In the first of a series of monthly workshops/ masterclasses at The Bristol Fringe proceeding the Fringe In The Round, jazz saxophonist/ composer and established educator Alex Merritt will present a workshop exploring approaches to unaccompanied saxophone playing.

The workshop will open with a 20 minute solo set from Alex, where he will explore some of his favourite repertoire in this context- and then dive into examining some different ways to gear up for this kind of playing; looking at some choice examples from records of intros/ outros/ cadenzas, covering some different ideas for practicing improvising in this manner and giving creative ways of opening up a set to further expressive potentials in a jazz context. 

The session will be open to all instrumentalists 14+ and would probably be of most benefit to those of grade 8 standard, with a good grasp of jazz theory/ harmony already.

Over the last 15 years Alex has been a visiting saxophone teacher at the RWCMD, Jazz School UK as well as having conducted workshops at The Royal Birmingham Conservatoire and Leeds Conservatoire with ensembles he has led/co-led. He also engineering ‘The Shed’; a lockdown masterclass series upon which this series will expand.

 For more information about Alex, his performing/ teaching endeavours, and The Shed go to: www.alexmerritt.co.uk.