Alan Skidmore

Alan Skidmore (born April 21, 1942) is an English tenor saxophonist from London who appeared on 1966/67 albums by the Bluesbreakers, Alexis Korner, and Brian Bennett. Between 1968 and 1970, he backed Mike Westbrook, John Surman, Harry Beckett, Graham Collier, Mike Cooper, Michael Gibbs, and The Nice.

Skidmore assumed bandleader status with the 1970 Decca/Deram release Once Upon a Time, followed by the 1971 Philips title TCB. That same year, he appeared on albums by Soft Machine, Keith Tippett‘s Centipede, the Rolf Kühn Jazzgroup, and Chris McGregor’s Brotherhood of Breath.

Between 1972 and 1975, he expanded into pop/folk territory with credits behind Sandy Denny, Byzantium, Labi Siffre, Lynsey De Paul, Michael De Albuquerque, String Driven Thing, Curved Air, and Howard Werth & The Moonbeams. Mid-decade, Skidmore partook in the free-jazz supertrio S.O.S. and the multinational jazz-rock ensemble Third Eye.

Background

Alan Richard James Skidmore was born on April 21, 1942, in London, England. His father, Jimmy Skidmore, was a tenor saxophonist who worked with George Shearing and Humphrey Lyttelton. Skidmore took up a discarded tenor saxophone from his father at age 15 and began regular practice. Jimmy put him through scales and long-tone exercises. Skidmore also studied records by Coleman Hawkins and Lester Young.

Skidmore played one of his first professional engagements in 1958 at Butlin’s in Skegness, where Jimmy joined one set on tenor saxophone. Skidmore toured with comedian Tony Hancock and singer Matt Monro in his early professional years. He also spent five years in the house band at London nightclub Talk of the Town. Skidmore made his first BBC Radio Jazz Club appearance in 1961 and returned for numerous broadcasts. He met John Coltrane in the same period and concentrated increasingly on Coltrane recordings.

In 1963, Alan replaced Jimmy in the Eric Delaney Band. He then joined Alexis Korner’s Blues Incorporated for 1964 live and studio dates. In 1965, club owner Ronnie Scott hired Skidmore for his London house band. Skidmore joined the horn section on the 1966 John Mayall album Blues Breakers with Eric Clapton, a breakthrough showcase for the ex-Yardbirds guitarist.

In 1967, Skidmore played tenor saxophone and flute on Change of Direction, a jazz-oriented solo album by Shadows drummer Brian Bennett. He recorded with John Surman and Tony Oxley on 1968 sessions eventually issued as Jazz in Britain ’68–’69. Skidmore also worked in the concert band of Mike Westbrook and orchestral sessions under Mike Gibbs. His work with Westbrook included the sessions for Marching Song, while dates with Surman extended into How Many Clouds Can You See?

Skidmore received a BBC commission in 1969 to assemble a group for the Montreux Jazz Festival. He formed a quintet with flugelhornist Kenny Wheeler, pianist John Taylor, bassist Harry Miller, and drummer Tony Oxley. The quintet won the International Press Prize for best band, while Skidmore received the festival soloist prize. Skidmore also received a scholarship to Berklee College of Music, although he remained in Britain. The quintet recorded in London on Sept. 17 and 19, 1969, for the Deram album Once Upon a Time.

Discography:

• Don’t Send Me No Flowers (1968 • Sonny Boy Williamson, Brian Auger & the Trinity, Joe Harriot, Alan Skidmore, Jimmy Page)
• Once Upon a Time (1970 • The Alan Skidmore Quintet)
• TCB (1971)
• Jazz in Britain ’68 – ’69 (1972 • John Surman, Alan Skidmore & Tony Oxley)
• Morning Rise (1977 • Alan Skidmore, Gerd Dudek, Adelhard Roidinger & Branislav Kovačev)