Simon Allen

Award-winning saxophonist Simon Allen began his career with the National Youth Jazz Orchestra, picking up the Daily Telegraph ‘Young Jazz’ competition award as well as being a finalist in the ‘Young Jazz Musician of the Year’ along the way. After completing a degree at the Royal Academy of Music he was chosen by drummer Clark Tracey to join his acclaimed Quintet, winning further awards and touring the UK for over 7 years. However, it's probably as one of the featured saxophonists with the late, great, Stan Tracey's various outfits that Simon really established himself as a player of international stature. He joined Stan in 2005 and for more than 8 years performed in Stan's Octet and Big Band as well as appearing on Stan's final two quartet recordings and live on Jools Holland’s “Later” TV show. Outside of jazz, Simon has recorded and played live with Robbie Williams, Beverley Knight, Katie Melua and Jamie Cullum, is featured on the soundtracks of Tim Burton’s “Alice in Wonderland” and Sujoy Ghosh’s “Aladdin”, and leads a horn section which among others has backed Phil Collins, Eric Clapton and Paul McCartney. A leading light on the UK jazz scene, Simon has appeared at major UK venues and festivals including Ronnie Scott’s, the Barbican and Brecon Jazz Festival, and in 2014, was appointed Head of Jazz at the prestigious Purcell School of Music. He has recently released his first album under his own name, “Any Minute Now" and tonight will be featuring music from that album along with a stellar line up of similarly distinguished musicians, Martin Shaw-trumpet, Tom Cawley-piano, Laurence Cottle-bass and Mike Bradley-drums. Simon also tells us that he has invited some Special Guests along to create an enlarged 9-piece band for selected songs, including 2016 BBC Young Jazz Musician of the Year Alexandra Ridout on trumpet and 2014 finalist Sean Payne on sax. Promises to be quite a night!

“Allen...brings a searing urgency... [and] an anthemic soul-jazzy heat” The Guardian; “Allen's questing inventiveness and thrilling rhythmic interplay” Brisbane Jazz Club; “Allen...knows how to produce a luminous, floating tone...has an impressive technique, and constructs his solos with maturity and confidence” The Independent