First gaining recognition as a member of the ground-breaking band Loose Tubes, Tim continued to develop his own music, recording for Spotlite Records and Editions EG – “English People” and “Decision” with his own bands. “There are many fine tenor players on the current 
British scene but Tim Whitehead is undoubtedly one of the best we have” Peter Lund – Crescendo.
“Whitehead has a highly personal, always gorgeous sound on tenor and an infinite vocabulary – in a country of fine saxophonists he is one of the finest.” Peter Bacon, Jazz CD of the Week, Birmingham Post *****
“There are many fine tenor players on the current British scene but Tim Whitehead is undoubtedly one of the best we have” Peter Lund – Crescendo
‘For my money, the finest tenor player in Britain today” Andy Hamilton – Jazz Review
‘Whitehead more than justified his growing reputation as one of Britain’s most thoughtful composers and improvisers.’
Chris Parker – The Times
‘Whitehead is one of the most creative, exciting and passionate saxophonists in Europe and also one of the finest small-group composers’. Ian Carr – A Rough Guide
Tim Whitehead was born in Liverpool , the son of one of the original writers of Dennis the Menace in the children’s comic, The Beano. His first public performance was as solo clarinettist in his school orchestra’s rendition of Mozart’s Clarinet Concerto, conducted by his fellow pupil, the now knighted, Sir Simon Rattle. From this promising musical beginning, Tim decided to follow a career in Law, but was pulled back to music, and more specifically jazz, soon after qualifying. During his career, Tim has played extensively throughout the UK and Europe, and more recently in the USA with American pianist Phil DeGreg. In the 70s he toured with Ian Carr’s Nucleus and Graham Collier Music and won the Young Jazz Musicians of the Year Award with his own band South of the Border in 1977.
In the 80’s he was a member of the ground-breaking big band Loose Tubes, and continued to develop his own music, recording for Spotlite Records and Editions EG – English People (1983) and Decision (1987) with his own bands, featuring at different times John Parricelli, Django Bates, Nic France and Pete Jacobsen. In the 90’s he recorded Authentic and Silence Between Waves, on Ronnie Scott’s Jazz House Label with Dave Barry, Pete Jacobsen and Arnie Somogyi, and received The Andrew Milne Award for Jazz, as well as several other commissions during this period. In 1999 Tim released Personal Standards, an album of soul and pop tunes arranged for jazz quartet, which received widespread interest and critical praise including Jazz Album of the Year in the BBC Music Magazine, and led to an educational project at Trinity College of Music under the same title.
In 2009 he was the first ever musician Artist in Residence at Tate Britain (funded by an award from The Leverhulme Trust),to research and compose music in response to the work of JMW Turner. During the residency he wrote “Colour Beginnings”,a series of compositions written from transcribed improvisations performed in front of and in response to a selection of JMW Turner’s watercolour sketches. The work was performed at Tate Britain in November 2009 following a series of lecture demonstrations in October.The performance was also recorded for release in 2010 and filmed for a profile on the project by Gwynhelek Productions. December 2009 saw a collaboration with Colin Riley and The Royal College Of Music String Orchestra, to perform “Landscapes With Birds”by Riley for tenor and soprano saxes, which Tim performed with them at St James Church Piccadilly in London , and which was also performed at The Royal College Of Music in January 2010. In 2010 he continued touring Nonsense with Michael Rosen and The Homemade Orchestra remained active in the Way Out West co-operative, and organised a fund raising concert for the charity “Parents For Inclusion”,for whom he serves as a trustee. In Autumn he toured and released the CD album “Colour Beginnings”, to critical acclaim, receiving a four star review in The Guardian, five stars in The BBC Music Magazine and three in The Times. He was also nominated and shortlisted for The British Composer Of The Year Awards 2010. The Guardian invited him to write a feature article on “Colour Beginnings”and his residency at Tate Britain which was published on September 24 th . In 2011 Colour Beginnings is again being toured from April onwards, and work begins on a new project for young children with Michael Rosen and The Homemade Orchestra, to be launched in autumn 2011.
Colour Beginnings has been shortlisted again, this time for the Parliamentary All Party Jazz Awards 2011 Album Of The Year.
Music 8.00 – 10.30pm Admission £10.00
at The Cock Inn, Clare, Suffolk CO10 8PX
Reservations strongly advised on 01787 237653 or or email Your booking is held until 8pm on the night. Doors open 7.30pm.
For details of future gigs go to www.jazz-nights.com
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