The Pinstripes

Detail: The word Ska conjures up differing responses, and many are sadly negative. Whether through sub-par bands or kneejerk reactions against the genre’s ’80s commercialization, the mere mention of Ska rubs some people the wrong way.

To that end, The Pinstripes have a mission. The septet wants to replace that downcast opinion by offering a joyous hybrid of Reggae, Soul and Punk that is reverential in emulating the Studio 1 movement a half a century ago while incorporating contemporary perspectives.

“In terms of popular mainstream genres, I don’t know many that are so pigeonholed,” says vocalist/saxophonist Mike Sarason about the Ska backlash. “When we have band talks, that’s a lot of what we talk about. For the most part, we feel if you like music and you hear our music, especially if you hear it live, you’re going to like us. It’s just getting you in that venue or getting you to buy that CD or click the Web site. How can we play what we want to play and still reach the people we think we can?”

Perhaps the Pinstripes’ most impressive facet is their commitment in the face of physical separation. Sarason attends college in Chicago, Weissbuch is a Nashville music student and Kursmark lives in Columbus, but all stay in constant contact through e-mail, texts and message boards. The out-of-towners return at regular intervals for gigs, practices and writing sessions; the fact that they resume their diligent work ethic from a dead stop each time speaks volumes about their musical and personal bonds.