We started mentoring Kansas Smitty’s founder and band leader Giacomo Smith, in 2014. We helped him secure two-year support from the City Music Foundation, which led to the release of the Kansas Smitty House Band’s superb debut album and opening of their East London bar in 2015. From there we trained Giacomo to become one of our lead educators enabling him to inspire thousands of children and young people up and down the country with his American charm, incredible playing and magical presence.
Over the last few years Kansas Smitty’s have gone from strength to strength, making a name for themselves and garnered fans from across the music world for their ambitious, original and cinematic music. Receiving praise from critics including the Evening Standard and The Sunday Times, their fifth studio album is out on K7/Ever Records in 2021.
Giacomo says: “Having the support from Jennie and the Abram Wilson charity at an early stage in my career helped me to build the platform that I now use to help and develop others through my studio work and through education, it’s a virtuous circle!”
Photo credit: Benjamin Curnow