Who is Penny and the Bandits?

Who the hell is/are Penny and the Bandits? 

Well.. for a pandemic, it’s been Jen Scott. I made up a band in my head during the pandemic so I'd have a vehicle for the songs I was writing. Cuz how else do you start a band during a pandemic? 

I've lucky enough to be joined by James Rone, Samantha Baker-Harris, Will Roberts, Josh Kaplan, Matt Patric, and am hoping to keep them for as long as they let me. <3

Wanna hear a story? 

Pre-2020, most of my professional work and creative outlets are done in groups of people. Everything ended, of course. As did childcare. 

And so, months later, when childcare was a possibility, I was in squeaky-eyed need of an outlet. 

I am a music major from an ag/engineering school. I’ve written music for years, but only for other people (oh hello, Chicago Avenue Project, you beautiful thing. I just wrote a musical with PRI this Fall 2022! Thank you, COMPAS for the opportunity!) 

I’ve written stories and sketches and plays, but mostly when prompted. 

The internet passed word, as the internet does, of these beautiful Kaleidoscope Creativity Cards by singer songwriter Laura Veirs. My assignment: write at least one song per week, two if possible. They don’t have to be good, they just have to be done. 

I have too much ego wrapped up in the bass and the piano; ain't no ego in an ukulele. 

I began to take a dreamy online ‘improvised genre music rollercoaster’ class from the Nursery Theater in London, while starting voice lessons from my neighbor and friend, the amazing Brianna Lane. Jim and Dennis of Table Salt Productions have been my guardian angels. 

So, here we are. Imperfect, but really really excited to sing these short and weird little things to you. Really really excited to play with other musicians and get their take. Really really excited to make more.