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 playRead more
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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’sRead 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 themeRead 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 IRead 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 andRead 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, IRead 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 theRead 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 IRead 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 duringRead 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 myRead more
