Lee Thompson's Ska Orchestra

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• Serena Parsons
• Vicki Lanes

The brainchild of Madness saxophonist Mr. Lee 'Kix' Thompson, Lee Thompson's Ska Orchestra were formed, in the back streets of Hackney, in the early months of 2011. They came together from different parts of North, East, South and West London, with their common denominator being music, and in particular those good old Ska & Reggae rhythms that burst out of Jamaica in the mid to late 1960s. As well as his usual saxophone duties, Thompson takes on the lead vocals in a hand-picked line up that features fellow Madness original Mark 'Bedders' Bedford on bass, as well as the following members:

Drums: Steve 'Roo-B-Doo' Rooney (LP6/Kill 2)
Guitar: Kevin 'Born Ready' Burdett (Madness/Damaged Goods)
Piano: Louis 'Diamond Legs' Vause (Crunch/Butterfield 8)
Organ: Seamus 'Nice Man' Beaghen (Madness/Butterfield 8)
Tenor: Steve 'Ice Cool' Turner (Madness/LP6)
Alto: Terry 'Individual' Edwards (The Higsons/Butterfield 8)
Trumpet: Steve 'Chalky' White (LP6/Dance Brigade)
Vocals: Darren 'Fordie' Fordham (Reece/Damaged Goods)

With their first album already in the can and due for imminent release, their madcap front man and bags of upbeat new takes on vintage classics, this is a band that are bringing Ska back to the forefront of popular music.