Bluenote 🎷 Saxofonista de jazz y bossa nova para todo tipo de eventos.

Neil Clarke (London, 1961) began playing the clarinet at the age of ten and at eighteen took all the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music examinations.
At the age of 16, his parents bought him his first saxophone - from Bill Povey, a prominent London saxophonist who recorded with the Beatles. Would Neil's saxophone be the one that played on Revolver and the "White Album"? Anyway, his school friends had a band that played Doctor Feelgood tunes and within a few weeks they incorporated Neil to become the Dials, a key group in the early days of punk, a constant presence on the stages of London clubs and pubs during 1978-80. The Dials played alongside bands such as The Clash, The Members, UK Subs, The Vibrators, The Specials... They recorded two discs and at this time Neil also worked and recorded with The Members, Gary Numan and members of Psychedelic Furs.

While living in Nottingham Neil played with various groups, most notably the cult group Peppermint Patti (a jazz-funk fusion group featuring drummer, Ian Bell) and Spot the Zebra, a group of free-thinking jazz musicians playing original repertoire co-led by Peter Kirmond and Andy Moorhouse. Spot the Zebra played at arts centers in the East Midlands and South Yorkshire and received a grant from the Arts Council to compose, rehearse and perform a suite for a composition by the 10-member group. They played as opening act for Art Blakey at the Summer's Day Festival in Nottingham in 1984.

During this period, Neil studied improvisation with saxophonist Jeremy Shaw and attended courses at the Jazz Centre Society taught by leading British players such as Peter King, Bobby Wellins, Olaf Vaz, Peter Ind, Jimmy Hastings and Eddie Harvey. His daily pub meals with saxophone master Bobby Wellins, as well as the private lessons he took with him, marked a turning point in his learning and have been a huge influence on Neil's technique and style. He also attended workshops with Chris Biscoe and American trumpet legend Ted Curzon.

In 1983 Neil lived in Nice, in the south of France. There, in addition to collaborating with local bands, he played and recorded regularly with drummer, composer and producer (Vinnie Colaiuta, Herbie Hancock) André Fisichella and studied at the Nice conservatory under Jacques Melzer, the founder of the "Ensemble de Saxophones Français".

Back in the UK in 1986, living in Oxford, Neil played with the local jazz-funk ensemble, Atlantic Avenue, the infamous Atlantic/Stax revival group, The Chain Gang. He also went down to London once a week to play in big-band rehearsals. In 1989 Neil moved to Porto, Portugal, where he played with the Porto Jazz Orchestra throughout Portugal and Spain, as well as with the quartet led by bassist Pedro Barreiros.

Then came three musically quieter years in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, but Neil managed to form a local group of a Lebanese, an American and a Saudi, and also a jazz quartet with an Italian, an American and a well-known Lebanese drummer, Farid Hakeem. Diplomatic circles provided him with a very large number of gigs.

Finally, in 1994, his work brought Neil back "home" to Madrid. He has played in many private events (IN Zalacain, Restaurante Urrechu, Restaurante MaVins, Barra 56, Antiguo Convento de Boadilla, Castillo de Viñuelas, Los Claustros de Ayllón...) and for Jazztel, Jo Malone (Jorge Juan street), IFEMA, Feria de Madrid, the Casino de Madrid calle Alcalá, Banco Santander, Pullmantur Hotels, in the theatre (Chicago, Conflict & Beauty), Restaurant El Latigazo, CHOV (Christian Oliva Vélez), Musica en Vena ...

In Madrid he has shared the stage with: Pía Tedesco, Raúl Márquez, TJ Jazz, Héctor Oliveira, Antonio Álvarez Bordoy, Aurora García, Julián Maeso, Abel Trigo, Alana Sinkey, Norman Hogue, Cosmosoul, members of Freedonia, Sweet Vandals, Pinktones, Good God! Chanta la Mui, Daniel Doña, Los Sofistigatos, Raquel Ramirez, Pablo Sanpa, Edu Manazas, Lycantho, Erin Corine, Station Road, Andy Philips, Renato di Prinzio, Jim Peñalver, Talkin' About (Mayka Edjo), Susana Ruiz, Yoio Cuesta, Cris Lopez,.... He has also attended a master class with Pedro Iturralde.

He has performed at El Junco, Café Berlin, Sala Clamores, Bogui Jazz, La Coquette, Café Populart, Intruso Bar, Sala Barco, Sala Tempo, Círculo de Bellas Artes and other venues in Madrid on a regular basis.