Sherry Canary & the Kool Kats emerged as a result of our shared love of Gypsy Jazz and standards. Sherry "Canary" Somach has always had an affinity for standards and swing. Says she, "I figure if I am going to learn a song, I want it to endure"
She became interested in Gypsy Jazz while attending summer music camp at Ashokan at least 12 years ago, before it started gaining popularity. She also writes original music in the genre.
Sherry and violinist Bill Nixon met at a party. She was packing up to leave and someone asked her to do one more song. Bill had just arrived from a gig. He was in the kitchen, but when he heard the music he came out playing his violin. It was magic. It felt like they had played music forever!. Bill is classically trained, and performs periodically with a symphonic orchestra. He also plays Irish, Cajun, and jazz violin. When he got turned on to Gypsy Jazz, he was a natural. He has since studied with Tim Klipius,an amazing violinist from Holland, and sits in with the Hot Club of Philadelphia.
Bill met Baird Standish a few summers ago at a Gypsy Jazz camp called Django In June. Baird plays in many genres, and also sings with a group called Orpheus. Baird also sits in with the Hot Club of Philadelphia.
Our bass player, Rich Mackenkie, plays with a number of blues bands, but has a great feel for our music.
Together, we play Gypsy Jazz, Standards, and original music in the genre. We have performed in the lobby the Kimmel Center before a concert featuring one of the most reknown comterporary Gypsy Jazz guitarists, Dorado Schmitt. We have played at the Over the Bridge concert series in New Jersey and the Philadelphia Folk Song Society's monthly members concert. We also play twice a month on Sunday afternoons and some Friday evenings at the Coffee Junction in West Mount Airy. We have played for a number of fund raising events, and also local bars such as the historical Mermaid Inn in Chestnut Hill.
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