Description

Who are the Skat Kats?

The Skat Kats band include family and friends of babies and children being treated for brain cancer. In this delightful CD they will also be supported by celebrity guests and also the cancer survivors themselves, who have cameo performances on the CD.

Ruby Belfanti, (guest trumpet/vocals) who has a partially inoperable brain tumour, proves that you can have a tumour and still be a top little cat. 

Ruby’s sister Ella, features on flute, while brain tumour survivor Sara Aaron (piano) also proves that despite the upheaval of a brain tumour diagnosis in the family, we can always find a song in our heart.

Bill Risby, one of Australia’s leading lights of jazz who played all the piano on this CD was recently treated for a tumour of the ear. Bill, who features as Pat Kat (piano) in the band, is living proof that you can still be cool, no matter how much hair you have - or haven’t!

Of course this CD could not have come together without the extraordinary talents of our celebrity guests and supporters. This includes the Spet-Katular James Morrison on trumpet; the legendary Jimmy Barnes and his Mexican Mariarchi band; country music stars Troy Cassar-Daley and Felicity Urquhart; brain tumour survivor and 2GB broadcaster Alan Jones for his singing and on air support; opera singer Emma Jaykumar; Kirrawee high school big band and Jaz Dolso, Rebecca Breeds (Ruby on Home & Away); jazz singer Elana Stone, children’s entertainer George Washingmachine and jazz drummer and Wiggles studio drummer Anthony Howe who also engineered, mixed and mastered the project. Not to mention world famous illustrator Guy Parker-Rees who generously donated the cover artwork for the project.

What Are The Songs About?

The Skat Kats CD features upbeat nursery rhymes with a twist (ie Humpty Dumpty gets put back together and the Three Blind Mice get tail transplants). These nursery rhymes will provide inspiration to all Aussie kids – especially when they’re feeling sick.

The Skat Kats characters will include Inspector Furrballs (a claw enforcement officer who solves the world’s most mysterious nursery c-rhymes!), Katkaroo (the bass playing roo who thinks he’s a cat, Pussy Cat (vocals) Mittsy Jive (back up vocals), Pat Kat (piano), Kat King Cole (guitar) and Baby Kat (the toddler who plays percussion). The Skat Kats sing, dance, harmonise and jam from city to country. Their journey across the stage is also a great larrikin tribute to everything Australian and a wonderful musical education tool for little kids and big kids alike .

Who sings on the CD?

Troy Cassar Daley, country music star 

"Music is a gift that is sometimes taken for granted, to some it's a living, and that's it, but to me it's a huge passion! As a child growing up in a single parent relationship music gave me a home in lonely times and a smile when there was no one else to give one. Kids are our world! Sick kids in particular are precious little souls and I hope that music brings them comfort and peace they need." 

Jimmy Barnes 

"Music does amazing things. It can transport you to another place and another time, reminding you of pivotal moments in your life. It can make you feel sad as easy as it can bring you joy. But most people don't recognise the healing properties of music. If it heals you physically or lifts your spirit which in turn helps with recovery, I'm not sure, but I've seen many cases where the music has helped the healing process of adults and children. Music is the language of the soul and should never be underestimated." 

Guy Parker Rees

The Skat Kats art work has been kindly donated by world famous children’s illustrator Guy Parker Rees (whose works include K is for Kissing a Cool Kangaroo and Giraffes Can’t Dance among many others.) Guy has bought our songs to life with his infectiously jolly pictures and delivered his product beautifully and professionally in a matter of days of us asking. Big love to Guy! See more about Guy at guyparkerrees.com

Rebecca Breeds(who plays Ruby on Home & Away)

"Ruby and Sara and Ella all prove that just because you have cancer or cancer in your family, you can still be a very cool little Kat! They are truly inspirational."

Alan Jones

“It’s easy to support a project that helps young people be happy in their environment especially if that environment involves personal struggle. Music is one of the great languages of life and gives us a capacity to think beyond the circumstances that envelop us.”

Felicity Urquhart

“Go the Skat Kats and the Sydney Children’s Hospital. And may the rhythm of your music continue to touch many lives.” Felicity is a multiple winner of the Golden Guitar Awards and known as one of Australia’s outstanding country music talents. She performs with Australia’s top trumpeter, the Spec-Katular James Morrison on the CD. James is a multi-instrumentalist and arguably Australia’s most famous jazz musician. James is also patron of the Kirrawee High School Big Band, some members of which play with the Skat Kats band.

Brain tumours are the most common solid childhood cancer in Australia today. Brain tumours affect many systems of the body. Many children with brain tumours are hard of hearing from the chemotherapy; others have vision problems; some can’t walk or balance; whilst others are plagued by learning problems and mood disorders. There is also a high risk of recurrence and mortality, especially for malignant brain tumours. Brain tumours remain among the most costly out of pocket cancers to treat because sufferers are left with so many deficits – ie vision, hearing, mood and gait problems. The lifetime cost of treating a brain tumour per family is about three times more than the average costs families face for other cancers, according to the NSW Cancer Council.

The good news is that many inroads have been made in the treatment of brain tumours. Sydney Children's Hospital Randwick, through groundbreaking treatment and research, is leading the way in giving these children a much better chance of long term survival.

WHERE WILL THE MONEY GO FROM SKAT KATS CDs ?

All funds raised from Skat Kats CDs will go to Sydney Children's Hospital Randwick to keep the children’s brain tumour treatment and rehabilitation program operating. Private ongoing funding will soon cease and we need your help for it to continue. This vital program provides phsyio, occupational therapy, psychology services, speech therapy and other services for 40-60 children every year.

The Brain Tumour Rehabilitation Program offers a multidisciplinary team approach which ensures the best possible outcomes and optimum level of functioning for these children and their families. The highly talented team is made up of a neuro-oncology nurse co-ordinator, occupational therapist, physiotherapist, clinical psychologist, speech pathologist and neuro-psychologist. They liaise with closely with doctors and social workers and follow the children from the beginning of treatment at the hospital through to post discharge recovery.

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