destined to be one of the outstanding recordsof 2007. It is nearly impossible to defi ne orput an exact fi nger on the sound of TheJai Alai Savant, but their punk-rock meetsdub-reggae blend is certainly very indicativeof Darden's mile-a-minute personality andunique musical roots. "I grew up in a blackfamily in Philadelphia, and the radio in myhouse was always on to the mostly blackstations," says Darden. "You know, R&B,funk, disco, and groove. I even rememberwhen the fi rst hip-hop song was fi rst playedon the radio; I danced around the living room with my mom to Rapper's Delight." Dardenalso took an interest in reggae and the punkrock scene, cementing early on what wouldlater become The Jai Alai Savant's defi nitivesound.