tracklist:
1. Come To Tell The World
2. Better Days
3. You Amaze Me
4. Live Forever
5. Read My Lips
6. Living In Sin
7. Gun You Down
8. Soulless Devices
9. Dub For The Soulless
10. No Need To Worry
11. Just A Little While
12. Why, Why, Why
13. I Never Wanted To Hurt You
14. Bygones
15. Long Way To Go
16. Darlin'
17. Shake You Loose
18. Undone
19. Melany
20. This Life Makes Me Wonder
21. Mr. Swindle
Bass – Mike Brown
Drums – Dominick Porras
Drums, Percussion – Doctor Echo
Guitar – Andrew Bauer, Mike Bruce, Tyler Pope
Percussion – Matt Rodriguez
Piano, Organ – Raynier Jacildo, Susan Foley
Tenor Saxophone – Bob Wilms
Trombone – Jason Tescher
Trumpet – Tim Conroy
Violin – Uncle John (track 19)
Vocals – Kenny Beasley, Jeff Baker, Lesley Bruce, Mike Diaz, Shannan Roberston.
