Jaya the Cat

Biography by Greg Prato Hardcore/ska enthusiast Jaya the Cat hails from Boston, MA, and consists of members Geoff Lagadec (vocals), Dave Smith (guitar), and Ben Murphy (bass). Shortly after forming, the group relocated to San Francisco for a brief spell, but eventually returned back to their hometown, quickly building up a following and winning such accolades as the Valley Advocates' Best Ska Band in Massachusetts, as well as being nominated at the Boston Music Awards for the Best Ska Band. The trio (who has gone through several different drummers), eventually signed with the Gold Circle label, issuing Jaya the Cat's debut recording, Basement Style, in August of 2001 (which spawned the single "Are You With Me?").