As many people quickly realise, the accent gives it away — I was born in Hull, East Yorkshire in 1961. I’m immensely proud of my roots and remain a lifelong supporter of Hull City AFC. Over the years that has involved frequent 500-mile round trips for a home game — from Boothferry to Wembley and everything in between!

I discovered the clarinet at an early age and have never really looked back. My early inspiration came from the beautiful sound of Jack Brymer, but a defining moment was seeing Stevie Wonder perform live at Wembley on the Hotter Than July tour in 1980 — a moment that truly showed me the extraordinary power of music.

My musical journey has taken me from working as a Radio 1 messenger in the days of Steve Wright’s famous Afternoon Boys, to performing at jazz festivals with Spats Dillinger and The Buzzing Half Dozen (whose recordings remain available on Spotify), alongside orchestral work, television sessions and West End productions.

I’ve been fortunate to be influenced and inspired by many remarkable people along the way. Above all, I remain deeply grateful to my parents for their encouragement and support — without them my path in music may have been very different.

For me, music has always been a constant source of joy and discovery.

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