Celebrating The Great Trumpet & Sax Duos

• Ewen Baird Tenor Saxophone
• Andy Townsend Trumpet
• Martin Pickett Piano
• Steve Kershaw Double Bass
• Mike Goff Drums
   

In jazz, the pairing of a saxophone and a trumpet is the foundational "horn section" for most small combos (quartets and quintets). These pairings are valued because they blend the "softness" and focused projection of a brass instrument (trumpet) with the "edginess" and flexible articulation of a reed instrument (saxophone). Tonight we explore the pairings that epitomise this blend of instruments, with music from all-time great duos, including Miles Davis with John Coltrane, Freddie Hubbard with Dexter Gordon, and Hank Mobley with Lee Morgan.

Ewen Baird (saxophonist and bandleader) - Originally from Malawi, Ewen spent his formative years in Edinburgh. He is currently based in Oxford and has performed with Jim Mullen, Steve Waterman, Geoff Castle, Kenny Baker and Dave Jones. He has an MMus in Jazz performance from Birmingham Conservatoire and teaches the saxophone and Jazz Improvisation around Oxfordshire. He has played with Andy Townsend and the trio on many gigs covering the music of the great jazz saxophonists.

Andy Townsend - a respected British jazz trumpeter and cornetist, known for leading his own big band, teaching brass instruments (especially in the Reading/Berkshire area) and often playing tribute concerts to jazz legends like Clifford Brown, Freddie Hubbard, Charles Mingus and Art Blakey's The Jazz Messengers. Andy is also a conductor at Abingdon Senior School, specifically with their Big Band, Brass Band, and Symphonic Wind Band, leading performances and playing trumpet for school events like Remembrance services.