Kansas Smitty’s, the self-titled debut album from South and East London musicians Kansas Smitty’s House Band, represents the culmination of the first two years of non-stop gigs on London’s underground music scene. First released in 2015. Between sessions and shows at their place, a sweaty weekly party in an old railway arch in Bethnal Green, and monthly shows at Ronnie Scott’s, the Band composed the original jazz music to create an album that’s an instant classic. This embodiment of the Band’s original approach appeals not only to jazz fans, but to a genre-blind audience who can relate to the accessible way in which these young virtuosos perform their unique material.

The album was recorded, mixed and mastered in less than a week, from November 17-23, 2014. It was recorded by Lewis Durham of Kitty, Daisy and Lewis straight to tape and without a computer in sight. The ten tracks contained within illustrate the Band’s full sour mash of genres: Kansas City Jazz, New Orleans Funk, Trad, Swing, Blues and even Avant-Garde. Highlights from the album are ‘Black Paddy’, a surefire party-starter co-written by Giacomo Smith and Theon Cross (Sons of Kemet) that features the infectious beat of Pedro Segundo (Ronnie Scott’s House Band, Judith Owen) and Warm Embrace, an Armstrong-esque ballad by Ruben Fox (Kinetica Bloco) that features the other-worldly vocals of ‘Sweet’ Pete Horsfall (Basin Street Brawlers).