22 hours Ago By [email protected] (Trish Lee)
RENOWNED for his awesome technique and versatility, Simon Bates is as at home leading bands on TV shows as he is in a local jazz club – the reason that the Royal Marines asked him to become their Professor of Saxophone! Catch him at Pangbourne Jazz Club on Sunday (7.30pm). He will be backed by the club’s rhythm section: Terry Hutchins (guitar), Andy Crowdy (double bass), Jim Pollard (piano) and Brian Greene (drums).
You’ll find Jazz@pangbourne every first Sunday of every month at the Rosewood Hall in Whitchurch Road – “a really nice venue in a beautiful setting, with club bar prices and ample public car parking”. Playing all musical genres, Simon has a pretty impressive résumé, having performed around the world in a wide variety of settings from the QE2 and Eiffel Tower to Ronnie Scott’s and the Albert Hall. He is recognised as one of the country’s leading jazz saxophonists, appearing regularly at respected UK venues including Ronnie Scott’s, The Jazz Cafe, 606 Club, The Bull’s Head and the finest jazz clubs and festivals worldwide.
He performs and has performed regularly with many of the jazz world’s biggest stars including John Dankworth, Jamie Cullum, Peter Erskine, Steve Gadd, The Ronnie Scott’s All Stars, John Etheridge, Jim Mullen, Don Weller, Eddie Daniels, Cleo Laine, Simply Swing, Dave O’Higgins and Sax Appeal. Simon started to learn the violin at school, but the draw of his father’s old clarinet was too much and he started to have lessons. With the intense competition of his twin brother, now a successful freelance French horn player, Simon progressed quickly and achieved Grade 8 on the clarinet at the tender age of 12.
He started to play sax at the age of 14 and got his first paid gig in the same year. While studying for a classical music degree, he turned to jazz and improvised music and studied Stravinsky by day and played Charlie Parker by night in London’s clubs and bars. He is also a respected band leader and has been musical director for many well known artists including Bette Midler, Rick Astley and Alexander Armstrong, who said: “Whether as MD, arranger or instrumentalist (or as is often the case, all three), Simon brings a level of rock-solid professionalism that makes everything a pleasure.
“His exceptional talents as an instrumentalist go without saying. But he is a dependable and hugely reassuring presence onstage and great fun off it. A real asset to any ensemble.
” Listen to Simon play soprano sax with Rick Astley here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=laraYd9jMrI As you’d expect, Simon is in great demand on the London session scene – his playing features on countless adverts, film scores, theme tunes and pop recordings and he has appeared live and recorded with a wide variety of bands and musicians including Kylie Minogue, Jason Donovan, Elvis Costello, Jamie Cullum, Bette Midler, Shane MacGowan, Sister Sledge, Lulu, Rick Wakeman, Dizzee Rascal, The Sugarhill Gang, Chaka Khan, Emma Bunton, Seal, Eddie Floyd, Billy Ocean, Tito Jackson, Cilla Black, Mary Wilson, Alfie Boe and Carleen Anderson.
Simon appears frequently on television. You may have seen him in programmes such as The Paul O'Grady Show, The Parkinson Show, Channel 4's Big Breakfast, GMTV, This Morning, Movie Mania and he ran the 9-piece band on the Johnny Vaughan Tonight Show. Simon has also performed with many Strictly Come Dancing stars including Aljaz & Janette, Brendan Cole and Anton Du Beke.
Well known as a performer in many different musical genres, Simon has featured as a guest soloist with large ensembles, including the Brighouse and Rastrick Brass Band, the National Youth Jazz Orchestra, The Royal Marines Big Band and the bands of the Grenadier and Coldstream Guards. Entry to Pangbourne Jazz Club is £12.50.
Book online at www.pangbournejazzclub.com or pay on the door.
. Coming next to Pangbourne Jazz Club: Sunday, June 1; Alex Clarke (saxophone) Sunday, July 6; Denny Ilett (guitar & vocals) Sunday, August 10; Derek Nash (saxophone) Sunday, September 7; Alan Barnes (saxophones & clarinet) Sunday, October 5: Chloe du Pre (vocals & piano) Sunday, November 2, Jim Mullen (guitar) Sunday, December 14, Paul Higgs (trumpet) Sunday, February 1 2026: Brandon Allen (saxophonist) Sunday, March 1 2026: Debby Bracknell (vocalist).
