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Leah Thomas is a rising London jazz star. She also runs the University of London Big Band, and plays mean dirty honking tenor solos. She is half German (but never lets on which half), and plays gospel piano. You can visit her myspace page. |
| Dan Spanner's powerful alto has fronted big bands, space rock outfits and circus acts. Also leader of the Spanner Jazz Punks, he's the only Skamonic who can be said to have run away from the circus to join the band. |  |
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Nick Richards, alias "Boneman", began playing the trombone after hearing old ska recordings featuring the legendary Don Drummond. He is currently studying with reknowned trombonists Annie Whitehead (Jazz Jamaica All-Stars, Fun Boy Three) and Malcolm Earle-Smith, and has received advice and encouragement from ska veteran Rico Rodriguez (Prince Buster, The Specials). He plays a silver-plated Boosey & Hawkes Imperial trombone with an F-trigger which was made in England circa 1970, as was Nick himself. He's performed with a dub soundsystem, a latino-reggae band and a German classical guitarist at venues as exotic as a beach in Amsterdam, a squat in Russell Square and a tattoo festival in Derby. |
| Yann 'Gadjodilo' Touzet has lent his sound to a range of jazz ensembles, including big bands, small Bands and everything in between. Yann also plays with the Spanner Jazz Punks and takes inspiration from Mingus, Pixies, Truffaz, The Clash, Texier and Frank Zappa. |  |
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Drenched in the blues, Frank Cooke has played guitar in bands in Cambridge and London. He also plays in the Astrojets in which surf guitar gets down and dirty with 60s R&B, and London covers band One More Heave. He has a sideline in repairing guitar amps, and never uses the same vintage amp twice at gigs. |
| Holding down the bottom end is the band's veteran, Nigel Stanley on bass guitar. He is old enough not only to remember when some of the band's tunes were hits the first time round, but also running away from the skinheads who loved them. He also plays jazz in the City Lit Big Band and the Brent Jazz Orchestra; and soul, blues and 60s Britpop in One More Heave Nigel writes many of the Skamonics arrangements. It's how he keeps the bass parts easy to play. |
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One of the most versatile drummers on the London jazz scene, Mark has worked extensively with free improvisers, classic big bands, latin groups and singer-song writers: basically everyone. He's also performed live with Jason Rebello, Jean Toussaint, Dudley Phillips and with Lol Coxhill collaborator Mike Cooper. He plays blues on the London pub circuit with Big Road |