Ska in Germany is quite a matter of its own.
In the dynamic ska-punk scene, there are always bands that pop up and some that have earned a solid place, but they don't have much to do with classic ska. In the classic ska realm, The Busters are a prominent figure, and then there's a long gap.
DR. RING DING SKA-VAGANZA wants to revive classic ska and perhaps make it a bit more known outside of the scene. Few are better suited for this than DR. RING DING. After all, he has played with all the big names from the old school and has written ska history with his former band Dr. Ring Ding and the Senior Allstars.
It's nice that DR. RING DING is doing something again that looks like a band and not a one-time project, but what will it be like after all the time that has passed?
What time?
The band that DR. RING DING has gathered around him plays the sound of the old school. This is old school. This is...a time travel.
Danceable Jamaican ska with a lot of jazz. Depending on the song, a bit of rocksteady is sprinkled in. It's traditional ska that you can hardly do better.
The new record by The Beatdown from Canada, which I recently reviewed on ramtatta.de ( http://www.ramtatta.de/reviews,id-1356,go-the+beatdown+walkinproud.html ), comes close to the sound of this release, but is significantly less jazz-oriented.
This album is a tribute to the old times without being kitschy. It is an album that is simply perfect.
DR. RING DING is, among other things, a special guest on The Busters' tour in early 2013. A great opportunity not only to see The Busters again, which is always worthwhile, but also to see DR. RING DING live once more.
