Sax players learn some new skills at jazz workshop in Church Langton

Saxophonists have tried their hand at improvisation during an all-day jazz workshop.

Sax player Dan Forshaw ran the event, organised by Phoenix Saxophone Orchestra, at Church Langton Community Hall on Sunday (March 24).

It saw 20 players come along to work on pieces by the likes of John Coltrane and Miles Davis.

Phoenix Saxophone Orchestra spokeswoman Jane Smith said: “This is the first time Phoenix has run a jazz-focused workshop, and we were delighted to welcome 13 guests to join seven Phoenix members for this session.

“Many of us had never tried improvisation before, but Dan is a great teacher, taking us step-by-step through the basics of the pentatonic scale and showing how it’s used in different types of music, until we were ready to give it a go.

“We’d like to thank Dan for coming along to run this workshop. It gave us all the chance to try something new in a friendly and supportive environment, and we’ve all picked up some great tips that we can take away to improve and develop our playing. A great day all round.”

Dan Forshaw added: “Sunday's session with these passionate musicians was a joy.They impressed not only me, but I believe even themselves with their incredible achievements. Jazz embodies life—it's about listening, responding, and forging your unique musical journey. We had a blast, and I'm eagerly anticipating the remarkable progress of all who joined us.”

Visit phoenixsax.org.uk to find out more about Phoenix Saxophone Orchestra.