Julian Siegel

Julian Siegel

Julian Siegel is a jazz saxophonist from Nottingham, United Kingdom. He is active on the European jazz scene and works in a range of settings that combine straight-ahead jazz, free improvisation and groove-based playing.

Groups and projects

Siegel plays in the Julian Siegel Trio, which includes drummer Joey Baron and bassist Greg Cohen. He also leads the Julian Siegel Quartet with pianist Liam Noble. Other current groups include Partisans, which he co-leads with guitarist Phil Robson, and Jason & The Angrynotes.

Career and collaborations

His work includes performances with a wide group of jazz musicians and ensembles, among them Andrew Hill’s Anglo-American Big Band, Django Bates’ Delightful Precipice and Human Chain, John Taylor, Kenny Wheeler, Norma Winstone, Robert Mitchell, Gwilym Simcock, Byron Wallen’s Octet featuring Tony Kofi, Jason Yarde’s Acoutastic Bombastic, Mark Lockheart’s Big Idea, Colin Towns, the NDR Big Band, Stan Sulzmann’s Big Band, Larry Bartley’s Septet and Hans Koller’s New Memories Band. With the latter, he records with Steve Lacy. He also tours with Hermeto Pascoal UK Big Band and appears with the Mike Gibbs 70th Birthday Big Band alongside Bill Frisell, Steve Swallow and Adam Nussbaum.

Other notable work

In 2006 he works at the Ruhr Triennale festival with Laurie Anderson and Steve Nieve, and the line-up also includes Kenny Wollesen, Vincent Segal and Greg Cohen.

Awards and critical reception

Siegel receives the BBC Jazz Award for Best Instrumentalist in 2007. Descriptions of his playing in the press note his imagination, sensitivity and a style that moves between jazz traditions, free improvisation and dance rhythms.