Indie-folk maverick Simon Scardanelli's 4th solo album "Make Us Happy" released on 4th March 2016 sees a return to his roots with a ramshackle ensemble of accordions, fiddle, cajon, clarinet, soprano sax, guitars, mandolin and turkish cumbus in eclectic and unusual arrangements perfectly suited to his quirky original songwriting. From a song describing the perilous journey of a migrant, to the intimate confessions of a well-used dagger, Simon Scardanelli once again throws out the challenge to define "singer-songwriter". Think Squeeze in an Egyptian souk, 3 Daft Monkeys on steroids, or Beirut “You never know what is lurking around That Dangerous Sparkle’s dark corner, but whatever it is will always shock and surprise. Scardanelli is always prepared to take a risk, and we should all hope that it is this experimentation that is the future of British singer/songwriters.” – Evan Parker – base.ad May 07. Simon Scardanelli enjoyed success in the late eighties with Anglo-Canadian duo Big Bam Boo (MCA) scoring a top 20 radio hit in the US in March 1989, after which the band re-located to New York. Following the demise of Big Bam Boo in 1991 Scardanelli remained in New York, composing installation works for Art Events and experimental films, as well as performing at acoustic venues along the East Coast. A regular at the infamous Lach’s AntiFolk nights at the Sidewalk Café in New York’s East Village, Scardanelli released the darkly challenging Eye Camera album (Red Line) in 1994. Scardanelli returned to London in 1995 before moving to Brighton to take a degree in 20th Century Music at Sussex University. Disappearing from the live circuit, Scardanelli put his energies into experimenting with sonic-composition. He studied under under the supervision of renowned Composer Prof. Jonty Harrison at the University of Birmingham and was awarded a PhD in Musical Composition in 2010. Scardanelli returned to the live scene in 2005, releasing the raw & visceral solo acoustic album HOBOHEMIA, his first album in over 10 years, and has rapidly built a reputation as a startlingly original and commanding performer. Since then he has released That Dangerous Sparkle (2007), Dark Dog Days (2013) as well as various singles and EPs.
