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Simply Saxes was started from members of the BBC Elstree Concert Band but now includes players from varied musical backgrounds.  If you are wondering why more than 4 of us are listed for a saxophone quartet, go and read “about us”!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Who are we?

Georgina Hajdu (middle)

Georgina has been playing the alto saxophone since the age of 14.  She was classically trained but has played with orchestras, big bands, jazz groups, quartets and octets both in London and in France.  She plays alto sax in the BBC Elstree.  By day, Georgina is a Conference Director working in the UK and abroad, so the saxophone provides a great way to forget the stresses that that can bring!

 

Charles Rowe

Charles (left, fetching in turquoise!) was born in Bonny Scotland, but fortunately moved down to England before the skirl of the pipes could capture his interest.  Having played with all the orchestras and bands he could fit in while at secondary school, he studied Music at Sheffield University and then went and squandered all that education by going off and playing sax in a rock'n'roll band. 

Touring around the UK and Europe backing an Elvis tribute show was followed by a move to Birmingham to play in the Dance Band at the Tower Ballroom, which he describes as "an education in itself". 

Nowadays, Charles says he plays "for anyone who'll pay him" and has extended his range of instruments to cover the main clarinets and saxophones, as well as flute and piccolo when he really has to!  He is a founder member of the Maltings Sinfonia, a chamber orchestra based in Ware, as well as being a regular member of the George Thorby Big Band, the BBC Elstree Concert Band, the Phoenix Big Band and, of course, Simply Saxes.

 

Kara Settle

Kara (above, second right) studied music at the University of Surrey where she majored in performance on the clarinet as well as playing in the university’s orchestra and traditional jazz band.  After completing her degree Kara trained and qualified as a Chartered Accountant and now works for a large law firm.  Based in south London, Kara plays saxophone and clarinet in various music groups including the BBC Elstree Concert Band, Croydon Symphonic Band and the City of London Symphonic Winds.

Simply Saxes

Providing unique music for your special event

Adam Jobson

At primary school, Adam started to learn the clarinet. However, things took a turn for the better (for all concerned) when he was eventually let loose on a saxophone in his first year at secondary school. Since then, Adam has played the sax with numerous school, university and community wind bands, orchestras, swing bands and smaller 'chamber' groups.

Adam currently plays soprano and lead alto for the BBC Elstree Concert Band, Da Capo Concert Band and City of London Symphonic Winds. All of which provides welcome respite from his slightly more 'taxing' day-job as a tax advisor……...

Adele Gordon

 

 

 

 

Concert schedules have taken her to the Royal Festival Hall, Queen Elizabeth Hall, Barbican & St Martins-in-the-Fields, performing in several recordings, sound tracks, videos, live TV in addition to extensive touring in the UK and overseas, including Carnegie Hall in New York.   

Adele has worked with some of the busiest amateur and professional music groups. Starting with Bass and Eb clarinets in the British Youth Wind Orchestra, and more recently soprano saxophone in the National Saxophone Choir, Adele is principal clarinet in the BBC Elstree Concert band. She also plays in the Ionian,  Ealing, and East London Clarinet Choirs.

Chris Hooker

Chris’s career has been in Music Education both as teacher and manager.  He founded Thameside Clarinet Choir in 1973, rejoining it in 2001 as a player and then conductor until December 2007.  He plays Soprano, Alto and Baritone Saxophones, and is a founder member of River City Saxes based in South West London.

 

Chris also plays Clarinet, Bass and Contrabass clarinets, and is a member of the RAFA President’s Band Uxbridge.  He is also a regular member of Middlesex Yeomanry Band in Hampton, Da Capo Concert Band, Whetstone, and the GWR Band, Paddington. He frequently deputises on saxophone for the Fulham Big Band and BBC Elstree.

 

Now retired, when not playing, he does the odd bit of Composing, Arranging, Conducting, and Cooking.

 

 

 

Sam Duffy

Sam is a singer and saxophone player, also covering lead vocals and sax with the covers band Hitchhiker and playing tenor sax with the BBC Elstree Concert Band.

Sam is one half of The Vince Rogers Project releasing the album Lily Rose Petunia in Autumn 2007, and currently working on the second album with Vince.  Their current single “Unfamiliar Room” has had airplay on BBC Radio 2 and 6. 

For more details see www.samduffysinger.co.uk.