Alex Garnett

British tenor saxophonist Alex Garnett is an adept jazz improviser with a dark, warm sound steeped in the acoustic post-bop tradition. Following his arrival in the early '90s, Garnett gained a strong reputation as a first-call sideman and session player, working with artists like Ray Gelato, Jools Holland, Paul Weller, and others. A regular presence at London's Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club, he released his debut solo album, The Serpent, in 2011. He also collaborated with fellow tenor saxophonist Tim Armacost on 2015's Andromeda. Born in 1970 in London, Garnett grew up in a musical family with a father who played saxophone and a mother who played piano. He started on tenor saxophone at a young age taking classical lessons, but soon gravitated toward jazz. At age 13, he began attending a jazz workshop in Kentish Town led by noted trumpeter Ian Carr. His participation eventually led to him joining the progressive London Fusion Orchestra, where he rubbed shoulders with other up-and-coming players like Courtney Pine, Julian Joseph, Jason Rebello, and others. However, by his early twenties he had walked away from music, spending several years working in London's Stock Exchange. It was after losing his job during the stock market crash in the early '90s that he reconnected to his music roots. He took a part-time job in a record store and began playing saxophone again. By the late '90s, he was working steadily, playing with Ray Gelato's big band and leading his own groups. He also found himself in-demand in the studio, recording with Jane Horrocks, Jools Holland Big Band, and Beverly Knight. Over the years, Garnett has played shows with artists like Van Morrison, Paul Weller, and Johnny "Guitar" Watson. He has also worked with a bevy of jazz luminaries, including John Dankworth, Wynton Marsalis, Scott Hamilton, and Seamus Blake, among others. In 2011, Garnett made his leader debut with The Serpent, a hard-hitting quartet album recorded in New York with pianist Anthony Wonsey, bassist Michael Janisch, and drummer Willie Jones, III. When not on tour, Garnett often holds down a weekly residency at Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club in London. In 2015, he released his second album, Andromeda, which featured his Bunch of Five band with tenor saxophonist Tim Armacost, pianist Liam Noble, bassist Janisch, and drummer James Maddren.
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