Spicy Roots

Spicy Roots were founded in 1994 in Schwieberdingen. The Ska of these at that time 17 to 18 years old boys, developed from a big group of friends, in which everybody identified himself with this music style. Endless party nights with Judge Dread, Laurel Aitken, Mr. Review, etc. stood in highest place. Already 5 months after the first time rehearsing in the chicken house, the first gig was organized. The graduation celebration in Schwieberdingen. 14 Songs consisting of traditional Coversongs, like “Rudy”, or “Reggae & Ska”, in addition with the first self-compositions, like “Gangster”, “Irie” and many more, were played. At the mentioned first concert at 07.01.1994 the band consisted of 7 members: singer Jani Kypriotis, Manuel Mack at the guitar, Bernd Krämer at the drums, Tim Gutekunst at the key board, Michael Zeiser at the bass, Florian Rauscher at the alto and Bariton saxophone, and Egmont Roozenbeek at the trumpet. The resonance in this night was overwhelming and Schwieberdingen was for the first time crowned to the Ska city. This feedback straight after half a year let dreams become big. The machinery Spicy roots rolled and the rehearsing frequency was strongly increased. In the same year two musicians were added: Andreas Rauscher at the Percussions and Klaus Dworschak at the tenor saxophone. The 9 headed crew was born and the live-repertoire extended fastly. Already one year after their founding, at 04.28.94, Spicy Roots were support of the great - Godfather of Ska - Laurel Aitken, in the Heidelberg swimming pool club. At the end of the year 1995 two titles appeared on a Sampler (Ska Trax 2). In the middle of 1996 Klaus Dworschak left the band and was replaced by Matthias Weese.
People did not only talk about Spicy Roots because of the legendary bus tour with 150 friends in a double sized bus to a gig in Heidelberg, in the following year the band received large attention in the Ska scene - they played country wide concerts with all big names of Ska music. A new rehearsal room was rented, which was very comfortable in its size and in its equipment. In 1997 Spicy Roots recorded the first mini CD with 6 titles (“Export”), which was published under the label SOS records. The resonances confirmed past success and songs like “Spirit OF ´69” and “Optimism” came into the hit lists of the Ska scene. Beginning of the year 1998 Michael Zeiser stepped out and a new bass player was found: Dario Mangieri. This new cast remained existing to 31.07.2004. During this time the contact to the record label Grover records was developed.
Already 4 years had passed since the “export” MCD, when in 2001 the first complete album “One More” was published. 12 Songs, melodic and with matured interaction, Spicy Roots carried a further milestone into public. The new record showed up as full success. “Coconut”, “Do you know”, “One more”, “Love like music”, “Tin Tin´s bar” are only some in the meantime legendary Songs from this time. With publication of the record 2001 came gigs in complete Germany, e.g. the Easter Ska Jam, and in the subsequent years they could collect also international experience, as e.g. on the Surffestival in the Italian Torbole. The band was extended by Philipp Bechtel at the trumpet. Besides during these whole years once a year a large concert for the meanwhile large fan municipality in the region was organized, the crowd grew up in the meantime over 1000. In 2004 had come 2000 visitors, in order to celebrate with Spicy root the 10-year old band existence. The concert was a large success and the new single “Brilliant day” was released. One week later it was certain: Jani Kypriotis, Dario Mangieri and Matthias Weese were leaving the band. The concert in Affalterbach, already planned, should remain the last Spicy Roots concert in this cast. In autumn 2004 two new band members were introduced. Jürgen Strauch (bass) and Johannes Herseni (trombone). Still in the same winter the band was again ready to play the “X-Mas Vibes Tour” with concerts in Germany and Austria. With unbroken Spirit at the beginning of the year 2005 began the work on its new album. Extensive Songwriting, endless rehearsing and Studio nights got a name: “Get Ready”.