Blog

We are incredibly grateful to Sax Bandits for choosing to support Younger People With Dementia (YPWD) through their first ever festival, SaxoFest. SaxoFest raised an incredible £3,564.75 for families living with young onset dementia. Watch our reactions to the official announcement below: Every pound raised at SaxoFest will help us continue supporting people diagnosed with dementia under the age ofRead more

Three amazing masterclasses. A brilliant way to spend an afternoon amongst inspiring professionals. At SaxoFest, guests were incredibly lucky to have three passionate speakers sharing their insights and talents of the saxophone. ‘Solo Over Dance Music’ with Liz Greenwood Liz Greenwood brought brilliant energy to the Solo Over Dance Music Masterclass. She shared her musical background and her down-to-earth approachRead more

My wife Liz has been a member of Sax Bandits for nine years, so when she told me the band were celebrating their 10th anniversary by throwing a festival, I was excited to know more! I’m not a musician myself, but I do love listening to and watching great music – especially anything featuring a saxophone. Growing up listening toRead more

At some point in your playing, you are going to have to ‘sight read’ music – the stuff of nightmares or an exciting challenge?  The good news is that, unless you are a seasoned pro, you will always have some time to look at the score and ‘get the picture’. But what should you look out for? We asked playersRead more

“Do you ever get nervous when you perform?” As a professional musician, this is a question I’m asked frequently, and the answer is…“it depends”. Some performance situations are so familiar they are not daunting at all. At other times, I feel just as nervous as I did when doing my first ever performance. Most, if not all of us, haveRead more

I remember the occasion as if it were only yesterday when one morning in January 2018 my adult daughter said “Mum, can I sell my flute and saxophone?”. Somewhat shocked by the question I responded, “You can sell the flute but not the saxophone”. “Why?” she replied. “Because I am going to learn to play it one day”, to whichRead more

Improvising a solo over many different styles of music shares a number of common themes and approaches, however, there are some basic concepts that, for me, are especially important for pop music. These are my guidelines to ensure you match the energy and the musical narrative of a track instead of following strict rules that restrict how you approach yourRead more

Whether you’re a professional player or hobbyist, musicians at all levels appreciate the magical feeling of ‘finding their groove’. It’s that synchronous moment when the notes you play (action) and the dynamic you create (impact), marry with the energy you’re giving to the performance and the technique you’re using to make it all happen. It’s a beautiful thing… …but whatRead more

I’ve never been in a calendar before… but here I was on Day 16 of the Windsor & Eton Living Advent Calendar. The hours of practice and agony I put my family and neighbours through was finally going to come to fruition and be unveiled to an unsuspecting public audience! I doubted it would even be possible to perform ourRead more

Three years ago, I hadn’t ever played an instrument… This year at age 63, I married my partner of 22 years and played the saxophone along with a jazz band at my wedding! How on earth did this happen?! I’ve always loved music but I never had the opportunity to learn an instrument when I was younger, so it didn’tRead more

Sunday 29th September 2024 saw the inaugural launch of the Battle of the Bands which included Sax Bandits’ six regional bands. We arrived with our two guests, tenor sax, alto sax, music stand, two sax stands, a meat platter and some sandwiches. Helpful Sax Bandits members in high-vis vests directed us into the car park from where we and otherRead more

In the world of Jazz, there are some exceptional female saxophonists who have redefined the genre with their innovative sounds and distinctive styles. I would like to introduce you to, or remind you of, three contemporary artists along with some of my favourite albums that they’ve produced. When I listen to these saxophonists their music feels accessible to me. DespiteRead more

Twenty saxophonists turned up at Sunningdale Village Hall on a rainy Saturday in February. It was quickly established after quick around-the-room introductions that many of us had limited experience with ‘playing by ear’ which helped quell some initial nerves. Our friendly saxophone guide, Hannah Horton, had sent out some materials before the workshop, two songs and a minor scale, soRead more

Before I started playing Soprano with the Sax Bandits, from time to time I would perform publicly at charity events, contribute to open mic nights and entertain the residents at local care homes. It is without doubt that playing in the care homes boosted my confidence and encouraged me to play to more wider and diverse audiences. Now that I’mRead more

Following our super saxy performance at BunkFest in September there was no time to rest on our laurels, we went straight into learning a new set of songs for our annual ‘Christmas Busking Bash’ at the Henley Living Advent Calendar on Monday 18th December 2023. As a newbie to the group at the beginning of the year, the Christmas gigRead more

I always liked the idea of playing the saxophone and the national lockdown of 2020 meant I had an increased amount of spare time, so I thought why not – lets order a saxophone online and give it a go! Getting started in a remote world presented some challenges. I was fortunate to find a great teacher who offered onlineRead more

I’m still absolutely buzzing from playing at BunkFest earlier this month and I find myself humming Britney and Metallica tunes at strange times of the day! I’ve been playing alto sax with Sax Bandits for about 6 years and have seen it grow from a small band rehearsing at the Wallingford Scout Hut, to six individual bands meeting throughout Oxfordshire,Read more

Twenty Seven years ago my husband bought me a tenor saxophone to celebrate the birth of our son. This amazing gift brought me a step closer to a long-held ambition to play this beautiful instrument. However, as a new parent I decided that even if I could find the time to practice, the noise I would make wouldn’t necessarily beRead more

There is an abundance of high quality free tutorials from pro saxophone tutors on YouTube, covering a wide range of musical topics for all abilities. As an educational resource, it can be extrememly valuable for learners and teachers alike. Here are a selection of our favourite YouTube channels for saxophonists. The Saxophone Academy Dr. Wally Wallace strikes a perfect balanceRead more

I’ve been playing with Sax Bandits for about a year now and would like to say thank you to everyone involved for making it so enjoyable! My first experience with the saxophone was at my sister’s wedding. The saxophonist played to us sweetly as we enjoyed our dinner, and then played some serious solos during the evening party – toRead more