Nicky Bomba with the Melbourne Ska Orchestra.It all started back in 2003, with a world record attempt to have the largest number of horn players on stage at the same time playing a ska skank. Ten years on, the Melbourne Ska Orchestra (MSO), led by none other than Nicky Bomba, is still going strong.
Stronger than ever perhaps, as further to releasing its debut album earlier this year to rave reviews and touring all over Australia during the summer, the MSO has picked up a Best Band award and was recently also nominated for two Aria Awards.
“Lots of big news at our end – so much, in fact, that we’ve saved it up for one big ska blast,” the band’s latest newsletter announced in its header, referring in particular to the Best Global or Reggae Act award it picked up at the inaugural The Age Music Vic Awards in Melbourne. This was followed up with news of the two Aria nominations.
Bomba and Robin Mai have, in fact, been nominated for Engineer of the Year on account of the “serious magic they worked on the album” while the MSO has also been nominated for the Best Blues and Roots Album.
“We are totally blown away to be nominated... and only seven months after the release of the album, ” Bomba wrote in a comment. “Big ups to all our supporters and ska fans, who have voted with their feet over the years. It’s exciting times. The ska flag is flying high.”
The winners will be announced at the 27th Annual Aria Awards in Sydney on December 1, so here’s hoping that it will bring them more success.
www.melbourneskaorchestra.com