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Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular MusicA B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y ZSHEPPARD, Andy(b 20 Jan. '57, Bristol, UK) Tenor and soprano saxophones, composer, leader. A choirboy as a child, discovered perfect pitch, later taught himself to read music from books and to play flute by ear; then infl. by John Coltrane, Steve Lacy, Charles Brackeen. 'I played my first gig three weeks after I got the tenor. I learnt jazz the old way: on the stand alongside better players.' Played and recorded with UK band Sphere, worked and recorded in Paris with 19-piece LumiŠre; recorded with rock band Freur, later called Underworld. Took part in BBC2 Young Jazz Band of the Year competition '87; Joe Zawinul (a judge) described him as world- class. Debut Andy Sheppard '87 on Antilles prod. by Steve Swallow had a quartet playing eight originals, with Dave Buxton on piano (and synth on two tracks), assisted on various tracks by Randy Brecker or Dave DeFries, trumpets; Mamadi Kamara on percussion, Orphy Robinson on vibes and others; Kamara joined the quartet on tour. Introductions In The Dark '88 was a quintet with Robinson, introducing Steve Lodder on keyboards, the original music perhaps too ambitious; Soft On The Inside '89 was a more successful big-band record; quintets In Co- Motion '91 on Antilles and Rhythm Method '93 on Blue Note marked another change in direction, almost identical groups incl. Lodder. He was running three groups '94: In Co-Motion, larger Big Co-Motion, and duo Small Co-Motion with Lodder; and writing a piano concerto for Joanna MacGregor. Moving Image on Verve by the duo had atmospheric music composed for TV documentaries on actor Peter Sellers and 18th-century African musician Joseph Emidy. |