Don Weller (musician)
Encyclopedia
Don Weller is a British jazz musician, tenor saxophonist and composer.
at Croydon Town Hall when aged 15. He began playing in Dixieland bands around the Croydon area, but later switched to tenor saxophone and played in Kathy Stobart
's rehearsal band.
In the 1970s his jazz-rock group Major Surgery played only Weller's compositions. This was followed by a quartet with drummer Bryan Spring. At the same time he worked regularly with pianist Stan Tracey
, and also with Harry Beckett
and in a quintet with Art Themen
. Renowned for his versatility, he has played with artists such as Alan Price
, Tina May
and Charlie Hearnshaw.
In 1981 he stood in for Michael Brecker
when the Gil Evans
Orchestra played at the Bracknell Jazz Festival
, subsequently touring the UK and recording with one of the band's trumpeters, Hannibal Marvin Peterson, added on to the Weller–Spring Quartet. He also played and recorded with Evans' British Orchestra in 1983.
Also in the 1980s, together with his friend and fellow tenor sax Dick Morrissey
, Weller was a regular member of Rocket 88
, the boogie-woogie fun band set up by Ian "Stu" Stewart
and Bob Hall
, appearing on the band's only album.
He has been involved with the films Absolute Beginners
and Stormy Monday
both as performer and composer. He won the 'Top Tenor' award in 1994, 1996 and 1998. He formed his big band to perform his 'Pennine Suite' at the 1996 Appleby Jazz Festival, and since then the band has regularly appeared at other jazz festivals. A recent project is his 'Electric Jazz Octet'.
Career
Don Weller began learning clarinet at the age of 14, and was classically educated on it for four or five years, soloing in Mozart's Clarinet ConcertoClarinet Concerto (Mozart)
Mozart's Clarinet concerto in A major, K. 622 was written in 1791 for the clarinetist Anton Stadler.It consists of the usual three movements, in a fast–slow–fast form:# Allegro# Adagio# Rondo: Allegro...
at Croydon Town Hall when aged 15. He began playing in Dixieland bands around the Croydon area, but later switched to tenor saxophone and played in Kathy Stobart
Kathy Stobart
Florence Kathleen "Kathy" Stobart is a British jazz saxophonist. Her concentration is on tenor sax.Stobart first learned piano as a child. After picking up saxophone, she first played locally in Newcastle and then in London in the 1940s with Denis Rose, Ted Heath and Jimmy Skidmore. Later that...
's rehearsal band.
In the 1970s his jazz-rock group Major Surgery played only Weller's compositions. This was followed by a quartet with drummer Bryan Spring. At the same time he worked regularly with pianist Stan Tracey
Stan Tracey
Stanley William Tracey CBE is a British jazz pianist and composer, most influenced by Duke Ellington and Thelonious Monk.-Early career:...
, and also with Harry Beckett
Harry Beckett
Harold Winston "Harry" Beckett was a British trumpeter and flugelhorn player.-Biography:A resident in the UK since 1954, Harry Beckett had an international reputation. In 1961, he played with Charles Mingus in the film All Night Long. In the 1960s he worked and recorded within the band of bass...
and in a quintet with Art Themen
Art Themen
Arthur Edward George 'Art' Themen is a British jazz saxophonist .Themen was born on 26 November 1939 in Manchester. In 1958 he began his medical studies at the University of Cambridge, going on in 1961 to complete his studies at St Mary's Hospital Medical School in London, qualifying in 1964...
. Renowned for his versatility, he has played with artists such as Alan Price
Alan Price
Alan Price is an English musician, best known as the original keyboardist for the English band The Animals, and for his subsequent solo work....
, Tina May
Tina May
Tina May is an English female jazz vocalist who has recorded several albums on the 33 Records label, born in Gloucester, U.K.. She lived in Frampton-on-Severn when she was young, and attended Stroud High School. Her ex-husband, Clark Tracey, appears on most of her albums for the label. May has...
and Charlie Hearnshaw.
In 1981 he stood in for Michael Brecker
Michael Brecker
Michael Leonard Brecker was an American jazz saxophonist and composer. Acknowledged as "a quiet, gentle musician widely regarded as the most influential tenor saxophonist since John Coltrane," he has been awarded 15 Grammy Awards as both performer and composer and was inducted into Down Beat Jazz...
when the Gil Evans
Gil Evans
Gil Evans was a jazz pianist, arranger, composer and bandleader, active in the United States...
Orchestra played at the Bracknell Jazz Festival
Bracknell Jazz Festival
The Bracknell Jazz Festival was a major showcase for British modern jazz in the 1980s. The festival was known for attracting a largish audience for free improvisation, modern jazz composition and all kinds of British modern jazz in general....
, subsequently touring the UK and recording with one of the band's trumpeters, Hannibal Marvin Peterson, added on to the Weller–Spring Quartet. He also played and recorded with Evans' British Orchestra in 1983.
Also in the 1980s, together with his friend and fellow tenor sax Dick Morrissey
Dick Morrissey
Richard Edwin "Dick" Morrissey was a British jazz musician and composer. He played the tenor sax, soprano sax and flute.- Background :...
, Weller was a regular member of Rocket 88
Rocket 88 (band)
Rocket 88 is the name of a United Kingdom-based boogie-woogie band formed in the late 1970s by Ian "Stu" Stewart, Charlie Watts, Alexis Korner and Dick Morrissey....
, the boogie-woogie fun band set up by Ian "Stu" Stewart
Ian Stewart (musician)
Ian Andrew Robert Stewart was a Scottish keyboardist, co-founder of The Rolling Stones and inductee to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame...
and Bob Hall
Bob Hall (boogie-woogie pianist)
Robert 'Bob' Hall , is a leading English boogie-woogie pianist. A long-time collaborator of Alexis Korner, he also performed regularly with bottleneck bluesman Dave Kelly and his sister, Jo Ann Kelly.-Career:...
, appearing on the band's only album.
He has been involved with the films Absolute Beginners
Absolute Beginners (film)
Absolute Beginners is a 1986 British rock musical film adapted from the Colin MacInnes book of the same name about life in late 1950s London. The film was directed by Julien Temple, featured David Bowie and Sade, and a breakout role by Patsy Kensit...
and Stormy Monday
Stormy Monday
Stormy Monday is the 1988 feature film debut of director Mike Figgis. Starring Sean Bean, Tommy Lee Jones, Sting and Melanie Griffith, it is an atmospheric, noirish thriller. The notable jazz soundtrack is also by Figgis. Being set in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England, the film is something of an homage...
both as performer and composer. He won the 'Top Tenor' award in 1994, 1996 and 1998. He formed his big band to perform his 'Pennine Suite' at the 1996 Appleby Jazz Festival, and since then the band has regularly appeared at other jazz festivals. A recent project is his 'Electric Jazz Octet'.
Selected discography
- 1980: Commit No Nuisance - (with Bryan Spring)
- 1981: Poem Song – (with Hannibal Peterson)
- 1987: A Little Blue (Miles Music) - (with the Mick Pyne Quartet)
- 1996: The Don Weller Big Band (33 Jazz Records33 Jazz RecordsThis article is about the UK based jazz label '33' Jazz Records'33' was created in 1990 to develop a wider market for jazz and related music artists passing through the defunct 33 Jazz Club....
) - 2001: Cannonball (ASC) - (Alan BarnesAlan Barnes (musician)Alan Barnes is an English Jazz musician.- Career :Alan Barnes attended Leeds College of Music between 1977–80 where he studied saxophone, woodwinds and arranging before moving to London. In 1980 he played with the Midnight Follies Orchestra and the following year was with the Pasadena Roof...
with the Don Weller Band) - 2003: The Way You’re Going To Look Tomorrow Morning (Trio)
- 2007: Precious Time (Trio) - (with drummer Dave Barry)
- 2007: Nine Songs (Trio) - (with Bobby WellinsBobby WellinsRobert Coull "Bobby" Wellins is a Scottish tenor saxophonist best known for his collaboration with Stan Tracey on the seminal 1965 British jazz album Under Milk Wood....
)