Derek Nash
At the forefront of the British Jazz Movement, Derek is “one of the most versatile saxophonists in the UK today” (the Guardian).
He has been a member of the Jools Holland Rhythm and Blues Orchestra since 2004, has led Sax Appeal for over forty years, fronts the funk/fusion band Protect the Beat, the Latin band Picante, The Wonder of Stevie show and is a member of the Ronnie Scott’s Blues Explosion.
He is renowned for his energetic, vibrant, passionate and charismatic performances on all four saxophones from sonorous baritone to soaring soprano.
An award-winning performer – he’s won the John Dankworth Award and British Jazz Award (Small Group) for Sax Appeal; Best Jazz CD of the Year for Young Lions, Old Tigers with the late Spike Robinson, and again Best Jazz CD of the year in 2012 for Joyriding with his Acoustic Quartet. He has also been nominated for Jazz Musician of the Year by the Global Music Foundation and voted in the top 5 alto saxophonists in the British Jazz Awards on numerous occasions.
He has recorded five solo CDs, Setting New Standards, 1998, alongside Clark Tracey, Alec Dankworth and Graham Harvey and Snapshot, 2009, with Jan Lundgren, Geoff Gascoyne and Steve Brown, Joyriding, in 2011 and featuring Dave Newton (voted top UK jazz pianist on 14 occasions), Geoff Gascoyne and Sebastiaan de Krom, You’ve got to Dig it to Dig it, you Dig in 2015 and Down on Frenchmen street in 2019 with the same line up.
As a member of the Jools Holland Rhythm and Blues Orchestra Derek performs approaching 100 concerts per year, including for 65,000 people at the Cardiff Millennium Stadium and for over 100,000 at the Glastonbury Festival, where he was a featured soloist. He’s appeared on every “Hootenanny” New Years Eve TV show since 2004 and on the last 12 CDs by the band. He has performed live and on TV with such greats as Rod Stewart (No 1 Album Swing Fever), Eric Clapton, David Sanborn, Sir Paul McCartney, Solomon Burke, Adele, Nile Rogers, Annie Lennox, Eddie Floyd, Sam Moore, Amy Winehouse, Chaka Khan, Gregory Porter, Tom Jones and many more.
Sax Appeal (British Jazz Award Winners in their own right) features some of the leading saxophonists in the UK including Mornington Lockett, Gary Plumley, Bob McKay, Scott Garland, Simon Allen, Nigel Hitchcock, Dave O’Higgins, Paul Booth, Tim Garland and Matt Wates. They are supported by top rhythm section Phil Scragg (bass), Mike Bradley (drums) and Pete Adams (piano). They have recorded seven CDs, Flat Out, 1991, Let’s Go, 1994, Outside In, 1997, Take No Prisoners, 2000, The Flatiron Suite, 2006, Funkerdeen 2012 and Big Bad Trouble in 2018
The Wonder of Stevie performs the music of Stevie Wonder. Featuring the mesmeric Noel McCalla on Vocals (Morrissey Mullen/ Manfred Mans Earth band) alongside an all-star band features Neil Angilley – piano, Tim Cansfield – guitar, Jonathan Noyce – bass, Nic France – drums. Musicians whose credits include Bill Withers, The Bee Gees, Gary Moore, Michael Ball and Alfie Boe.
Protect the Beat performs original, contemporary funk/groove material, following in the steps of the great Morrissey Mullen and The Yellowjackets. Playing at jazz festivals all over the world, the band features Darby Todd, Winston Blissett, Arden Hart and Tim Cansfield who have played with, among others, Massive Attack, George Clinton, Buddy Whittington and the Bee Gees. They have two CDs, It Ain’t Dinner Jazz, 2002, and Intrepid, 2007.
As a member of the Ronnie Scott’s Blues Explosion he performs regularly at the world-famous club alongside blues great Tony Remy, Paddy Milner, Frank Tontoh, George Hogg, Winston Rollins and Nic Cohen. They feature top blues guests, one of which was Jack Bruce. He was so impressed with the band, that he invited them to become his regular European touring band for the last 5 years of his life.
As much an arranger/composer as a performer, Derek has composed virtually all the Sax Appeal repertoire. His Setting New Standards CD was a collaboration with his father, Pat, and his latest CD will include seven new compositions. He has also composed TV and radio. As an arranger, he has written for Annie Lennox, Kylie Minogue, Mavis Staples, Alison Moyet, Lulu, Ruby Turner, David Sanborn, Dave Edmunds, Martha Reeves and the Vandelas and Jools Holland R&B Orch.
He has appeared on CDs with many other artists including Don Grusin, George Melly, Bob Dorough, Jools Holland, Tom Jones, Peter Green, Shakatak, Lulu, David Sanborn, India Arie, Geoff Gascoyne, Alison Moyet, Digby Fairweather and Trudy Kerr.
He has performed with Don and Dave Grusin, John Etheridge, Ray Gelato, Russell Ferrante, Nelson Rangell, Snake Davis, Bob Dorough, Oscar Castro Neves, Lillian Boutte, Clare Teal, John Etheridge, Jamie Cullum, Humphrey Lyttelton, Alan Barnes and Eddi Readier.
He has also worked with boogie-maestro Ben Waters, appearing on his CDs, Shakin’ in the makin’, Hurricane and Boogie for Stu (alongside Keith Richards) and performing a series of dates with Axel Zwingenberger and Charlie Watts.
Derek owns and operates Clowns Pocket Recording Studios. As a record producer and engineer, he has worked with such musicians as Jamie Cullum (where he received a gold disc for Pointless Nostalgic), Bobby Wellins, Stan Tracey, Martin Drew, Georgie Fame, Alan Barnes, Tim Garland, Geoff Gascoyne, Tony Remy, Dave O’Higgins, Eric Alexander, Kirk Lightsley, Clark Tracey, Tom Cawley’s Curios, and Trudy Kerr.
He is a co-director of Jazzizit records, a UK independent Jazz label.
“…bravura display of contemporary saxophone” – The Observer
“…breathtaking” – The Sunday Times
“From smooth cool to groovy funk, to ingeniously recast standards…the music fizzes with energy…*****” – The Observer
