Easy Big Fella

The ska-revival band Easy Big Fella was formed in late 1991 after vocalist/guitarist Rick Dybvad and bassist Steve Mandl placed an ad in the Seattle music weekly The Rocket; among those responding were trombonist Colin Shroy, keyboardist Aaron Simms, drummer Rodrigo Cerqueira and trumpeter Liam Barksdale. With the subsequent addition of saxophonist Jason Nelson, Easy Big Fella became one of the top bands on the Seattle circuit, opening for renowned acts including the Skatalites, the Specials, Desmond Dekker and the Toasters; in 1994. they also issued their debut LP, Easy Listening. Despite a series of lineup changes which eventually left only Dybvad, Barksdale and Nelson from their earliest incarnations, Easy Big Fella forged on, and with the additions of organist Mike Birenbaum, trombonist Eric Ellsworth, bassist Dave Sommer and drummer Bret Coffin, they released their second album Buttercup in 1995. Eat at Joey's followed in 1997, and two years later the group resurfaced with Tasty Bits and Spicy Flicks.