Jackie Mendez

Jackie Mendez is a vocalist & musician based in Los Angeles, California. She grew up listening to a wide range of music, but it wasn’t until her introduction to Ska and Punk, mainly the British 2Tone ska revival music of the late 1970’s where Jackie took the next step and started playing in bands. She developed a keen interest in 1960’s era Jamaican Ska and Reggae influenced by singers from the likes of Alton Ellis and Ken Boothe.

The Steady 45s

The Steady 45s were formed in 2013 from the melting pot of the Los Angeles ska scene, and over the next four years have established themselves as the premier traditional ska/rocksteady act in Southern California. Since the beginning their sole intention has been to perfect and perpetuate the style and grace of traditional 1960s Jamaican ska and rocksteady music. With a consistently busy schedule of local shows and several tour dates across the country built on DIY ethics, the Steady 45s deliver a powerful and energetic live show that combines the energy and intensity of punk with the sophistication of jazz and the sweet soulful melodies of lowrider oldies, whipping audiences into a dancing frenzy every time they hit the stage. Drawing from the eclectic musical backgrounds of each of its members, The Steady 45s live show delivers blazing horns, the tastiest Lynn Taitt lead guitar picking, and raw, powerful vocal harmonies over a relentless bass and drum pair the likes which have not been seen since Lloyd Knibb and Lloyd Brevett perfected the beat! Not to mention the pain & heartache that bleeds from the distinctive tenor of lead singer and songwriter Joseph Quinones, poured like honey over the heaviest, nastiest rhythms to top off a sound equal parts gentleman and hooligan.

Their first EP, Greenleaf Special, was released through Chris Murray’s Unstrictly Roots to high praises at home and abroad, receiving rave reviews from sources around the U.S. as well as France and England and an ever-growing fan base in Mexico. The album showcases the group’s ability to deliver hard-hitting ska with such tracks as “No No No” and a version of The Shirelle’s “Mama Said,” as well as sweet, sweet rocksteady instrumentals such as “Paranoia” and “Sleepwalk” inspired by those that Tommy McCook & the Supersonics produced at Duke Reid’s Treasure Isle.

Ska and rocksteady, being music from the ghetto, has transcended global audiences ranging from jazz enthusiasts to backyard punks, breaking all boundaries of genre to get people out of their seats and dancing in the streets. On their musical journey the Steady 45s have found themselves sharing the stage with its originators; a number of Jamaican legends such as the Clarendonians, Derrick Morgan, the Melodians, the Cables, the Skatalites with Doreen Schafer, the Tennors, Carlton & his Shoes, Pat Kelly, Ken Boothe, and more to come.

Now after four years of hard-earned experience with multiple releases under their belt (including singles out on 45 rpm vinyl and a new full-length in the works), and spending most of their time on the road with self-managed tours, the Steady 45s strive to consistently release new material, break into festival circuits, and to feed their passion to share their sound with new audiences in Europe, Japan, Latin America, and all over the world.