- Andy Sheppard
Infobox musical artist
Name = Andy Sheppard
Img_capt = Andy Sheppard (r) inMonaco withCarla Bley andPaolo Fresu
Img_size =
Landscape = yes
Background = non_vocal_instrumentalist
Birth_name =
Alias =
Born = Birth date and age|1957|1|20
Died =
Origin =Warminster , U.K.
Instrument = Tenor sax Soprano sax
Voice_type =
Genre =Post bop
Occupation =
Years_active =
Label =
Associated_acts = Sphere,Gil Evans ,Carla Bley ,George Russell , Steve Lodder, Kathryn Tickell,John Parricelli ,Joanna MacGregor ,Dave Buxton andSteve Swallow
URL =
Current_members =
Past_members =
Notable_instruments =Andy Sheppard (born
January 20 1957 ) is a Britishjazz saxophonist andcomposer . He has been awarded several prizes at theBritish Jazz Awards , and has worked with some notable figures in contemporary jazz, includingGil Evans ,Carla Bley ,George Russell andSteve Swallow .Biography
Sheppard was born in
Warminster ,England . At the age of 19 he emerged as a musician in the [Salisbury] -based conteporary quartet "Sphere" in the late 1970s, gigging only three weeks after picking up the saxophone. He honed his skills in the wine bars and jazz clubs of [UK and Europe] in the early 1980s. He also played with world music groupsFact|date=July 2007 and with more established improvisers such asKeith Tippett . While still with Sphere, Sheppard moved toParis , working with French bands Lumière and Urban Sax.In the mid-1980s Sheppard returned to the UK and released his self-titled debut solo album, featuring
Randy Brecker andSteve Swallow , who also produced the album. The record was well received and led to Sheppard being awarded the Best Newcomer prize at the 1987British Jazz Awards , followed by the Best Instrumentalist Award in 1988. '87 also saw Sheppard joinGeorge Russell 'sLiving Time Orchestra and tourGil Evans .Second solo album, "Introductions In The Dark", was released in 1989. Unusually for a jazz record the album entered the UK pop charts. Off the back of this Sheppard was awarded Best Album and Best Instrumentalist in 1989's British Jazz Awards, became the subject of
television documentaries for both theBBC andHTV , and tour the world, taking the first Western jazz group to play inOuter Monglolia .Sheppard formed his first
big band , the "Soft On The Inside Band", in 1990 for an album of the same name. The band featured many notable players, including drummerHan Bennick ,trumpet playerClaude Deppa and trombonistGary Valente . This band morphed into In Co-Motion, which included keyboardistSteve Lodder and bassistSylvan Richardson , who released aneponymous album in 1991. After this Sheppard signed a deal withBlue Note Records , who issued "Rhythm Method" in 1993. The In Co-Motion band was expanded for this release and dubbed Big Co-Motion. Big Co-Motion recorded a live album atLondon jazz club Ronnie Scott's, "Delivery Suite", which was released by Blue Note in 1994.Discography
Albums as leader
*"Andy Sheppard" (1987), with Randy Brecker,Dave Buxton , Dave Defries, Paul Dunmall, Nick Evans, Simon Gore, Mamadi Kamara, Pete Maxfield, Orphy Robinson, Rick Smith, Jerry Underwood
*"Introductions in the Dark" (1989), with David Adams, Dave Buxton, Simon Gore, Mamadi Kamara, Steve Lodder, Pete Maxfield, Orphy Robinson, Chris Watson
*"Soft on the Inside" (1990), with Han Bennink, Chris Biscoe, Dave Buxton, Claude Deppa, Simon Gore, Pete Hurt, Mamadi Kamara, Steve Lodder, Pete Maxfield, Ernst Reijseger, Kevin Robinson, Orphy Robinson, Gary Valente, Mano Ventura
*"In Co-Motion" (1991), with Claude Deppa, Steve Lodder, Sylvan Richardson, Jr., David Adams
*"Rhythm Method" (1993), with David Adams, Julian Argüelles, Claude Deppa, Steve Lodder, Sylvan Richardson Jr., Kevin Robinson, Ashley Slater, Jerry Underwood, Gary Valente
*"Delivery Suite" (1994), with David Adams, Julian Argüelles, Claude Deppa, Steve Lodder, Sylvan Richardson Jr., Kevin Robinson, Ashley Slater, Jerry Underwood, Gary Valente
*"Inclassifiable" (1995) - Andy Sheppard, Steve Lodder andNana Vasconcelos
*"Moving Image" (1996) - Andy Sheppard and Steve Lodder, with Dudley Philips, Mark Mondesir, Johnny Taylor, Richard Ajileye, Bosco d'Olivera
*"Learning to Wave" (1998), with Paul Clarvis, Chris Laurence, Steve Lodder, John Parricelli, Sharda Sahai
*"Dancing Man & Woman" (2000), with Kuljit Bhamra, Paul Clarvis, Steve Lodder, Chris Laurence, John Parricelli, Steve Swallow
*"Nocturnal Tourist" (2001), with John Parricelli
*"Music for a New Crossing" (2001) - Andy Sheppard & Kathryn Tickell
*"PS" (2003) - Andy Sheppard &John Parricelli Collaborations
*"Deep River" (2006)Joanna MacGregor & Andy Sheppard
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.