The Saturday Morning Canasta Club
The Saturday Morning Canasta Club is our band, its name born from our regular meeting times in London (Saturday mornings) and our favourite evening game in Spain (Canasta!). The musicians fell in to the group one by one, bringing their different musical sounds to lyrics predominantly written by Jimmy. Andy was first in to join Jimmy, as a tutor on all things technical (he also plays guitars, tin-whistle, keyboards – anything really), then Louise came along and sang a little bit, then Martyn brought Rob with him for guitars, bass and drums, and then Ed (on guitars and trumpet). This was the band for the first two Spanish Jams, in the summer and autumn of 2009, that gave birth to the albums Six Months of Saturdays and Misery Marmalade and Other Spanish Jams.
But we keep expanding (and not just from the pizza). Lou and Ed were our first Abubilla Scholars and, rather than leave at the end of the Scholarship Programme, they joined the band. This set a precedent. Next came Mike on drums and Sophie on cello - arrived as Scholars, but then joined the band. Next were Imogen, Gus and Lew - joined as Scholars and then joined band. And in addition to these folks, the band has been rounded out by Mikey, Steph and Hannah. Everyone makes a major contribution to the second CD – Gus with two of his own songs and lead vocals on lots of other songs, Sophie throwin’ in cello everywhere, Mikey with beat boxing on Sat out the 15th and Invading London, Hannah with backing vocals on Box of Yellow Roses and jazz hands on She Knows, and Steph with backing vocals and violin on Another Day. Most of the band made it to our 2010 summer Spanish Jam, which kicked off the recording of If I Were a Little Birdie, due out in November 2010.
The Saturday Morning Canasta Club gigs in various incarnations – subscribe to the Newsletter to find out where/when we’ll be playing.
SMCC blog
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