Acrpost: A Project of the Pacific Association of Artist Run Centres

Event Description

The ” Ghetto Xpress ” was formed in October of the year 2000, in response for the need of a new house band at the Toucan on Monday nights, a gig previously occupied by Kingston blues stalwarts Blue Monday for the previous 2 1/2 years. Blue Monday members Zak Colbert and Mike Sakell, decided to continue on with a different band and a change of concept, and formed the Express. With keyboard wizard Spencer Evans throwing his hat in, and the addition of a fresh new face on guitar, James Taylor, the band was complete. The original repertoire focused heavily on the sounds of Motown, and classic R&B, but with the addition of Jonathan Stewart a.k.a ” Bunny ” on tenor saxophone a few years ago, the band took a decidedly more funky New Orleans type approach. Zak and James eventually left the band to be replaced by Zak’s young protege, Alec Barken, on bass, and Mark Taras on guitar, and that has been the lineup for the last eight years.