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Kevin Figes Musical artist

Kevin Figes began playing the sax in 1986 at the age of 22, studying with Elton Dean in London. In the early 1990s he moved to Bristol and began playing with Keith Tippett's Seedbed Orchestra. Turning professional he formed his own jazz quartet, writing and playing local gigs. In 1993 he won a touring award which took the band to London and Birmingham. In 1997 the band won a second jazz services touring award and lottery award to produce a CD for which he wrote a new batch of tunes.Alongside these achievements he studied classical saxophone under Will Gregory and took grade 8 and then a diploma from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. From 1996 to 1999 he played, wrote and later managed the contemporary big band Ultrasound, producing two CDs and playing in QEH (London), Bracknell and Plymouth festivals. From 1998-2003 he played with Brazilian music combo Sirius B, recording two CD's and touring; including The Jazz Cafe (London), Montreux Jazz Festival, and many other major European venues. In 2001, with guidance from his teacher Tim Garland, he attended the Guildhall postgraduate jazz diploma year. During the course he was asked to join Keith Tippett's big band Tapestry for tours of Canada and Portugal, and later in 2004 a Norwich festival performance with the Apollo saxophone quartet and the BBC Singers, broadcast on BBC Radio 3. After the course in London he reformed his quartet, wrote some new material and began playing in venues around the country including the Glastonbury Festival. He was also busy on the local Bristol scene with pianist Jim Blomfield (Septimbre and Latin Perspective) and Andy Hague (Big Band and Silverado). As well as jazz Kevin's passion's include Brazilian music, playing mainly flute with Quarteto Bossa.