Born on July 23, 1959, Alan Barnes is a British jazz saxophonist and clarinetist. While he has focused most of his attention on the jazz community, he has toured with higher profile artists like Bryan Ferry and the Charlie Watts Tentet. As a session musician, he has appeared on albums by Bjork (Post), Van Morrison (Avalon Sunset), and Ferry (As Time Goes By) and can be heard on many film and television soundtracks and commercial jingles. As a leader, co-leader, or sideman, he has recorded over 30 albums including releases with The Jazz Renegades, Tony Coe, John Horler, Brian Lemon, David Newton, Alan Plater, and Martin Taylor. His debut album as a leader, Affiliation, was released in 1987. One of his most well-known albums is the Concord Records release, Below Zero (1998). In 2000, Barnes recorded a live album called Cannonball with Don Weller. The release, which celebrated the music of Cannonball Adderley, won the Album of the Year award from the 2001 British Jazz Awards. Overall, he has received over 25 British Jazz Awards, and has twice been made BBC Jazz Musician of the Year. Initially, Alan Barnes attended Leeds College of Music from 1977 to 1980, moving to London shortly thereafter. Beginning his recording career in the early 1980s, has gone on to become one of the most prolific British jazz musicians of his generation. Most of his solo catalog – including The Sherlock Homes Suite (2003), Blessing in Disguise (2006), and Oh Gee (2015) – was released on the Woodville label.
