Category Archives: Lessons

2023 Christmas Project – God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen

Well done to the seven ‘Merry Gentlemen’ of Cambridge Saxophone who put their recordings in by the deadline. This project is always good fun, but remember it’s having the deadline that pushes you to do this. We need more of you to pick up the mantle and be brave enough to record yourselves, it’s the best way to improve!

Have a wonderful Christmas!

2022 Christmas Project

Fewer in number this year, but not lacking in quality. This was a tough ask and I really wanted to stretch students this year, a number fell by the wayside, but these 5 managed it, so well done to them…

Perhaps we go back to an easier version next year?

2021 Student Christmas Project – Silent Night

Here is our 2021 Student Christmas Project from the ‘A Jazzy Christmas’ book from Wise Music. Thank you to all of you who got involved with this and sent in a recording. The Christmas project is a great way to gauge your progress from year to year and it thrills me each year when individual students can offer me more ‘bars’ and some can even get through the whole solo, when just a few years ago the melody would have been a challenge.

Keep up the amazing work, and here’s to 2022!

2020 Christmas Project – Your Contributions

So here it is – in honour of the ‘Lockdown Christmas’ we have our 2020 Student’s Christmas Project. It was so thrilling to see all of you not only mastering the music but also the technology as this was the first year that everyone has sent in contributions from home. We’ve had contributions from the USA, Saudi Arabia, Vietnam, Thailand, Liverpool and even Royston!

Please do share and well done. Each year our Christmas project gives you a chance to measure your progress from last year. I’m already looking forward to hearing what you will have in Christmas 2021!

2020 Christmas Project

2020 is going to be a very different Christmas from what all of us have known before, but it doesn’t mean we shouldn’t get together and do our traditional students Christmas Project.

All our pieces are taken from this book

A Jazzy Christmas Alto Sax

A Jazzy Christmas Tenor Sax

Sadly, this years can’t be found in the latest edition of the book so PLEASE DO GET THE BOOK, but download the files here

On your recoding you SHOULD PLAY WITH HEADPHONES so I can only hear you!

Submit your file to [email protected] by 5pm (GMT) Friday, 18th December 2020

McCoy Tyner

It was with sadness that I heard of the passing on Friday, 6th March of the legendary pianist McCoy Tyner. I feel it an incredible privilege to have heard Mr Tyner at the Barbican back in November 2011 with Chris Potter and I’ve compiled a Vlog and playlists for you below.

Enjoy and share!