Playtime
Dave Hillyard

#3, 5, 7, 9 (Written by David Hillyard/Published by David Hillyard --BMI)
#1, 10, 12 (Written by David Hillyard & Victor Ruggiero/Published by David Hillyard --BMI & Victor Ruggiero --BMI)
#2 (Written by David Hillyard, Victor Ruggiero & Alex Desert/Published by David Hillyard --BMI, Victor Ruggiero --BMI & Tacpeh Music --ASCAP/Dr Zeuss Music --ASCAP)
#4 (Written by Calvin Massey/Published by Charkal Music --BMI)
#6 (Written by David Hillyard & Gregory Alper/Published by David Hillyard --BMI & Gregory Alper --ASCAP)
#8 ( Written by John Lennon & Paul McCartney/Published by Sony/ATV Songs LLC Obo maclen Music --BMI)
#11 (Written by Idris Mohammed/Published by Prestige Music Co. --BMI)

C & P 1999 Hellcat Records 2798 Sunset Blvd. L.A. CA 90026
Manufactured & distributed by Epitaph

On March 5, 1997;
Songs: 2, 5, 6, 10, 11

Special Guests:
Jon Ntchez- Bari Sax on 6, 10
Roy Campbell- Trumpet solos on 5, 6
On Sept. 23-24, 1997;
Songs: 1, 3, 4, 7, 8, 9, 12
The Rocksteady seven was:
1: Eddie Ocampo- Drums
2: Larry McDonald- Percussion
3: Mike Bitz- Bass
4: David Hahn- Guitar
5: Victor Ruggiero- Piano, Organ
6: Clark Gayton- Trombone
7: Roy Campbell- Trumpet
Special Guests:
Greg Lee and Alex Desert:
Vocals: 3, 7
Engineer: Albert Ciati
Production: Hillyard, Ruggiero, Ciati at Coyote Studios, Brooklyn.
Mastering: by Hillyard and Alan Douches at West Side Music, New Jersey.
Photos: Cory Evens; Art: Evens, Hillyard, Wix

About the musicians:
The Rocksteady seven are musicians who bridge the worlds of ska, reggae, rocksteady, and American jazz. Players were recruited from both New York Ska bands such as "the Slackers", "Mephiskapheles", and "Skinnerbox" as well as Jazz groups, "Other Dimensions of Music" and the "Mingus Big Band."
The rhythm section is anchored by Eddie Ocampo, one of the best ska drummers in the country. He leads the band from the ska beats pioneered by the Skatalites to the bossa nova, 1940's swing, and even a few moments of a jazzy waltz. Eddie is accompanied on percussion by Jamaican native Larry McDonald. Larry has been recording since the 1960's and fills the tracks with his personal take on Rasta drumming. The triumvirate is complete by Mike Bitz, the man whose fat bass sound rumbles up from the bottom of the band.
The "skank" section is filled with 2 young talents who between them have played in almost all the important ska bands in New York City. Guitarist Dave Hahn and Pianist Victor Ruggiero deftly mesh together into a tight gummy sound that dares you to dance.
The horn section platoons Jeremy Mushlin and Roy Campbell on trumpet. Mush lends his "roots" baba brooks inspired sound to Hillyard Street while Roy plays with the fiery jazz attack he has previously displayed with own groups, "Tazz" and "Other Dimensions of Music." Trombone duties are split between Will Clark and Clark Gayton, both of whom have spent time occupying the trombone chair of the Skatalites as well working in the NYC jazz scene. On "Thursday Night Stomp" and "Ugly Man Blues", the section is augmented by Skavoovie young gun, Jon Natchez.
The guest vocals are provided by Alex Desert and Greg Lee, who are known to the world as the voices of Hepcat. Greg, a great calypsonian takes the lead duties on "The Fool" while Alex shows his Barry White meets Peter Tosh style on "Angry Lady."

This album is the end result of my fourteen year love affair with the Jamaican music known as the Ska, the Rocksteady, and the Reggae. It was Jamaican musicians such as Roland Alphonso, Tommy McCook, and Lester Sterling that made me want to play the saxophone and to perform in bands. Ironically, it is also through hthese musicians that I became aware of my own country's hidden musical history from New Orleans to Swing to Bop to Free Jazz. Over the years I have come to see how music does not so much progress as feed on itself, as different elements of the music are constantly mixed and remixed. After all, it is the mixing of Latin, Mento, R'n'B, and Jazz that created the Ska in the first place. This disc is my own personal attempt to pay tribute to that original fusion by remixing the elements of the Ska in a live spontaneous setting. These are songs without the cosmetic overdubs that are so common in popular music today. What you hear is what you get, uncut and raw. I would like to thank everyone involved for giving me a chance to make this record it is something I have wanted to do all my life --David Hillyard

Special Thanks to: Yvonne for her love, patience, and support. You deserve the best; All my family for the same (Hi mom and dad); the Wix and Tim for making this happen; All my bands -- the Slackers, Stubborn All-Stars, Hepcat, Donkey Show; Jeff Baker and Fred Feldman for making me believe I could do this; My sax teachers -- Gregory Alper, Ira Jackson, and John Purcell; Inspirations -- Roland Alphonso, Tommy McCook (I still play that exercise), Saxa, Lester Sterling, Sidney Bechet, Coleman Hawkins, Lester Young, Ben Webster, Illinois Jacquet, Charlie Parker, George Coleman, Jimmy Forrest, and Pharoah Saunders; respect to Sheldon, Osho, and Paul for helping with the gig