MUSICIANS RECORD ALBUM IN SUPPORT OF LOCAL HOSPITAL

SIDNEY,  JANUARY 11 2020: Local musicians spread some Christmas cheer to the Saanich Peninsula Hospital Foundation this past season by raising more than $1,000. In early December local musicians Sunny Shams and Paul Bankes floated the idea of a christmas album featuring the seasonal songs that the duo would normally perform live at the long-time Beacon Avenue coffee shop Alexander’s. “We had many patrons who were sad that it was not singing as usual because of the pandemic”, said Sandy Shams, owner of the shop. Sunny discussed the idea with Radio Sidney’s station manager Bill Collins who was delighted at the prospect of capturing the Christmas tradition.

To round out the sound Paul called up his two sons, Nelson and Morgan, well known in their own right as the Bankes Bros, to assist. The recording process was anything but business as usual given the very short time for recording and the requirement for isolation to ensure public health rules were followed and everybody was safe.

The recording went off without a hitch and 11 songs were recorded. Christmas favourites including White Christmas and Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas were complemented with the solo artistry of Sunny in his renditions of I’ll Be Home for Christmas and Ave Maria. Nelson Banks brought a jazzy feeling to the Elvis classic “Blue Christmas”. The band, affectionately known as Alexander's Ragtag Band had fun with Let It Snow and the complementary voices of Nelson and Morgan, Sunny on the piano and Paul providing the guitar chops.

From the beginning the team identified the Saanich Peninsula Hospital and Healthcare Foundation as a very worthy recipient of the donated proceeds. “Given the support that the hospital workers have provided to the community through the past 10 months we felt that it was only fitting that the community showed its gratitude” Collins noted. Karen Morgan, Executive Director of the SPHF said of the endeavour “ It is a wonderful demonstration of the community spirit that surrounds us all year but is particularly evident during the Christmas Season”.

Sales of the CD’s were brisk through the season. Copies are still available at Alexander’s Coffee. Radio Sidney also made digital copies available via its website radiosidney.ca. The album will be available until the end of January.