Kathryn Joy, the composer, vocalist and spirit behind Great Aunt Ruth & the Saucy Cats, conveys her big ideas in small bites and leaves her listeners wanting more… She is an intriguing songwriter who mixes her mischievous thought process with disarming candor. Original and iconoclastic, she shares honest and playful feelings from her own life experience, and she does so with rare sweetness. Listeners looking for love, wonder, adventure, and nostalgia will enjoy her lyrics for their beauty, good humor, and subtlety of expression.
Joel Scott, the arranger, music director, and keyboard artist, made his way from the music scene of New York's New Rochelle to Los Angeles in the 1980s. He was an accomplished keyboard artist, accompanist, and arranger who has worked with everyone famous, starting with the Jackson 5 and known best for his tenure as music director for Lou Rawls. If you say Brian McKnight or El Debarge or Dionne Warwick, Joel has played with them. If you talk about Kool and the Gang or Justin Bieber or Eric Benét, Joel has worked with them. If you mention famous jazz vocalists, Joel has accompanied the best, including Freda Payne and Esther Satterfield. He's recorded with Ella Fitzgerald's son Ray Brown, Jr. and also with the well-known Jazz Crusader drummer Six Hooper. He's played everything from R&B to funk to classical to gospel to jazz. He even wrote and directed music for the Broadway hit "Baby It's You". In addition an impressive biography, the best thing about Joel is what he gives. He always serves the music. He always gives the audience what it wants: more good music.
In the eyes of his band, Joel lived up to the Wynton Marsalis description of the great trumpeter Clark “CT” Terry--someone who "lived as a jazz man, full of soul and sophistication, sass, grit and mother wit, and he made us want to become real jazz musicians." Marsalis noted that CT "always had a way of lifting you up." Joel was truly like that. In this endeavor, he was bringing up and blessing "Great Aunt Ruth" and, we hope, all of you.
Great Aunt Ruth & the Saucy Cats thanks Nolan Shaheed of NO SOUND Studio in Los Angeles who was the sound engineer throughout the recording, mixing, and mastering process, and Xandy Whitsel of Mighty Fine Productions in Denver who recorded the vocals. Marcus Marritt, our band artist, is responsible for the fabulous cover art.
A BULL STORY ( A TRUE STORY):
A Bull Story is the first song by Great Aunt Ruth & the Saucy Cats. Joel's friends--all stellar musicians--showed up to help out. You will hear the bass played by James Leary III; drums by Reagae Clark; percussion by Melena Francis Valdes; trumpet by Jeff Kaye; and guitar by Dori Amarilio. The group had great technical assistance from Dori Amarilio at his studio in Studio City, CA; from Xandy Whitesel at Mighty Fine Productions in Denver, Colorado; and from the talented Didier Pouydesseau who mixed and mastered the song in Paris, France.
When this song was conceived, Great Aunt Ruth & the Saucy Cats commissioned a T-shirt design in homage of the Cuban people the bull represents. It was designed by Marcus Marritt, a talented illustrator, who has become the band's artist.
Great Aunt Ruth & the Saucy Cats expects to release two more original jazz songs soon -- so their fans should look ahead to more great music and the titles: Pêche Melba and Swing It Like Ella. Marcus has more compelling artwork to share as well.
THE NIGHTINGALE SERENADE:
The Nightingale Serenade features Kathryn Joy on vocals; Joel Scott on the piano; James Leary III on bass; Don Littleton on percussion; Kathryn Joy on a Roland Fantom G8 with additional instrumentation for flute, cello, piano, drum, and guitar.
CONDITION: NEW. Both CD Singles.
JPHBX23-8Z-GAR/NIGHTINGALE-BULLSTORY