Infectious, Danceable Ska Grooves & More! JOSH & THE JAMTONES ‘ROCKSTEADY’ WITH SPECIAL GUESTS JESSE PETER WAGNER OF THE AGGROLITES, GRAMMY-NOMINATED SECRET AGENT 23 SKIDOO & FATHER GOOSE “A rock and ska sound that is great to jump, clap, and jive to.”– The Boston Globe “Leaves lots of imagination space and hits just the right note for the 21st century kid brain.”’ - Broadway World “Josh & the Jamtones 150% BRING IT! This band is not to be missed, y’all.” – Jeff Bogle, Out With The Kids BOSTON (June 23, 2015) – They’re back! The interactive/ultra-powered/wildly eclectic musical explosion known as Josh & the Jamtones is set to bust out of the chute with the August 21 release of their third kids’/family album, ROCKSTEADY. Chock full of frenetic, danceable reggae/ska jams, ROCKSTEADY features special guests Jesse Peter Wagner (lead singer with legendary “dirty reggae” ska band The Aggrolites), Grammy-nominated Secret Agent 23 Skidoo, and Father Goose (featured on the Grammy-winning Dan Zanes family albums). ROCKSTEADY is produced with a focused conceptual element that could be thought of as “Jamtones FM,” with its zany mock DJs and radio-static “channel surfing” transitions between songs that display the Jamtones signature blend of reggae, ska, doo-wop harmonies, ‘90s hip-hop, and Weezer-like guitar solos. Themes of love, friendship, and dance parties prevail, and all the songs on the album are seriously danceable. The “Rocksteady,” the “Tailfeather,” and the “Katmandu” are specific dances, hearkening back to the old radio singles days, while other songs, like “I <3 Ur Face,” have their own kinds of moves. Album highlights include a new take on the West Indian folk classic “Sloop Jon B,” which blends ska, punk rock, and Beach Boys harmonies with a hefty dose of beat boxing, and “Monkeyman,” an homage to ska icons Toots and the Maytals, both featuring Jesse Peter Wagner. Secret Agent 23 Skidoo lends his considerable talents to “I <3 Ur Face,” an up-tempo ska number that incorporates ‘90s hip-hop sounds. He also shows up, with Father Goose, in a remix of “I Love U,” a tune that recalls the sounds of the mid-‘90s and was originally heard on Josh & the Jamtones’ Bear Hunt! “Tailfeather,” a super-catchy dance anthem with a garage rock sound, brings a big vocal payoff and wild instrumental effects to the end of the record, which wraps up with “1 of a Kind,” an intimate solo postcard from Josh Shriber and his guitar to his family. Explains Josh Shriber, “ROCKSTEADY was a mad dance party mission over a year in the making! I’ve worked in the past with numerous bands, teams, committees, sub-committees, boards, conglomerates, and associations, and I know when a partnership feels right. Our producer Pat Hanlin and I have found a really fun, creative chemistry, and I think it shines through on this record, which is the first major release on our own label, Jamhouse Records. Likewise, it’s been terrific to work with our label’s amazing mix engineer, Grammy nominee James Zaner. I’m psyched to get kids moving with these tunes!” Beyond mashing up all kinds of musical goodness for kids and families, Josh and the Jamtones can be counted on to slip into their one-of-a-kind brand of funny with every Jamtones album and video. On ROCKSTEADY, the band’s ultra-absurdist comedy is showcased in improvised skits based on a fictional radio station, “WJAM: The Jam.” The station features DJs like “JamMaster Josh” (a goofy, nerd-jockey created by Jamtones vocalist/guitarist Josh Shriber) and “Donald Weathersby” (an addled business news reporter voiced by Jamtones drummer/producer Pat Hanlin). Josh & the Jamtones have been making music and lots of laughs for kids and families since early 2012, when singer/songwriter Josh Shriber started buying fancy lattes from producer/drummer Pat Hanlin at a café near his house. Since then, the titanic twosome and their intrepid band have crisscrossed the country, playing hundreds of shows and sharing the stage with massive bands like The Wiggles, Yo Gabba Gabba and The Fresh Beat Band. The Jamtones have performed at loads of major festivals with mega-acts like the Dave Matthews Band, Hall & Oates, and The Roots. More than 60,000 Jamtones records have been sold through Josh and Pat’s home-grown label, Jamhouse Records, scoring multiple hit singles on SiriusXM’s Kids Place Live channel and other kids’/family radio programs throughout the country. Jamhouse also functions as a full-fledged video production house and audio recording studio. Josh & the Jamtones recently inked a one-year deal with Chuck E. Cheese’s as an official featured band. Jamtones music videos and clips from their epic, animated Bear Hunt movie are played onscreen and sold at Chuck E. Cheese’s locations internationally. Previous Josh & the Jamtones releases include Bear Hunt: The Movie! (2014) and the albums Bear Hunt! (2013) and JUMP UP! (2012).