Western Standard Time Ska Orchestra’s Eitan Avineri & Jesse Wagner Discuss 2023 Bluebeat Holiday (Festive Interview)

Western Standard Time Ska Orchestra (CREDIT: Fabien Castro, @fabienphotography)

Nothing “new” here, as the Christmas/holiday album in question, Bluebeat Holiday, was released back in 2023 on Hi-Tide Recordings off-shoot/sister label, Nu-Tone Recordings. A collaborative festive pairing of Western Standard Time Ska Orchestra (yes, a full 20+ piece Ska/Big Band orchestra) (W.S.T.S.O.) and The Aggrolites, Reggae Workers of The World, and UBX/United X Bombs—just to name a few of his many, many projects, bands, and assorted musical efforts—vocalist Jesse Wagner for a 10-song display of Christmas covers and re-arrangements. Nu-Tones’ on-site vinyl LP order page explains it like this: “Get ready to rock steady this Christmas with Western Standard Time Ska Orchestra’s Bluebeat Holiday, featuring lead vocals by the sensational Jesse Wagner from The Aggrolites! Recorded at the highly-exclusive Penrose Studios, this 20+ piece California super-group delivers a Jamaican Jazz & Big Band twist on 10 of your favorite Christmas classics! From “Happy Christmas” and “Dominick The Donkey” to “Let It Snow” and “Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town,” Bluebeat Holiday is sure to keep you dancing and celebrating for years to come.” I’ve recently fallen in love with this album and put it into my annual Christmas CD/album rotation. Thus, a couple months ago, I reached out to Jesse Wagner randomly on a whim, who agreed to partake in a Bluebeat Holiday interview with me for the site… but, then, unfortunate plot twist: Jesse hurt his back right before the holidays and has had to take a back seat from his musical efforts and activities and is, hopefully, on the road to a speedy recovery! Jesse hooked me up with W.S.T.S.O. founder and bandleader Eitan Avineri to answer the majority of the questions I had previously sent to Jesse. The latter, also, graciously still answered a few of my more Jesse Wagner/The Aggrolites-specific questions. Shout-out to Jesse for getting me in touch with Eitan, shout-out to Eitan for helping save this very interview, and shout-out to Jesse for still taking the time to answer a few of my zany questions! Check out my interview with Eitan Avineri & Jesse Wagner all about Bluebeat Holiday down below the break! It was conducted over email(s) and has been lightly edited for general clarity. Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanzaa, Happy New Year, etc. to you and yours! Stay “jolly,” enjoy yourselves, and be safe out there, my friends!

I. What initially inspired you to record and release your own Christmas/holiday album, 2023's Bluebeat Holiday?

Eitan Avineri: I've always loved Big Band/Jazz and the whole Rat Pack/crooner vibe and style: [Frank] Sinatra, Dean Martin, Nat King Cole, Louis Prima, and the list goes on.  I've listened to those old Christmas records since I was super-young and associate the holidays with that music. There have been a bunch of singers, like Michael Bublé [and] Seth MacFarland that put out holiday records that are, essentially, re-creating the same records with a more “modern” approach to recording. I wanted to make a record that took the vintage style of recording [with] old school arrangements, but combine it with my other musical love, Jamaican music.  I felt that it was both replicating the old school vibe of those original recordings, but, also, a refreshing take that has never been done before.

II. How did you decide to link up with Jesse Wagner (The Aggrolites, Reggae Workers of The World, UXB) to serve as Western Standard Time Ska Orchestra’s lead singer and primary collaborator across Bluebeat Holiday?

Avineri: Jesse [Wagner] had been singing with us pretty consistently and even recorded on the band's [third] record, Tombstone, co-writing a Big Band/Swing/Ska tune called "Habit of Happiness.” Well, the idea of doing a "Skanatra" album together was swirling around in both (Jesse & Eitan) our heads for a couple of years, but the band got called for a last-minute holiday gig at the iconic Los Angeles Union Station for their annual tree-lighting ceremony. So, we got together a holiday set with mainly original Sinatra arrangements. The gig went so well with a huge positive review from organizers and attendees that we quickly put our heads together on filling out the rest of the record and went into the studio in February.

III. Who or what would you readily cite as some of your greatest sources of inspiration and influence while recording Bluebeat Holiday?

Avineri: Other than the vocalists that I mentioned earlier, all of the early Blue Beat [Records] (Island Swing) recordings of the late 1950's and early 60's that came out of Jamaica.

IV. How did you go about selecting the songs to cover and what is your personal relationship like to a few of your favorites from the album?

Jesse Wagner: The Sinatra arrangements give me this feeling that there is a direct connection with what we're doing on the record and what was going on back then. Aside from those tracks, we tried to include some island-themed songs, like Ella Fitzgerald's tune, "Christmas Island" and Toots [& The Maytals’] soulful Jamaican song, "Happy Christmas." The one tune that I probably feel the most personal connection to is "Dominick The Donkey," which we, also, made an official video for the release.  Because of my Italian American heritage, this song means a lot.  It's, essentially, the Christmas “anthem” for Italian-Americans. Also, my mom [personally] requested I record it for the album.

V. How might you attempt to describe the style(s) and sounds heard across Bluebeat Holiday to someone who hasn't yet heard the album?

Avineri: Imagine if Sinatra flew to Jamaica in the early 60's and recorded with The Skatalites; that's what this record is. 

Wagner: Exactly!!!  Spot on!!!

VI. What went into the typical song-making, arrangement, recording, etc. processes behind the songs showcased on Bluebeat Holiday?

Avineri: It's an old school vibe with vintage RCA [ribbon] room [microphones] recorded to tape. You can hear that live band grit on the whole record. We recorded at the “West Coast” Daptone recording studio in Riverside, California called Penrose [Records].  We used a large room with a high ceiling all recorded live in one room to get that vintage sound.  Other than the original Sinatra arrangements we bought, the band members took it upon themselves to arrange the others. Wes Perry arranged the “Christmas Song” done in a Rocksteady fashion and “Christmas Alphabet,” both with a full orchestral string section. David Urquidi arranged “Happy Christmas” and “Merry Christmas,” both original Jamaican recordings. Also, alto player Liam Robertson arranged two full scores, “Christmas Island” and “Dominick The Donkey.”

VII. Can you explain to use how you and/or the label went about selecting the Ever-glo (green/white) and Snowglobe (white/clear) vinyl variant colorways for Bluebeat Holiday?

Avineri: We worked with Vincent [Minervino] & Magdalena [O'Connell] from Nu-Tone [Recordings] (an awesome label that specializes in niché vintage music) on getting two color variants that went with the holiday theme.  The Ever-glo gives the idea of a Christmas tree covered in snow with a forest-green base and white swirled in: super-clutch. The Snowglobe variant is exactly what it's named after; that vintage holiday snow globe effect like you're surrounded by fluffy white snow all around you.  They were not the cheapest way to go, but definitely tie everything together theme-wise.

VIII. In addition to or aside from both yourself and Western Standard Time Ska Orchestra, did anyone else help create or contribute to the making-of Bluebeat Holiday?

Avineri: Joey Quiñones of The Sinseers [and formerly of The] Steady 45's & The Altons, producer for Colemine Records, [and] owner of [2nd] Hand Sounds [Productions] did a masterful job of mixing the record and even played some drums, bass, and percussion. Anthony Masino of Daptone Records was the recording engineer and tape operator for the session, which gave us the sound we were after.

Wagner: Also, my good friend Karina Deniké of the Dance Hall Crashers & NOFX [fame] graced [us with] all the female vocals on the album.

IX. What are some of your personal all-time favorite Christmas/holiday-themed albums, songs, compilations, etc. that you readily re-visit each and every year?

Avineri: I'd say the original Sinatra record that our arrangements came from, Christmas Songs By Sinatra released on Columbia Records in [1948].

Jesse Wagner & Western Standard Time Ska Orchestra - Bluebeat Holiday Ever-glo and Snowglobe vinyl variants (SOURCE: Hi-Tide Recordings)

X. What made you select Freehold, New Jersey-based Hi-Tide Recordings sister/sub-label Nu-Tune Recordings as the place to help you release Bluebeat Holiday?

Avineri: We really connected with Vincent, as he reached out when we posted about the session happening at Penrose.  They were able to offer International distribution via Sony [Music] subsidiary, [The] Orchard. That was a big deal for us because that is one thing we struggle with, getting our music to others outside [of] the Ska scene.  This was a crossover venture that had the possibility of mass consumption. They are, also, very responsive, transparent, and easy to work with. They listened to our requests and concerns and worked with us to make it work well for everyone involved.

XI. Do you have any immediate plans to record and/or release any additional music with Western Standard Time Ska Orchestra or share any more Christmas songs?

Avineri: The band just released Fire & Water, a double-vinyl of 16 songs recorded at the famed East West Studios, Sinatra's personal studio, with five songs featuring Jesse's golden voice, plus, Karina Deniké from the [Dance Hall] Crashers and NOFX and Alex Désert from Hepcat, [The Lions,] and more. Even Gabrial McNair, trombone and musical director for No Doubt and Gwen Stefani is featured on the record. In total, there are 37 world-class musicians on the record. It was just released in late 2025 with rave International reviews and consistent radio plays.

XII. So, I can't end an interview without asking... what's the current status of the proper follow-up to The Aggrolites' last studio album, REGGAE NOW! (2019)?

Wagner: Yes, I’m glad you asked.  We’ve been recording this last month hoping to have everything mixed [and] mastered by the end of this year. Our plan is to have our [seventh] full-length album released by spring of 2026.