Players
Ali Culotta
Ali Culotta is a multi-talented musician, song-writer, recording artist and private music
instructor living in Brooklyn, New York.
Originally from Miami, Florida, Ali received her Master’s in Piano Performance at Florida International University and moved to New York in 2016 to continue growing her expansive music school 23 Music Studios, as well as her work as multi-genre singer/keyboard recording artist. Her original music act, Stop the Presses has multiple releases and has been on many national tours including Warped Tour 2014 and 2018.
Alex Gonzalez
Perhaps better known as “Gonzo”, Alex Gonzalez is a Mexican American percussionist based in the border cities of Tijuana, Rosarito Mx ., And San Diego, CA.
Percussionist Musician in the Reggae, Urban, Latin, Alternative Creative and Border areas.
Dedicated to a passion for music as well as musical knowledge, Alex undertakes in different fields and genres of music.
Korey Horn
Horn has spent a great deal of his professional career attempting to perfect his approach to Ska, Reggae, and Rocksteady grooves, performing with artists such as The Aggrolites, Hepcat, Rhythm Doctors, See Spot, and Tim Armstrong of Rancid/ Transplants/ Op Ivy. In fact, his playing style became so synonymous with Jamaican music that a former bandmate, trombonist Jeffrey "Dex" McFerson, dubbed him "Korey Kingston."
Lady Hatchet
Born Kristin Forbes, Lady Hatchet earned her nom de guerre cutting her guitar chops in the Baltimore-DC reggae scene. She is a musical force of nature who has fearlessly been leading her punky reggae crew, The Scotch Bonnets, for over ten years. And yet, for over fifteen years she has also played bass for the DC rock n’ roll power trio of her sister-in-arms, Olivia Mancini & The Mates, switched instruments as needed in Baltimore's premiere ska-reggae band, The Players Band, and recently has brought her guitar prowess to the all-female lineup of Strykers Posse: Sistren In Power. Lady Hatchet is a multi-instrumentalist in high demand, having subbed with some of the best acts in the American ska genre (The Slackers, The Toasters, The Pietasters, King Django). She also wrote and recorded an album with Fishbone’s Angelo Moore. During the pandemic, Kristin pivoted to releasing solo Lady Hatchet singles. She produced 20 episodes of a Facebook livestream variety show called Slice of Hatchet which she is continuing to develop, along with an acoustic reggae duo with Mephiskapheles’ trombonist, Greg Robinson.
Israel Maldonado
Israel Maldonado, San Diego musician, has been performing in and around hot spots in Southern California for more than 20 years.
Jeremy Peña
My name is Jeremy Peña and I am the lead singer and guitar player for the ska, reggae, and soul band The Bandulus. I started out playing ska/punk in high school but quickly changed to trad ska & reggae when I first heard The Slackers and Prince Buster. In 2006 I was invited to be in the band Los Skarnales. From there I went on to play with Ryan Scroggins & The Trenchtown Texans, Contra Coup, & eventually The Stingers ATX. Since COVID hit, I've been lucky enough to form a friendship with Sean Flowerdew and Happy People Records. He released a 7" for The Bandulus and I just voiced 2 songs for Sean's band Pama International that will be released in 2021. I am stoked to be a part of Smoke & Mirrors Soundsystem.
Victor Rice
Victor Rice was a regular figure in the ‘09s NYC Ska and Reggae scene, both as a bassist and producer. He has played bass for a wide list of artists and bands, including desmond Dekker, Laurel Aitken, The Easy Star All Stars, The Stubborn All Stars, the NY Ska-Jazz Ensemble, Ticklah and the Skatalites.
Probably best known for his work on Dub Side of the Moon(Easy Star Records 2003).
As a producer, he has worked with all of the above as well as the Slackers, the Pietasters, Crazy Baldhead and his own Octet.
Rice moved to São Paulo, Brazil in 2002. He continues to circulate in the global scene and produces from his studio in the renowned COPAN building. as a mix engineer, he recieved two Latin Grammy Awards for his work with Tulipa Ruiz(2015) and Elza Soares(2016).
Victor has four solo albums, the latest, “DRINK”, is available on Easy Star Records
John Roy
John played in his first band, Big Express at 15 opening for greats Like the Untouchables and the Jaywalkers at venues such as the Famed Fender Ballroom in Long Beach. Surrounded by The Ska/Mod movement, playing alongside fellow San Diegans The Donkey Show and Manual Scan, he knew that this music was for life.
He Moved on to CitizenX (87-88/ska/reggae/funk), then to Gangbusters (two-tone/ska) , opening for childhood idols The Skatalites, Bad Manners. The Selecter and sharing the stage with contemporaries like Bim Skala Bim, the Toasters, the NY Citizens, Fishbone and many more.
John left Gangbusters to play with dozens of other groups in the early 90’s including SpyKids (third wave two-tone influenced) And Colorblind (boogie, ska, rocksteady, skinhead reggae) , B-Side Players (Latin funk, reggae, cumbia etc.) , Buddy Blue Band (jump swing, rhythm and blues). John took every influence from each band and built a band to play these styles, not strictly adhering to any one of them. 1992 was Unsteady’s debut that quickly accelerated from backyard parties to opening slots for all of his favorite bands from Hepcat to the Bosstones and everything in between. John played in a funk jazz band, Rollo from ‘93-‘95 and toured with Dave Wakeling’s bands (Bang/English Beat) from ‘97-‘02 while also maintaining his ties with his Unsteady bandmates and numerous side projects ,Windsor Hill Steppers, The Selfmade Men ‘03-‘10.
Unsteady continued until the Pandemic of ‘20 when it was forced to stop playing and rehearsing as social distancing made rehearsals nearly impossible. John has used this time in lockdown to write songs, reconnecting with friends old and new remotely. He’s taken his history and influences to create his dream band, Smoke&Mirrors Soundsystem. Thirty musicians strong and growing, spanning, West Coast, Midwest, East Coast, UK, Brazil, Mexico.
John Creates the song himself with real and midi samples, then sends mixes to each artist tailored to their instruments , then compiles, edits, mixes, performs and produces each song.
Enjoy and share this music. Support these artists. Perhaps one day soon you’ll hear a live interpretation. Thank you