September 2008

A couple of gigs for SaxAssault are confirmed for this Autumn - Thursday 30th October at DeBees in Winsford & at the Lemon Tree in Aberdeen as part of the Sound Festival on Saturday 1st November.

Exciting for several reasons - it's great to gig again at DeBees, the last time SaxAssault was there we recorded our latest CD 'Sax of Gold'. It's an intimate venue (I play there the first Wednesday of each month with DB5+Laura) with great staff and a friendly atmosphere. It's an opportunity to catch up with all our North West supporters who've loyally followed SaxAssault growing up since 1994! Thanks to Damon & also Nick Hughes at DAN for making this gig happen.

On Friday 31st October we fly to Aberdeen for a fantastic Festival called SOUND in Aberdeen. I played there last year, performing a solo contemporary saxophone set, sharing the gig with the Ephrya Trio. This year Sound Festival (which runs for three weeks!) has organised 'SaxFest' - 'four days of events and workshops with some of the UK's finest saxophone players and ensembles'. Sound Festival has commissioned me to write a new ten-minute work for massed saxophones, which will be premiered on Sunday 2nd November in Aberdeen in addition to SaxAssault performing on the Saturday night! There's too much going on in SaxFest to mention here, and I'm honoured to play my part in it. If you're a sax player and/or enthusiast then it's well worth blocking out a few days in your diary to come to Aberdeen & be a part of this special event!! Please visit the Sound Festival web site: www.sound-scotland.co.uk.

Two more reasons for the inward excitement - circumstances sometimes dictate that some players in SaxAssault aren't always available for gigs (unfortunately), and this is the tricky part of booking very good players. However, it does mean that there is an opportunity for me to approach other fine players who then bring their own individuality, experience and take on the gig. This time I'm extremely fortunate to have secured the services of Ben Waghorn, Andy Schofield, Sam Andreae and pianist Dave Stapleton. Check any of their web sites & you'll appreciate how creative, experienced and brilliant they are!! I'm very much looking forward to working with them all.

Finally, we have an opportunity to include some of the latest SaxAssault compositions in our set list for DeBees & The Lemon Tree. Mike Hall & Rob Buckland have contributed new pieces to the band repertoire along with several charts that I've written. All this means that already SaxAssault has enough new material to record a third CD........ More news to follow!

If you're free it would be great to catch you at a SaxAssault gig!!

Andy Scott