SAM CRAIG BIG BAND "AFTER HOURS"

Currently based in Birmingham, Sam Craig is one of the country's top upcoming instrumentalists. Specialising in Jazz and Pop as a saxophonist, pianist, vocalist and woodwind player, Sam's services are currently in great demand right across the country. Growing up in Lichfield, Staffordshire, Sam took up the piano aged 9, followed by the clarinet and saxophone within the next few years. By his mid teens he had developed a real passion for music and was set on pursuing it beyond his time in formal education. Whilst nowadays Sam's real passion lies within the creative aspects of jazz and composition, he originally was on a more classically orientated path. Aged 16 he joined the Lichfield Sinfonia as guest soloist for a performance of Weber's Clarinet Concerto No. 1 shortly after achieving distinction in his grade 8 ABRSM exam. Studying under the tutelage of Clarinettist Megan Barr and Pianist Marian Brannan, he also went on to reach grade 8 standard in saxophone and piano before securing a place to study music at York University.Despite only studying in the Yokshire city for a year, it was during this time that Sam really began to find his way into Jazz. Academic studies with Jonathon Eato and working instrumetnally with the brilliant saxophonist Joel Purnell lured Sam away from the classical world and into the shadows of Charlie Parker, John Coltrane and Miles Davis.It was at this point that Sam secured a place on the illustrious BMus Jazz Degree course at the Birmingham Conservatoire. Studying with Mike Williams, Andy Panayi, Percy Pursglove, Andrew Bain, Hans Koller, Iain Dixon, and Trevor Lines under the direction of Jeremy Price in an extremely creative environment has given Sam four years of unbelievable opportunities to expand on his own abilities, and he is set to graduate there in the coming summer.A member of both the Midland Youth Jazz Orchestra (MYJO), Fat Chops Big Band and the Birmingham Conservatoire Mingus Band, Sam is becoming increasingly known as a rising figure on the Big Band scene. Having played with Mark Nightingale, Martin Williams, Claire Teal, Marlene VerPlank, Jeff Hooper, Jacqui Dankworth, Alan Barnes and Stephen Triffett amoungst numerous others, Sam is regularly on call for the bands of many of these superstar names as well as many others. SAM CRAIG BIG BAND