I startd playing sax in the 80s, I was singing in a pop band and  all the others had sax players so I thought I’d have a go. I picked it up pretty quickly, learnt some simple scales and concentrated on playing the music in my head – I was already writing my own melodies for our songs.  I couldn’t read music at this point and so I played by ear, listening to records and repeating what I had heard. This by the way – is by far the best method: work out what the musicians you like are playing, and also listen to the music in your head and try to repeat it on the sax.

Over the next 20 years I played in many different bands, I also went to music college for a while. But most of the really good things I learnt came from fellow horn players. Particularly a great Alto player and teacher called Nick Homes – during the 10 years that we both played with soul legend Geno Washington. I have been lucky enough to have played with many great bands, with many great artists, and in many genres, The Foundations; The RSC; The Metrotones; Melanie Blatt… Rock; Pop:; Funk; Jazz; Soul; RnB; Rock n Roll…The saxophone is a lovely instrument and can be very expressive and spiritually rewarding – they don’t call it soul music for no reason.

It is actually fairly easy to master the mechanics, the real secret is to get a great sound – which I do, and am very confident I can show other people. This clip is of me playing with my function band, The Groovalators. Sax solo at the end.Hope you enjoy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EG8uwOfjeW4