For several years, my tenor sax and I have had what can only be described as a polite but strained relationship. I bought it second‑hand during the pandemic, a time when many people baked sourdough or learned Italian, while I apparently chose to adopt a tenor saxophone that had barely been played. In hindsight, this may have been a warningRead more
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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
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
The Music At the beginning of 2024, it was looking likely that Sax Bandits were going to get booked to perform at CarFest in the summer. Unfortunately, due to unforeseen circumstances the opportunity didn’t materialise, but it did shape our set list for 2024. I selected the songs in our set list around the theme of cars and transport, whichRead 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
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
Since the pandemic, Sax Bandits has showed no signs of slowing down and this year was no exception. I wanted to reflect on the year as a whole, to celebrate the achievements of the band and offer my own personal perspective. The Music When choosing the set list at the beginning of the year, I decided to push the boundariesRead more
I hadn’t played much jazz in my three years of playing the saxophone but a post on the Sax HQ Community page about a ‘jazz jam’ caught my eye. It looked like a good way to try something new and develop my skills… It was an older post but when I commented on it the discussion quickly reignited and inspiredRead 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
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
What a Year It’s Been! Sax Bandits has continued to endure and grow in the aftermath of the global pandemic and I couldn’t be prouder of our achievements. We’ve all been affected in some way by the challenges of the past year, whether you’ve had covid or felt the pinch of petrol prices. In my opinion, these struggles highlight theRead more
Actually, very real indeed… A whole week of learning with Snake Davis, guest saxophonist of the first Sax Bandits lockdown video, and one of the most in-demand sax players in the world! Following a tip back in 2020 from my teacher (our very own Sorcerer of Sax, I managed to get a place on a one week Horn Camp inRead more
Grant has been an active member of Sax Bandits for a while now. When we caught wind that he was the owner of a boutique online shop offering saxophone-inspired products we simply had to find out more! Grant shares how Glide Products came about and the inspiration for his designs: “Glide Products was created to express my passion and loveRead more
As I sit here in a state of zen after my first sax bandits session in far too long, I want to share a few musings about the remarkable effect that attending these sessions has on my mental wellbeing. Like many band members, I was very involved in music at school but did little at university and 18 years later,Read more
Yes, you heard right… I’ve been learning sax for about 5 years now. I’ve done some hard things in my life but taking up a musical instrument for the first time at the age of 70 and trying to get the right notes in the right order at the right time has to rank as one of the most challenging…Read more
