Mick Foster

Biography

Mick Foster is a saxophonist, woodwind player and composer who is known as one of the UK’s foremost exponents of the baritone saxophone.  He studied at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, London and has since worked extensively in the fields of jazz, commercial and classical music.  He has played with many ensembles such as the big bands of John Dankworth, Stan Sulzmann and Mike Garrick, Ginger Baker’s Air Force, Swing Out Sister, The Syd Lawrence Orchestra, The London Philharmonic Orchestra, English National Opera and the Scottish Chamber Orchestra.

Mick has recently been recording and touring with Alan Barnes + 11 and Jim Rattigan’s ensemble Pavillon, and is currently a member of The Humphrey Lyttelton Band, the Back to Basie Orchestra and the London Jazz Orchestra.  Other notable jazz musicians that Mick has worked with include Dame Cleo Laine, Jacqui Dankworth, Trudy Kerr, Mark Lockheart, Guy Barker, Laura Jurd and Digby Fairweather.  Mick has recorded three albums under his own name and is in demand as a session musician, having played for many film and TV soundtracks including Prometheus, Vice and Downton Abbey.

As a composer Mick has written for various ensembles which include the London Jazz Orchestra, Quartz Saxophone Quartet, Docklands Sinfonia and Onyx Brass as well as his own jazz groups.  His music has been broadcast on BBC Radio 3 and he has pieces published by Saxtet Publications; some are included on both the ABRSM and Trinity College exams syllabuses.

Mick is active as an educator; he currently teaches at The Guildhall School of Music and Drama, Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance and Goldsmiths College; he is also a tutor for the National Youth Jazz Collective.