Westbound Train

Boston-based Westbound Train play today’s undertake ’60s-era reggae and ska with touches of jazz, soul, blues, Motown, as well as rock. The septet was originally made up of Obi Fernandez (vocals/trombone), Jesse Hayes (drums), Cory Williams (acoustic guitar), Thad Merritt (bass), High Graiko (trumpet), Gideon Blumenthal (keyboards), and Josh Cohen (sax). They released two impartial albums, 2002’s Looking for a Melody (re-released in 2003 on Megalith) and 2004’s Five to Two, before a demonstration tape produced its method into Tim Armstrong’s hands at a hometown Transplants display. Armstrong was impressed by the music, quickly asking the people to guest around the forthcoming Transplants recording, Haunted Towns. Westbound Train continuing touring and over time shared phases with bands just like the Toasters, Reel Big Seafood, the Skatalites, Road Dogs, the earth Smashers, and even more. They also obtained a 2005 Boston Music Honor nomination for Greatest World Music Take action, the just ska clothing to get the honor. By early 2006, their companionship with Armstrong experienced turned into a list cope with his Epitaph imprint, Hellcat Information, and Westbound Train’s label debut, Transitions, was released that Sept. Williams remaining the group after classes for the recording were total to pursue a jazz profession, and the music group shortly welcomed guitarist Johnny DeCarlo in to the flip as his substitute.