It all began when aspiring singer-songwriter Kathryn Joy met veteran pianist Joel Scott at a jazz bar on a cruise ship somewhere in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean.  Scott, who had worked with such notables as the Jackson 5, Aretha Franklin, Lou Rawls, Dionne Warwick, Marlena Shaw and O.C. Smith, heard not only the enthusiasm of Ms. Joy but saw a great deal of potential in both her songs and her voice.  He became her mentor.

Thus began an important–if sadly short-lived–musical collaboration.  Together, they formed Great Aunt Ruth & the Saucy Cats and recorded four of Kathryn Joy's songs.  But just six days after their last recording session in 2015, Joel Scott passed away.  

Fortunately, he left the songwriter in good hands.  Rahn Coleman, a notable vocal coach, arranger and keyboardist, became her producer.  She was also joined by trumpeter-recording engineer Nolan "KatDaddy" Shaheed.  Coleman and Shaheed have been invaluable contributors to Kathryn Joy's career and the recording of their EP All About the Music in Your Heart.

"The Ballad of Kitty Bandit" (2022) is the group's theatrical follow-on to the Django hot jazz style single "On Ne Sait Jamais" (2021).  It blends a 1920s New Orleans feel with 1950s Dixieland blues and a few modern touches and features Nolan "KatDaddy" Shaheed's colourful trumpet with a swinging band.Both were written for an upcoming musical by Kathryn Joy and arranged by Nolan Shaheed.

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