To celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. day, we are previewing a recording of one of our favorite covers, "Change Is Gonna Come" by the late, great Sam Cooke.  

Originally released in 1964, the struggle highlighted in the lyrics is still relevant today, and MLK Jr. is still the beacon by which we can navigate these divisive times.


Performed by Eastern Standard Time
James McDonald, Morgan Russell, I-Peace Unikue, Bill Dempsey, Zach Cutler, Reid Attaway and Alex Powers

Recorded by Reid Attaway at Cutshaw Studios in Richmond, VA
Mixed by Bryan Walthall at 3rd Floor Studios
Mastered by Dan Millice at The Boiler Room

Change Is Gonna Come

It's Time for Change!

Washington DC’s messengers of Ska-Jazz, Eastern Standard Time, are back with a new record on Jump Up Records, Time for Change, their first full-length release since the critically acclaimed Tempus Fugit. Time for Change embraces the band’s signature blend of bop jazz and Jamaican rhythms and blends this with with soul, rocksteady, and reggae. The title track, “Time for Change,” is a driving reggae song calling for a new era of justice. The band then gives Lee Morgan's hard bop classic “Totem Pole” their own flavor. Energetic ska follows in the form of “Lovely in Mad,” followed by the sweet rocksteady sound of “Hayati.” Time for Change’s first side closes with the dark but driving ska tune “Left for Dead.” Side two opens with the band’s take on the Sam Cooke soul classic “A Change is Gonna Come,” followed by a rocksteady re-working of the modern R&B hit “Pretty Wings.” The album then slips its otherwise 1960s sound on “Sugar Shack,” a dubby upbeat number more akin to later eras of Jamaican music. The sixties return in full force as the band winds up Time for Change with a ska rendition of the soul classic “Thing of the Past” and closes out with their take on Alton Ellis’ “Rock Steady,” both long-beloved staples of the band’s live shows but unavailable as studio recordings until now.

Time for Change aptly demonstrates the breadth of Eastern Standard Time’s repertoire, an appropriate mix from a group renowned for drawing diverse influences into their sound. Whether in a smoky jazz club or on a festival stage they are always a dynamic live performance. That signature flexibility has led to them being chosen to back many greats in Jamaican-oriented music, including Derrick Morgan, Roy Ellis, Dr. Ring Ding, King Django, and Mr. T-Bone. Eastern Standard Time also supported Jamaican music legend Derrick Morgan on his 60th anniversary live album. 

Formed in 1995, Eastern Standard Time began as a project to bring musicians from Washington DC’s jazz and Caribbean communities together to play music based on the original Jamaican Ska. Over the years the membership crystalized into a seven-piece group blending primarily American soul and jazz with danceable Jamaican rhythms from the 50s through the 70s. Eastern Standard Time has logged years on the road, with dozens of tours throughout Europe and North America to their credit.