Andy Scott has a lifelong passion for music and over 30 years experience of initiating creative projects. He is a highly versatile contemporary musician, with a distinctive saxophonic and compositional voice that encompasses elements of jazz, world and contemporary classical styles.
Photo: Alex Armstrong-Holding
Highlights of recent years include the world premiere of Andy’s Tenor Saxophone Concerto at the World Saxophone Congress (performed by Branford Marsalis and the Scottish Chamber Orchestra under Clark Rundell), tours with the Apollo Saxophone Quartet and Group S (formerly known as SaxAssault) including sell-out concerts at the London Jazz Festival, residencies in Australia, Hong Kong and the USA, and a PRSF New Music Biennial commission for Foden's Band, harpist Lauren Scott and soprano Anna-Clare Monk, conducted by Michael Fowles. November 2017 saw the World Premiere of his Concerto for Guitar with chamber orchestra, written for Craig Ogden & a chamber orchestra consortium fronted by the Northern Chamber Orchestra (UK). Andy is multi-nominated and winner of a prestigious BASCA British Composer Award.
March 2017 saw the release of the much anticipated studio-recorded Andy Scott's Group S CD, entitled 'Ruby & All Things Purple'.
photo credit - Asadour Guzelian
“Andy Scott was the soloist here, demonstrating apparently effortless control”
The Independent
Review of Concerto for Stan Getz with the BBC Concert Orchestra and conductor John Wilson at the South Bank Centre
“Andy Scott is a consumate musician. He knows about a wide variety of music, can write and play in these styles with great expertise, and is a dynamic teacher in these areas as well. I've had the pleasure of working with Andy at the RNCM numerous times, and he always displays a great enthusiasm and focus in what he does. We need more teachers and players, and, most importantly, instigators to keep the music fresh and moving forward."
Bob Mintzer
“..as comfortable and fearless as a duo can get”
Modern Drummer (reviews Sand Dancer, Dave Hassell-Andy Scott Duo)
“The sheer raw energy…two people couldn’t possibly make that much music!”
Saxophone Journal, US (reviews Sand Dancer, Dave Hassell-Andy Scott Duo)
“HERE'S an album to demolish the distinction between 'local' players and `world-class' players. As an example of elaborate arrangements, tuneful melodies and big band dynamics, Sax Of Gold (SaxAssault CD) bears comparison with anything being produced by the more vaunted Stateside jazz fraternity…”
Manchester Evening News
“Andy Scott's SaxAssault in the Lemon Tree on Saturday night brought back that old frisson of musical excitement, and then some... ...I was left just wondering what old Adolphe Sax would think of his family of children today. Would they have set his feet a-tapping even there in his grave in the Cimetière de Montmartre in Paris? They certainly did it for me.”
Alan Cooper
“Nine saxophones from Sopranino to Bass, combined with a funky rhythm section and Andy's roaring charts, SaxAssault gets rave reviews whenever it plays live. Featuring an exceptional line up of sax players and rhythm section, this group exudes energy and excitement!”
Jazz UK
“Andy Scott's fabulous band 'Sax Assault' spectacularly wowed the audience with a cornucopia of sounds, colours and textures from roaring funk, through potent swing to quiet meditation"
Geoff Eales
“Allied to the music's ebullience came the phenomenal skill of the Apollo Four. Thompson's writing made their fingers scamper off their knuckles in search of new swoops and gurgles, or the silkiest transformation from furnace blast to the softest whisper this side of the Milky Way.”
The Times
“If they were any tighter, I’d ask for a dope test!”
Classic FM Apollo Saxophone Quartet
”...the quartet’s ensemble of saxophone registers sounding as tight as fingers in a fist”
The Independent Apollo Saxophone Quartet
“A polished and perceptive performance... marvellous textural variety... also humour”
The Times Apollo Saxophone Quartet
“A unique virtuoso banquet”
Classical Music Magazine Apollo Saxophone Quartet
“... perhaps one of the funniest concerts I’ve ever been to – half an hour of cleverly scored and perfectly executed music accompanying some truly incredible footage from the archives of the British Film Institute. That image of the dancing pig will never leave me.”
Winds Journal Apollo Saxophone Quartet
"Caliente gave a balanced and varied programme which was just perfect for an afternoon recital. Their energetic opening piece Brasileira from Scaramouche by Milhaud brought all the sunshine of Brazil to Manchester."
PAN, The Journal of the British Flute Society
The Independent
Review of Concerto for Stan Getz with the BBC Concert Orchestra and conductor John Wilson at the South Bank Centre
“Andy Scott is a consumate musician. He knows about a wide variety of music, can write and play in these styles with great expertise, and is a dynamic teacher in these areas as well. I've had the pleasure of working with Andy at the RNCM numerous times, and he always displays a great enthusiasm and focus in what he does. We need more teachers and players, and, most importantly, instigators to keep the music fresh and moving forward."
Bob Mintzer
“..as comfortable and fearless as a duo can get”
Modern Drummer (reviews Sand Dancer, Dave Hassell-Andy Scott Duo)
“The sheer raw energy…two people couldn’t possibly make that much music!”
Saxophone Journal, US (reviews Sand Dancer, Dave Hassell-Andy Scott Duo)
“HERE'S an album to demolish the distinction between 'local' players and `world-class' players. As an example of elaborate arrangements, tuneful melodies and big band dynamics, Sax Of Gold (SaxAssault CD) bears comparison with anything being produced by the more vaunted Stateside jazz fraternity…”
Manchester Evening News
“Andy Scott's SaxAssault in the Lemon Tree on Saturday night brought back that old frisson of musical excitement, and then some... ...I was left just wondering what old Adolphe Sax would think of his family of children today. Would they have set his feet a-tapping even there in his grave in the Cimetière de Montmartre in Paris? They certainly did it for me.”
Alan Cooper
“Nine saxophones from Sopranino to Bass, combined with a funky rhythm section and Andy's roaring charts, SaxAssault gets rave reviews whenever it plays live. Featuring an exceptional line up of sax players and rhythm section, this group exudes energy and excitement!”
Jazz UK
“Andy Scott's fabulous band 'Sax Assault' spectacularly wowed the audience with a cornucopia of sounds, colours and textures from roaring funk, through potent swing to quiet meditation"
Geoff Eales
“Allied to the music's ebullience came the phenomenal skill of the Apollo Four. Thompson's writing made their fingers scamper off their knuckles in search of new swoops and gurgles, or the silkiest transformation from furnace blast to the softest whisper this side of the Milky Way.”
The Times
“If they were any tighter, I’d ask for a dope test!”
Classic FM Apollo Saxophone Quartet
”...the quartet’s ensemble of saxophone registers sounding as tight as fingers in a fist”
The Independent Apollo Saxophone Quartet
“A polished and perceptive performance... marvellous textural variety... also humour”
The Times Apollo Saxophone Quartet
“A unique virtuoso banquet”
Classical Music Magazine Apollo Saxophone Quartet
“... perhaps one of the funniest concerts I’ve ever been to – half an hour of cleverly scored and perfectly executed music accompanying some truly incredible footage from the archives of the British Film Institute. That image of the dancing pig will never leave me.”
Winds Journal Apollo Saxophone Quartet
"Caliente gave a balanced and varied programme which was just perfect for an afternoon recital. Their energetic opening piece Brasileira from Scaramouche by Milhaud brought all the sunshine of Brazil to Manchester."
PAN, The Journal of the British Flute Society
Click on the links for more about the different facets of Andy's creative life