The music of Zuba, a Colorado-based band throughout the 90s, was a vibrant fusion of sounds from around the world. Rooted in soul and funk, their style stretched across genres—blending ballads, swamp folk, acid jazz, and modern dance grooves into an unmistakably original sound. Performing over 200 shows a year for eight consecutive years, Zuba built a devoted national following. Their annual sets at Colorado’s One World Music Festival became legendary, often delivering the weekend’s most electrifying moments.
Formed in 1991 by drummer Wallace Lester who had a vision of soulful, genre-defying music. Lester’s rock-solid drumming anchored the band, while Oxnard’s haunting vocals and fiery guitar work gave it spirit and spark. The original lineup—keyboardist/saxophonist Mark Pauperas, guitarist Ajax Green, and bassist Doug Hutty—evolved over the years to include lead guitarist Ian Selig, bassist Scott Johnson, and eventually Billy Cauley, Ben Senterfit on sax and bassist Mike Cykoski.