Dean Masser is a tenor saxophonist who is continuing the legacy of the greatest exponents of the instrument in the jazz idiom.

From an early age, Dean was exposed to the music of Duke Ellington and Count Basie, and the sounds of players like Ben Webster, Lester Young and Eddie Lockjaw Davis.

When he started to play saxophone in his teens, he was drawn to the big-toned, hard swinging style of Dexter Gordon, and later Sonny Rollins, John Coltrane, Johnny Griffin, Stanley Turrentine et al.

After studying at the City of Leeds College of Music for three years, emerging as saxophone prizewinner, he became a member of the Jack Parnell Quartet, which recorded a live album during a week-long stint at Ronnie Scott’s.

Since then, Dean has played alongside many of the leading names in British jazz at numerous venues and festivals. He has many television and radio appearances to his credit, and released his first album as leader in 2010.                                                                                    

Lara James is widely recognised as Wales'

foremost classical saxophonist and her varied

work as a musician extends from contemporary

classical to many other genres.

ROB BUCKLAND is internationally acclaimed as one of the most distinctive and versatile Saxophonists of his generation. Appearing as concerto and recital soloist, with his Equivox Trio (with pianist Peter Lawson and percussionist Simone Rebello), and with the Apollo Saxophone Quartet, Rob performs throughout the UK, Europe and Japan. Recent highlights include the British Premiere of Jacob TV’s Saxophone Concerto in May 2009, a solo performance of John Williams’ Concerto “Escapades” with the RLPO in Feb 09, and CBSO in Oct 09, a performance of Sir Harrison Birtwistle’s “Panic” Concerto at the Royal Festival Hall in London, at the invitation of the composer, a gala concerto performance by invitation at the 14th World Saxophone Congress in Slovenia, a performance with the Macau Chamber Orchestra and three performances with the Chinese National Symphony Orchestra in Beijing in the orchestra’s prestigious new-year concerts in Beijing, televised and broadcast to 1.5 million people. Forthcoming Concerto performances include the premiere of the orchestral version of Andy Scott’s Dark Rain (a double concerto written for him and John Harle) in the spring of 2010, and a performance of John William’s escapades with the Orchestra of Opera North in Feb 2010.

Mike Hall

Mike has been an active musician for thirty-five years. After playing the Mozart Clarinet Concerto with the Edinburgh Schools Symphony Orchestra he moved to saxophone with the National Youth Jazz Orchestra and to make frequent national broadcasts with composer/pianist Michael Garrick with whom he toured Malaysia in 1995.

Mike turned professional in 1993. Now, heading Jazz Studies at the RNCM, Mike teaches jazz improvisation, theory, history, saxophone and directs the RNCM Big Band and Jazz Collective. He also maintains a busy performance schedule all over the country.

Dave  o'higgins

“A stunning player in the neo-bop vein, with an apparently effortless flow of coherent ideas, beautiful time and a highly developed harmonic sense.”

JAZZ GUIDE

Dave has played over the years with “everyone and their auntie” from Martin Taylor to Ray Charles, Matthew Herbert to Salif Keita. He has also done a fair amount of studio work (jingles, pop stuff, films, library), composes & arranges for jazz ensembles of all sizes, and teaches saxophone & harmony at the London Centre for Contemporary Music and Goldsmiths College.

Paul Dunmall

After turning professional at seventeen and touring Europe for one year with progressive rock group Marsupilami he moved to America and lived there for 3 years playing with many musicians including Alice Coltrane and toured with Johnny Guitar Watson for one year. On his return to the UK he worked with folk musicians Polly Bolton/Kevin Dempsey and groupings worked around the Dando Shaft band. In 1979 he became a founder member of the jazz group Spirit Level with pianist Tim Richards plus playing free improvised music with the Nigel Morris trio. At this time also Paul played in the London Improvised music scene.  In 1985 the group Tenor Tonic was formed with Alan Skidmore, Tony Levin and Paul Rogers. In 1987 Paul joined the London Jazz Composers Orchestra lead by Barry Guy and joined Danny Thompson's Folk/Jazz hybrid Whatever. The following year the outstanding collective quartet Mujician was formed with Keith Tippett, Tony Levin, Paul Rogers. Whilst playing in these groups Paul was also still playing in many ad hoc groups plus playing in several of Elton Deans ensembles. Since 2000 Paul is still freelancing and has been playing in the composer's Brian Irvine's 14 piece band. In 2003 Brian was commissioned by the BBC to write a full orchestral piece with freely improvised saxophone,

The first Helliwell official public appearance with Supertramp was in March ’74 at the Queens Club in Westcliff although he had also performed the new single with them on the BBCs “Rock On” some weeks previously. Recording for Crime of the Century was finished by June and released in September.

Munch Manship was born in Guisborough, in the North East of England in 1952.

An early interest in Jazz prompted him to take up the Saxophone. The late great Ronnie Asperey taught him and by the age of eighteen Munch was working as a professional musician. His first gigs were with the Gene Jarred Orchestra performing at the Marton Country Club near Middlesbrough. He then joined the Eric Delaney Band, touring the U.K. It was whilst being an itinerant musician he secured an engagement for the Mecca Ballroom Circuit. His first Mecca engagement being with Gene Mayo and his Orchestra at The Top Of The World Ballroom in Stafford.

Matt London

Matt has a growing reputation as a classical contemporary saxophonist and composer specialising on tenor saxophone and is committed to performing, commissioning and composing new music for the instrument. 

Alan Barnes

1977-80 Alan studied saxophone, woodwinds and arranging at the Leeds College of music.

In 1980 he moved to London, playing with the Midnight Follies Orchestra and the following year was with the Pasadena Roof Orchestra, touring Europe until 1983. In that year he left to join the hard bop band of Tommy Chase where he attracted considerable attention on the UK jazz scene for the first time.

He left Chase in 1986 to co-lead The Jazz Renegades with rock drummer Steve White travelling as far afield as Japan and recording four well received albums. In 1988 Alan was asked to fill the chair recently vacated by Bruce Turner in the Humphrey Lyttleton band where he stayed until 1992. 1987-97 he also found time to lead the Pizza Express Modern Jazz Sextet with Gerard Prescencer and Dave O’Higgins. Since leaving the Lyttleton band, Alan has concentrated on his freelance career.

     Fiona Asbury

In 2000, Fiona was awarded a scholarship by the Associated Board (ABRSM) to study saxophone at the RNCM, where she studied with Rob Buckland. Whilst a student at the College, she was awarded the RNCM’s highest performance award, the Professional Performance Diploma, (PPRNCM). She has since graduated with a first class honours degree. During Fiona’s four years at the RNCM, she appeared in master classes with John Harle, Ken Radnofsky and Phil Woods.

    Musical instrument insurance.

In The Devil's Horn, Segell traces the 160-year history of the saxophone a horn that created a sound never before heard in nature, and that from the moment it debuted has aroused both positive and negative passions among all who hear it. The saxophone has insinuated itself into virtually every musical idiom that has come along since its birth as well as into music with traditions thousands of years old. But it has also been controversial, viewed as a symbol of decadence, immorality and lasciviousness: it was banned in Japan, saxophonists have been sent to Siberian lockdown by Communist officials, and a pope even indicted it.

Founded in 1976, the Clarinet and Saxophone Society was formed for the benefit of everyone who has an interest in the clarinet or saxophone and their repertoire.

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