Rory Duffy is a London-based saxophonist, pianist & music producer with a background in jazz and improvised music.
Raised in Stroud, south west England, Rory was brought up on a diet of Celtic folk, musical theatre and jazz. He wrote his first songs aged seven, took up the piano aged nine, alto saxophone aged eleven, clarinet aged sixteen, tenor & soprano saxophone aged sixteen and flute aged eighteen.
Rory studied saxophone at the Royal Northern College of Music with Rob Buckland, Andy Scott, Mike Hall and Julian Arguelles as the second recipient of the Martyn Edwards Scholarship for Jazz. During this time, Rory performed with the Royal Northern College of Music Big Band, appearing with Chris Potter, Pete Long, Norma Winstone and Johnny Dankworth, and attending masterclasses with Andy Sheppard and Bob Mintzer.
After graduating with distinction in 2009, Rory enjoys a busy career performing and recording with his own projects and as a freelance musician, appearing at events (private & corporate) festivals and venues throughout the UK.
Rory has worked in a variety of fields ranging from big bands and contemporary music groups to DJ's, jazz and world music ensembles, party bands and musical theatre productions to promotional and media work, studio sessions and saxophonic / symphonic wind orchestras and quartets. Highlights include entertaining the athletes at the London 2012 Olympic Games and appearing onstage in a production of The Blues Brothers: A Musical Tribute at the Arts Theatre in London's West End.
Rory has appeared at jazz clubs such as Band on the Wall, Matt & Phred's and The Hideaway Streatham. He has also played frequently at some of the big hotels such as the Hilton, Midland and Radisson, Manchester and Liverpool international airports and numerous stately homes and country estates for events (private & corporate), weddings and parties, and also being engaged by PR companies such as Blackjack Promotions and The Little Big Voice.
