Ann-Marie Atkins

I believe I was a born musician! It's something that I have always been into, from a very early age. The first instrument I learned was the recorder at school, but I actually took it seriously and quickly learned to read music and play quite well on the descant, treble and tenor recorders. At secondary school I started with the clarinet and worked my way through the grades to grade 6, along with singing. At that time, the saxophone was just a second instrument and I took it up again seriously into adulthood, by attending music college in Leeds. My main instrument now is the tenor saxophone for which I play straight ahead jazz, but I also play the alto and soprano, mainly for funk and soul and acoustic gigs. At college I also studied the flute as a subsidiary instrument and took piano lessons. In 2010 I took up playing the trombone snd subsequently the sousaphone as I enjoy listening to and playing reggae, ska and New Orleans style jazz. It was initially a bit of fun but I worked my way through the jazz grades on the trombone and then took that seriously too! I have also run and managed my own bands, which I still do: Brassbound, a funky, jazzy brass and wind street band; Silverrock, a reggae band and The Funk N Disorderleez, a funk, soul and disco band. I do lots of session work and recordings and really enjoy writing horn lines for songs. But my first love is playing live and at the moment, as well as playing with bands, I do quite a few solo performances to backing tracks or alongside a DJ or percussionist. You will always get a professional and lively performance from me, a friendly smile and plenty of engagement with the audience! Choose me for your special occasion and I will deliver a performance to remember!