Music
Press
“New Orleans’s own ska/funk hybrid Saaraba is one of the greatest live acts this music snob has ever seen. They flip through their rolodex of styles like as if the time signatures were identical. Truly gifted musicians; tackling bizarre new territory at times.”
--Larry Hunter, Little Rock Free Press. Little Rock, AR; February 2005
“There are times when being different, musically speaking, is nothing more than an experiment gone wrong. But at others it can be nothing less than a true music lover’s salvation from the drivel that now constitutes ‘popular music.’ Saaraba is a much needed breath of fresh air.”
--Samantha Santa Maria, Jackson Clarion-Ledger. Jackson, MS; 2-10-05
“Whether the band is writing a reggae-, ska-, rock-, or funk- based tune, once the members filter it through their perspectives, it comes out as an upbeat, Caribbean- and Big Easy-influenced sound audiences love to dance to.”
--Kimberly Nicoletti, Summit Daily News. Summit County, CO; 2-28-05
“Becoming a popular band in the Mardi Gras capital can be difficult given the range of talent in the city, but Saaraba’s members keep it real by doing their style the best way they know how.”
--Anna Beatty Kerr, Grand Junction Daily Sentinel. Grand Junction, CO; 3-4-05
“Whether you are wearing your Doc Martins or your Birkenstocks, you will be jumping all around. Both of their CDs have a great range of tunes, textures, and grooves, and it is really nice to hear a new sound come out of New Orleans.”
--Marke Steele, The Telluride Watch. Telluride, CO; 3-11-05
“Saaraba’s latest release, Nudivinity, is a nice little thumbprint of the band’s current state of affairs. The tracks are short, infectious, and sonically well-layered. For a band that can stretch it out live, it is nice to see them distilling their essence on record, capturing the vital grooves and not journeying into a repetitive jammed out abyss. The record also illustrates that the band is not just about the party – there are some lyrics that are quite socially and politically conscious.”
--Billy Thinnes, Where Y’At. New Orleans, LA; March 2005
“What ties all of this music together is that it totally encourages dancing and it’s damn fun.”
--Geraldine Wyckoff, Offbeat. New Orleans, LA; October 2004 (Review for Nudivinity)
“If the Squirrel Nut Zippers and Sublime met in Tijuana for drinks, the result might be Saaraba; a five-piece group that at times has a big band sound but can play anything from old school funk and serious blues to Latin beats and reggae. From the first listen of Saaraba’s self titled debut CD, you can’t help but like them.”
--Ryan Clark, The Clarion Ledger. Jackson, MS; 6-24-04
“While there’s plenty of reggae, rocksteady and ska going on, that’s not all this highly amusing and talented group of guys are up to.”
--Geraldine Wyckoff, Offbeat. New Orleans, LA; January 2004 (Review for Saaraba)
- multiple
Discography
"Introducing The Solars" (2007 Damngood! Records)
"Show Me the Way to Go Home" (2004 Damngood)
Saaraba-"Nudivinity" (2004 Damngood)
Saaraba- "Saaraba" (2003)
Danny and Fitz- (IV) (2006)
Danny and Fitz-"Get a Job" (2004)
Danny and Fitz-"Love Bug in a Nut" (2003)
Danny and Fitz-"The Once and Future album"
Photos
Bio
Danny Marks grew up in the suburbs of Chicago and listened to a lot of rock music. Then at 18 he left and travelled across the southern half of the western hemisphere. He was here exposed to latin and carribean rhythms. Reggae music, in particular, became strongly ingrained in his music from then on.
Then he moved to New Orleans and had a grand ole time of it. He started the band Saaraba. Saaraba received best world/reggae awards from New Orleans top music publications. Saaraba also traveled around the country performing in more than sixty different cities. Saaraba played at the New Orleans Jazz festival. Saaraba received many great reviews and was featured frequently on legendary New Orleans radio station WWOZ as well as many local stations across the country. During this time Danny also formed The Early Morning String Band, a five piece string band (mandolin, guitar, banjo, fiddle, bass, percussion) that performed bluegrass and folk standards regulalry in New Orleans. In 2006 Danny recorded "Introducing The Solars" in effect simultaneously launching his solo career and a new band The Solars. The Solars perormed in about twenty cities across the Southern and Midwestern US. Danny also has toured nationally and on occasion still performs with Chicago based reggae band Dada Do. Danny has traveled throughout the world and it shows in his songwriting, especially his lyrics which filter personal experiences through his own existential themes and ideas. Danny recently moved to Brooklyn, NY.
SAARABA
Studio Recordings:
� Saaraba (Released January 2004, Recorded by Jay Crutti at The Nation Studios, New Orleans)
� Nudivinity (Released October 2004, Produced by Moz Dedeaux, Recorded at Festival Studios,
New Orleans)
Touring:
� Cities Played: New Orleans, LA; Lafayette, LA; Port Allen, LA; Lake Charles, LA; Baton Rouge, LA; Pensacola, FL; Destin, FL; Jackson, MS; Ocean Springs, MS; Houston, TX; Little Rock, AR; Lawrence, KS; Memphis, TN; Durango, CO; Denver, CO; Boulder, CO; Grand Junction, CO; Crested Butte, CO; Telluride, CO; Colorado Springs, CO; Ft. Collins, CO; Snowmass, CO; Vail, CO; Gunnison, CO; Keystone, CO; Lander, WY; Alta, WY; Ketchum, ID; Sand Point, ID; Boise, ID; Moscow, ID; Victor, ID; Seattle, WA; Clarkston, WA; Spokane, WA; Portland, OR; Eugene, OR; Ashland, OR; Los Angeles, CA; Santa Barbara, CA; Colton, CA; Petaluma, CA; Redlands, CA; Upland, CA; Fontana, CA; Davis, CA; Mesa, AR; Missoula, MT; Bozeman, MT; Great Falls, MT; Helena, MT; (Total Cities: 51)
Awards/Distinctions:
2005 Big Easy Award Nominee� Best Reggae/World in New Orleans
2005 Best of the Beat Award Nominee�Best Emerging Latin/World in New Orleans
Special Events:
2006 French Quarter Festival�New Orleans, LA
2005 New Orleans Jazz and Heritage festival�New Orleans, LA
2005 French Quarter Festival�New Orleans, LA
2005 Eugene Celebration Festival�Eugene, OR
2005 Hurricane Katrina Benefit�Boise, ID
2005 Hurricane Katrina Benefit�Great Falls, MT
2005 Hurricane Katrina Benefit�Bozeman, MT
2005 Mennonite Disaster Relief Benefit--Upland, CA
2005 University of Redlands--Redlands, CA
2005 Rockin' October Fest�Petaluma, CA
2004 Loyola University Hurricane Festival�New Orleans, LA
2003, 2004, 2005 Apocalypse Ball (Mardi Gras Benefit for the Louisiana Himalaya association--NOLA
Press Quotes:
�New Orleans�s own ska/funk hybrid Saaraba is one of the greatest live acts this music snob has ever seen. They flip through their rolodex of styles like as if the time signatures were identical. Truly gifted musicians; tackling bizarre new territory at times.�
--Larry Hunter, Little Rock Free Press. Little Rock, AR; February 2005
�There are times when being different, musically speaking, is nothing more than an experiment gone wrong. But at others it can be nothing less than a true music lover�s salvation from the drivel that now constitutes �popular music.� Saaraba is a much needed breath of fresh air.�
--Samantha Santa Maria, Jackson Clarion-Ledger. Jackson, MS; 2-10-05
�Whether the band is writing a reggae-, ska-, rock-, or funk- based tune, once the members filter it through their perspectives, it comes out as an upbeat, Caribbean- and Big Easy-influenced sound audiences love to dance to.�
--Kimberly Nicoletti, Summit Daily News. Summit County, CO; 2-28-05
�Becoming a popular band in the Mardi Gras capital can be difficult given the range of talent in the city, but Saaraba�s members keep it real by doing their style the best way they know how.�
--Anna Beatty Kerr, Grand Junction Daily Sentinel. Grand Junction, CO; 3-4-05
�Whether you are wearing your Doc Martins or your Birkenstocks, you will be jumping all around. Both of their CDs have a great range of tunes, textures, and grooves, and it is really nice to hear a new sound come out of New Orleans.�
--Marke Steele, The Telluride Watch. Telluride, CO; 3-11-05
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