Eitan Avineri has devoted his life to music.
His mother, a semi-professional musician, introduced Avineri and his siblings to piano at the age of 5. Now, he shares his love of music as a teacher.
He also parlayed his talents into the Kingston Ska Collective and the Western Standard Ska Orchestra, who will perform as Kingston Ska Collective with Members of Western Standard Ska Orchestra during the Los Angeles Union Station’s ninth annual tree-lighting ceremony from 6 to 9 p.m. Monday, Nov. 25.
The free event will also feature live musical performances from Los Rebeldes Romanticos and a “North Pole” on the North Patio with arts and crafts, milk and cookies, courtesy of McDonald’s of Southern California.
“We have 12 musicians and we’re essentially just playing Christmas holiday music that’s very danceable,” Avineri said about the show. “It’s very all-ages friendly. It’s a little bit of a different twist on the classic big band Sinatra kind of feel, with a Jamaican vintage twist.”
Avineri has been playing this style of music — Jamaican ska, Jamaican jazz big band — for years, the Ventura County resident said. He moved to the LA area in the early 1980s, and playing in the city is important to him for him and his bandmates.
Avineri is a longtime musician, thanks to his parents.
“When I was really, really young, I just liked music. In terms of being a professional or becoming a teacher, the older I got, the more passionate I got about it,” he said.
“I took trumpet since the fourth grade and went from there. My mom’s a musician, a semi-professional singer. She taught all of us piano. I took trumpet since the fourth grade and went from there.”
He has been a music teacher since 2001 and now works in the Los Angeles Unified School District, sharing his knowledge. Avineri’s mission is to give back to the community as a teacher
and musician.
“If I had to just do one, I wouldn’t have as full of a feeling in my soul that both sides speak to me,” he said.
“The traveling and the creative side of producing records and writing music. My whole life is surrounded by it, except my family.”
Avineri was raised Jewish, while his wife is Christian. The two decided to raise their children with Jewish and Christian rituals. That said, he does have fond Christmas memories.
“My first Christmas ever was celebrating with my wife, but I would say my most memorable Christmas was when our first son was born. I was experiencing it from a fatherhood perspective. Seeing him open his presents and having his wide eyes with music playing and our tree in the house was really awesome to watch.”
The Los Angeles Union Station gig is important to Avineri. The Western Standard Ska Orchestra played the 80th anniversary inside the concourse.
“It’s hard to explain how beautiful that venue is without stepping foot in it,” he said. “It’s the most beautiful venue I can think of in all of California.
“It’s important to for us to get people in the mood for the holidays, but also the fact that it’s such an iconic place with such a cool history behind it. We play vintage music, so it makes it a better fit. We’re not playing modern music. Everything we do musically is old school and vintage, and so is the venue.”