Jamie O'Donnell

Jamie O'Donnell is a London based alto saxophonist. He began playing alto saxophone aged 17 after falling in love with the music of Charlie Parker, growing to love the playing of the great alto players Phil Woods, Jackie McLean, Cannonball Adderley, Art Pepper and Sonny Stitt. Jamie studied saxophone with Aubrey Frank before attending the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, London where he studied with Jean Toussaint and Simon Purcell. Jamie has also studied with the Bebop legend, pianist Barry Harris.

A prolific composer, Jamie writes tunes for his own quartet "S.A.O.L.E." which has been together since 1998. This band features the great guitarist Mike Outram, Matt Home on drums and Dominic Howles on Bass. The quartet perform at many London venues, including London's 606 Club. In 2000, Jamie performed unaccompanied for the premier of the film 'The talented Mr. Ripley' at the Odeon, Leicester Sq, London. In 2002, he was featured with the Cyprus Chamber Orchestra.

For 23 years Jamie performed at La Brocca, a jazz venue in North London. Many musicians would play there, including Gwilym Simcock, Jim Hart, Sam Crockatt, Simon Whiteside, Bob Martin, Pete Whitaker, Anita Wardell, Nia Lynn and many others. In 1999, the venue’s owner, David Locke, decided to take a quintet featuring Anita Wardell and Jamie to Pomos, Cyprus for a Jazz Festival. The festival took place each September with many musicians from all over the world and continues today.

Jamie has worked around Europe with Big Bands including the Glenn Miller memorial Orchestra, the Pasadena Roof Orchestra, The Piccadilly Dance Orchestra and in more contemporary settings with the Frank Griffith Big Band and the Gareth Lockrane Big Band.

From 2009-2013 Jamie performed monthly with a quintet featuring American alto playing bebopper Bob Martin. Bob spent many years with Buddy Rich and is one of the great bebop alto players in the world.

Among others, Jamie has played with Mike Gorman, Dave Frankel, Steve Brown, Caroline Taylor, Gwilym Simcock, Jim Hart, Robert Anchipolovsky, Frank Griffith, Gareth Lockrane, Alison Bentley, Anita Wardell, Kate Williams, Sam Crockatt, Leon Greening, Steve Fishwick and many others

Gear

Selmer MkVI alto saxophone-NY Meyer 5 mouthpiece

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