Singer, songwriter, sax player
People are often surprised at the range and versatility of the saxophone. I play the whole family; tenor, baritone, soprano and alto, covering an audio rainbow of styles. I also sing, and reach for my flute for that ethereal sound. My commissions invariably extend beyond the initial brief. Interpreting what the audience likes, adapting requests and personalising every performance is all part of the challenge, it's what makes playing fun.
For lively club land crowds, I team up with international DJs, including Norman Jay, Jeremy Healey, Kelly Marie or Maurits Van Rhede, lacing jazzy riffs with uplifting dance music. HedKandi, Café Del Mar and Soho House do's in Cannes are regular haunts.
Weddings and private parties require a flexible repertoire, typically starting with chilled out classic tunes as the guests arrive. I play solo, or bring in a supporting act. Sax and violin is a winner for a laid back, quirky but stylish combo. As the evening warms up and energy levels rise, my band provides impact and toe tapping grooves. We play original material, mix up stylish, swingy numbers, bossa nova and jazz standards with a twist. Whatever fits best...
In the corporate world, I play music to schmooze to, improvising over lounge style DJ sets, sophisticated, cool and unobtrusive. It's a popular package that works well in all manner of settings. The options are considerable, if you're interested, get in touch, I'll be pleased to advise, and organise whatever configuration and line up you decide on.
What I've been up to
2007: Autumn / Summer / Spring / Winter
14th December
Lisbon again for another party with Dj Joao Maria and MC Jeff, (and a spot of surfing).
10th–12th December
Istanbul for Emeragado Thingymebob Zenga's new shop launch. Swanky Istanbul fashionistas and a sexy hat stolen from the barman.
8th December
Dragged Will to the top of the Gherkin, (he hates heights) and made him play tunes for 5 hours whilst I jammed.
6th December
Recording session with Will Horrocks for the film score for Tony Kay's new movie. Hollywood via East Dulwich.
30th November
Launch of new album for UK's Hip-hop stalwarts Boarder Crossing. I made it onto the final cut and am immortalized on vinyl for the first time. Ace.
29th November
Roundhouse, Camden for the Ray's of Sunshine children's charity gala dinner. Teamed up with jazzers Graeham Flowers on Trumpet, Clair McEnerny Sax and flute, Tello percussion and Dj Sam Young.
27th November
Played for Daniel Craig and Nicole Kidman at the premier party of The Golden Compass in Tobacco Doc, Wapping. Lots of fake snow, magical creatures and potent cocktails.
22nd November
Lisbon for a top night playing for media company Fusion's party. Met the head of Lisbon radio and got some of my tunes on the play lists.
13th–14th November
Brussels for the launch of the new Lexus hybrid. Boys with toys are ever-so-predictable. Had them shh-shhing along to the Beetles 'Come together'.
10th November
Cracking back the vodka in Krakow, Poland. A wonderful city of winding cobble streets and gothic architecture. A chocolate box winter wonderland in the snow brimming with tiny grotto style bars and jazz clubs.
8th November
It's not every day I get asked if I'd mind modeling £20 million's worth of De Beers Diamonds whilst blasting away solo in the gigantic Turbine hall of the Tate Modern. I was given a bodyguard to check I didn't do a runner. On to Vince Power's re-launched Power Bar in Kilburn. Was the first muso to christen the new stage, and then jammed with some great up-and-coming singer-songwriter talent.
7th November
Checked out some great pop art whilst playing at the National Portrait gallery in 6 inch platform stilettos.
3rd November
After wandering along the Tyne and enjoying the different pace of life and the smiley folks, back on the train with 1,200 very disappointed Newcastle fans that'd just been whipped. A far more entertaining journey to Watford for another HedKandi bash where the average age seemed to have halved and all the boys thought they could grab my sax. Practiced my menacing. Not very effective. Bouncers were too busy flexing.
2nd November
Train ride from hell, Bristol to Newcastle sardine style. Straight to HedKandi gig where the entire bar staff were in knickers+corsets+wings. A top night partying with Nadine and Sarah the dancers and Pav on percussion.
1st November
Down to Bristol with my trio. Drove with Alex Maranca and one of our many lost U-turns in the city centre did something profound to the front wheel. Its dying whirrs and crunches got us to the gig but next day Greek Tony at the garage went all wide-eyed in his orange suit, saying, 'you drive, the wheel fall off'.
31st October
Teamed up with Dj and producer Will Horrocks to play original Index set at the stylish contemporary temporary structure at the Serpentine Gallery in Hyde Park. Fantastic acoustics but it was a considerable challenge to move around playing as the interior was skirted by hundreds of odd-shaped steps, like cobble-stones in heels x 1000. Only nearly landed on a security guard who was quite jolly about it.
25th October
Off to Abu Dhabi for some meetings. My big bro organises a surprise helicopter pick-up to zoom me up to Dubai. From the air I spotted three turtles, a flock of flamingos and two manatees. Wow.
24th October
Feel like I've stepped into a Land of The Giants set-hurrah for not being the tallest in the room. It's a Scandinavian blokes party at Sketch. On flute I seem to have no spatial awareness with my elbows sticking out, thus taking out a few innocent bystanders.
20th October
Brizzol for a wedding. Band on the road again, Ami's brushes are band this time.
19th October
Property party in London with some interesting suit choices. Pink and green anyone?
18th October. The London Press Club Ball
Played for Piers Morgan and a host of stella press folks. Gave a away my EP and got to wear 25 grand's worth of bling, but sadly not take it home.
17th October
Film preview of The Darjeeling Express, at the Rex, laughed a lot.
13th October
Delivering mastered files to CD pressing plant. Very excited to get it finished.
12th October
Final sessions with Sweetie Irie to mix my EP, Side beside me.
11th October
National Gallery to admire the pics and sculptures for a lawyer's drink party.
10th October
Natural History Museum for a Hedge fund party. Gardening anyone? Trowels full of yummy puds.
8th October
Amika for a coffee company launch. Band played and we all buzzed.
6th October
Queer as Kandi at Area, Vauxhall. What a lovely crowd. Glitter-tastic.
3rd October
City slickers, property bash in Bank, band excel themselves again with sultry dinner jazz.
30th September
Warwickshire for a lush 21st in a wigwam with open fires and silly hats. Took my bike and went for a pre-gig spin in the green hills.
27th September
Fun gig at the Aeronautical society head quarters in Hamilton place.
25th September
Art gallery Launch in Mayfair, lonely solo tootling.
24th September
Henley on Thames for a jolly 70th birthday party. Met Dick Francis the racing whodunit maestro. My Nan loved his yarns. Told him so.
23rd September
Hey ho and off I go, 2 hours 17 mins of agony, swimming in Brighton Marina, cycling up the Sussex downs and running along the cliffs, all in the name of fitness and fun. Finished and collapsed in choc fuelled slob-out.
22nd September
HedKandi gig at Pascha, London til 3am , then big sister drove me down to Brighton for the triathlon.
What I've been up to
2007: Autumn / Summer / Spring / Winter
28th July
Off with my Big Sis to do a photo-shoot in the Philippines. And maybe a spot of surfing, diving and water buffalo riding too… An amazing country with the most friendly, open, fun people I've ever met. Everyone smiles.
27th July
Recording session with Sweetie Irie, (Gorrillaz MC on Clint Eastwood). The man with the biggest grin in the business, we've been working on Dan's album at Jade Jagger's Jezabel studios.
26th July
Joined The It Girls, a fun-loving cabaret group run and choreographed by the gorgeous Tracy Dennis, to play a show at the Great Western Hotel. Tracy is the only person I will don red nail varnish for.
22nd July
Verve Cliquot Polo Gold Cup. My first match and an impressive spectacle. Jodie Kidd and her mum Wendy came up and gave me a hug. I played for them a few years back when Jodie gave a very interesting performance of the Owl and the Pussy Cat. Lovely folk.
18th July
Royal Academy of Arts for another party, this time in the main gallery. My old college pal Andy Davis is playing with his band at the end of the corridor, so we have a mini battle of the bands, (except I only had a DJ).
14th July
Invited back to Sagres to play at the Super Boc Dance Party after the World surfing champs. Huge stage and sound system, killer beats from DJ Toby One and DJ Joao Maria. Though strobes and crazy lights illuminated the partying crowd, there were no lights on stage. I went for a stage dive during my second set, tumbling whilst playing over the metal bars at the bottom of the rig. Fortunately my Ninja reactions kicked in and I rolled, landing on my shoulder, sax intact, and carried on playing.
13th July
Lawyers summer party the terrace in the fields, Lincolns Inn field. The longest queue EVER for a burnt sausage and a bit of Coleslaw. Why are BBQs such a popular choice for mass catering?
12th July
New arrival to the band Aj Strong makes to the stage with us in Farnborough on a bizarre inflatable canopy overhead. Just as the spit roast was charred to perfection, the skies opened and our audience ran for cover. Some joined us on stage as we cheerfully belted out 'Singing in the Rain', 'Lovely Day' and 'Raindrops Keep Falling on my Head'.
10th July
Industry awards for Hoteliers at the Mayfair hotel. Fortunately they were into their brazilian tunes, so we samba-ed the afternoon away with Austrud Gillberto and Jobim.
8th July
My brother, his wife and my nephew and niece, (8 and 3) arrive. I start rehearsing with the Whitestripes of the next decade with mini guitars, keys, drums, experimental vocals and a loop pedal which confused the dog and added excited barking to the cacophony. Music should always be this much fun.
7th July
Henley Royal Regatta with the band. White Party for David Tree at his riverside pad overlooking the finishing line. Whilst rowing's finest specimens hauled themselves down the river, the guests watched TV on David's huge plasma screens and guzzled champagne.
28th June
Back to Portugal for surfing, playing and dancing like a mad thing.
27th June
Band gig at Tate Modern. Road closures due to a fire meant we arrived with 12 minutes to set up drum kit, bass, keys and me and park Betty, my camper van. First note was bang on time as the door opened and guests flooded in to the serene sound of mellow jazz.
26th June
Penthouse party for a company that designs top-end home music entertainment systems. Ironically, we had great trouble with the backing music as folks kept leaning against the wall control unit sending the volume soaring or plummeting. Met and jammed with wicked piano player/singer called Aj Strong. Will be roping him in for some gigs.
What I've been up to
2007: Autumn / Summer / Spring / Winter
17th–22nd June
Corsica with the band for a wedding. Our mini villa was indeed mini. Playing at various beach-side restaurants and on boats. Titanic always goes down a treat.
15th June
Recording session, adding the funky Mr Al Maranca to 'Bitter Game' and 'Mother's Daughters'.
13th June
40th birthday party for the owner of Earls Court at Kensington Palace; 6 topless models on plinths with incredible body-painting. Dropped jaws were obviously in admiration for the artistry.
12th June
Barcelona, a swanky terrace, for Swiss Bank in a 'which bank can throw the most excessive party' competition. Nice to know how our overdraft charges are spent. Our do won the most danceable and fun vote, but the Germans got the Gypsy Kings in the Palace, and those old guys can still really strum. I made a beeline as soon as my gig finished and couldn't resist a little bop. One of the GKs spotted the sax on my shoulder and gestured to come up and sit in. The lean and mean bouncers at stage left had other orders. Contented myself to some more wiggling.
11th June
Another roof terrace, this time at Merrill Lynch's headquarters. Trio gig with lots of fairground attractions including a computerised clay shooting range. I thrashed the MD, but he'd had a few more tipples than I. We did play some music too.
10th June
Off the plane and straight to Boujis' birthday bash at Syon House. The hi-in-heels laydees teetered, eating nothing, leaving more for me and DJ Maurits. Mmmm chocolate pudding...
8th June
Off to Athens for a Hedkandi beach party with DJs Kelly Marie and Miles Nation. My two hour set grew into an all nighter, culminating in a spontaneous dawn team splash, when I only remembered to ditch the sax at the very last moment.
7th June
The Fortnum and Mason Summer Press picnic was sabotaged by mobs of nut mugging squirrels. Mounted police and the park commissioner arrived 5 minutes before kick-off to announce that the event was in contravention of Royal Park rules 2.3a, 6.5b and 10.6c, and that the champagne flutes would have to go, as would the tables, hampers et al. Pasty faced PR ladies suddenly turned very red. Whilst every last dining detail, including the ebony, engraved corkscrew had been remembered, getting permission had not. With a handbag scurry to arms, Blackberrys a whirring and a few calls later, the head dude for the Royal Parks, (who happens to play tennis with the PR company's boss), gave the green card. The police and grumbling commissioner were forced to beat a retreat into the rose bushes, just as the first journalists arrived.
6th June
Trinny, Suzanna and Slash from Guns'n'Roses made an unlikely but appreciative trio at the launch of the Royal Academy of Arts' new collection. Although Ioian Gruffud was a fan of the saxophone, his fiancé was not. Sex In The City's Kim Catteral purred 'absolutely wonderful' as I wafted between the masterpieces.
1st June
Up on the bar playing full blast to a very lively Portuguese surfer crowd at Agua Salgada in Sagres. This is what it's all about... Roll on the summer.
30th May
Back to play at the place my parents met 42 years ago. The Dorchester has always evoked my gratitude. Mingling with portrait painters and caricaturists for a banking blokes party. "Can you play quieter..."? Do sparrows snore? Why do people book saxophonists when they would prefer a taxidermied nightingale in a glass dome to network around?
27th May
Blue skies and sea swapped for London skyline at another posh bash at the Royal Garden, Kensington.
25th May
Checked out of expenses-paid lush hotel into a tiny but cute B+B for a dose of realism and tune writing on the beach. Jammed with a random rock outfit at Johnny's Bar in Nice's old town and munched tapas in the square at 1am. What a funky place.
24th May
Feels like ground hog day. Back at Gatwick, 3rd visit in 3 days, 6 planes; I will plant lots of trees and cycle everywhere not overseas. When I don't have to take loads of saxophones that is. Off to Monaco for the Grand prix, playing on Armani's yacht for an Icelandic bank. Sushi from Nobu, (flew the jolly chefs in), tunes on deck and dancing till the wee small hours. Hob-nobbed with the Prince of Sweden (or he might have been pulling my leg and worked at McDonalds). This lot really have too much money to know what to do with.
23rd May. A sad day for Liverpool fans
Had to turn down George and Brad for their Oceans 13 boat party as I hopped back on the easy jet magic carpet to Athens to meet up with the my band for the UEFA cup final. We headlined in the VIP area before and after the match. The two Italians, Bruno and Al Maranca in the band don't even like footie. What a waste.
18th May. Cannes Film Festival
Jamming with Norman Jay from the battlements of a chateau overlooking Cannes, till the mosquitoes drove me back to the courtyard at Soho House's über-glam party. Chatted about festival loos and backstage swimming pools with Vince Power, founder of Glastonbury and Reading, and that little ticket company, Mean Fiddler. He's now lending his festival skills to Spanish territories at Benni Casime. Of course I asked for a gig. He said yes, but I think he was drunk.
16th May
Breakfast, or rather champers and yet more canapés at Tiffany's for the launch of their new range. A chance for glamorous folk to look at pretty sparkling things whilst I played Moon River and swaned about trying to maintain Audrey poise.
10th May. Hackney Empire with the Drifters
New spangling with the old school. 'Stand by me' is a sweet tune no matter which railway line you're running down. A party for the party planners, congratulating themselves for their party planning prowess. Awards presented for canapés and entertainment, although highly-qualified to judge, I wasn't asked.
5th May. Madness
Donning trilby and wayfarers, I got to support Madness at the Bloomsbury ballroom. The irrepressible Suggs invited me up to sit in with their kick-ass horn section on 'Must be love' with much leaping about. I must confess to having practiced my moves the night before to their greatest hits video.
2nd May
Recording takes longer than you can possibly imagine. Not so much the recording, but the stuff that happens before and after. Laid down string parts on 4 tracks: Bitter Game, Side Beside Me, Mother's Daughters, Hope and Chance.
24th April
Boiler Room at the Truman Brewery for Leo Burnett's Wild Fire gathering of creative minds. We made it onto Brazilian TV.
23rd April
Climate Change. Aslan's gone AWOL at the Dali Universe. Snow queen had turned it to ice, most un-comfy nestling into frozen bar stalls in posh frocks with no tights. Would of preferred a hot chocolate but had to make do with vodka jellies.
19th April
Silver Sturgeon maiden voyage after a £5 million make over. Didn't think much of the wall paper. Canapés were top notch though, but then it was catering company Rhubarb's bash, so they should've been.
First week of April. Cowfold recording studios
Spurred on by the Kooks' leftovers, the mighty sound engineer Glover, and an interesting blend of Italian, Israeli, and Scouser humour I kidnapped the band for a week to record my album. Smooth as you like after 20 hour days, stirred with a bass ball bat and washed down with tequila. A week of drum takes on Chaka Khan's reel to reel (bar humbug to new fangled technology), creativity flowed best under the apple tree. Think I might have the first single; Bitter Game.
30th March
Met windsurfing legend and personal hero Robbie Nash at a sporting personality charity gala dinner. Coming straight from a theatrical makeup company's launch party, I was styled as a peacock. Robbie's not a big chap. He liked my rendition of the beach boys but seemed a little daunted by my towering height and unusual makeup.
28th March
Advertising Awards ceremony at Sketch. Egg shaped toilets drawing customary Na-noo Na-noo commentary.
23rd March
Birthday party at Gilgamesh, Camden.
22nd March
Creative Director David Tree's private party, launching the work of three much talked about artists in a fancy marble mansion in Mayfair.
What I've been up to
2007: Autumn / Summer / Spring / Winter
12th March
M.I.P.I.M – a week long party hopping extravaganza in Cannes for global property tycoons. Super yachts and laid back lounge. Board shorts and flip flops by day, Gucci and stilettos by night.
1st March
Yup, Oliver Rothschild lived up to his reputation with a penchant for ladies and champagne, not sure in which order. Wandered about sax tooting to launch his penthouse apartment complex in Battersea. Interesting folk requesting some of my old favourites.
24th February
Olympic gold medalist sailor boy Ben Ainsley's 30th birthday party, Lymington. Had to make do without my double bass player as his upright bass couldn't stand up – the ceilings were so low. Also had to ditch customary platforms to get through the door.
16th February
The Mansion, Dulwich, a great pub filled with a warm, jazz loving regular crowd. A chance to play and play, hooked up with drummer Ami, the beginning of a beautiful bandship...
27th January
Russian media moguls 40th birthday party at Kensington Palace. Forgot my passport, crossed border patrol with a PADI diving license and my British triathlon membership card, ID shot resplendent in lycra one piece. Caviar and body guards were out in force.
20th January
Recording session with Sweetie Irie on Damon Albarn's album. The track was called Loveable.
1st January
New Year at HedKandi, Leeds. All that you would expect; glitter, glamour and pumping tunes. Rocked out over various DJ sets with Pav on percussion.
About me
(from age 0 'til now...)
0: Many say the kitchen is the heart of a home. In my household, it’s the music room. Walls lined with records, furniture fitted around an ever growing collection of instruments, hi-fi and old-school recording equipment.
3: Old Mac Donald Had a Farm,
(and on that farm he had a dog and the dog went oink oink oink)
6: Shepherdess, Amahl and the Night Visitors, my first bash at singing, an emotional journey...
9: Unimpressed with the recorder, my request for a tenor saxophone broke with the orchestral tradition, but mum and dad were faced with that or the harp.
10: Inevitably I suppose, it started with the Girl from Ipanema, painful stilted squawking. I’ve been asked to play it at just about every corporate gig since. Dad referred to me as the fog horn for first 6 months.
18: Despite loving playing, I was nervous about trying to turn my hobby into my career. Invited to play on stage at the Globe’s opening season obliterated my concern. It was so much fun, I was hooked.
19: Undeterred by the bouncers telling me Titanic didn’t do live music, I got my sax out and gave it some. Then Marco Pierre White asked me how many nights I wanted to work. I learnt invaluable survival techniques, and had money in my pocket for the first time...
21: Graduating from Trinity Music College taught me about the mechanics of playing jazz, but little else. After the shelter of the rehearsal rooms, I soon learnt that if I wanted gigs, I needed to go out and ask for them, and I needed to be versatile.
Wrote, recorded and produced ‘Say When’ in a month. A chaotic mad whirlwind, for which I give huge gratitude to all the musicians who turned up and played. Despite the rush, it was the outpourings of several years living. So much could have been better, but exposing your heart on a shoe string isn’t easy, and although unpolished, I proved to myself that I could do it.
Age not relevant now, but I’ve been at it for a while...
It’s true New York can be magical. Wynton Masarlis was kind, Marcus Printup took me under his wing. I played at James Moody’s 80th birthday party at the twin towers, but accidentally sat in his birthday cake, captured on TV. When I returned to London, the doormen at Ronnie Scotts already knew about my unfortunate stumble. But like Malcolm MacLaren said, bad publicity is still good.
Rather than pace the streets, these days my phone keeps ringing, clocking up air miles with invitations to play at places that once seemed out of reach. Private parties for the likes of Michael Cain, Prince William, Richard Branson, Madonna, Al Pacino and Jodie Kidd have showed me a different way of living. But reinforced what I already know, that people are just people. Often the ones I expect to be the most scary, are the friendliest.
Entertaining the glamorous party set is an interesting way of making a living. But playing to big stadiums while touring with the Guillemotts at music festivals across Europe in 2006 gave me my first true performance adrenalin fix. There is nothing like performing to a sea of smiley faces that are listening to you... so between the glitterati gigs, I’m scribbling and strumming the next song, my songs. The ones I really want to play to the world.
Contact me
Book me, or just say hello.
heather@wheathillmusic.co.uk
Contact me
Thank you
Links
People, places and favourite things...
Label: Moomu Records
Artist: Lizzie Ball
Artist: Sweetie Irie
Studio: Eight Eleven Sound Studio
Studio: One Life Productions
Photos: Capture
Website: Good Morning Please
Illustraiton: Will Barras
Illustration: Micha Leese
and coming soon: Wheathill Music
Get the EP
To get your copy of Side Beside Me, please get in touch...
heather@wheathillmusic.co.uk
Get the EP
Thank you
Coming up
...and I'll also be...
Soaking up a bit of culture at the National Gallery for a big corporate bash – get paid to look at pictures and play some choones, top stuff.
Playing with the band in between sipping cocktails by the pool at the swanky new Shoreditch House. With their spa, table football and gorgeous bar, I'll be looking for a permanent residency.
Enlisting the band to launch Side Beside Me EP. Test driving my original songs at Pigalle Club, Picadilly Circus... dates to be confirmed but I'll be wanting some jolly faces at this one.
Bugging Jools Holland to let me on his little TV show.
Jamming with those crazy Poles in Krakow.
Making like Penelope Pitstop for a Porsche launch, wonder if they'd let me take one out for a test drive...?
Brussels for a couple of days exploring and gigs in the eve. Last time I played here was a in a polar bear outfit for a Christmas shin dig with the Guillemots.
Istanbul for some crazy fashion designer's launch.
Up the Gherkin for a spot of galactic, futuristic-themed party action with DJ Horrocks.
Coming up.
I’ll be...
Swatting up on my Jurassic history playing under the Gotta-long-neck- asaurus at the Natural History Museum.