Yanagisawa Saxophones UK is delighted to welcome Nichola Pope to our roster of artists. Nichola plays Yanagisawa S9030 Solid Silver Soprano, WO2 Bronze Soprano and Yanagisawa B992 Bronze Baritone.
Nichola is an in-demand saxophonist, musical director, arranger, educator, and community-music project leader.
Nichola’s multifaceted career has earned her a reputation as one of the UK’s leading saxophonists, equally comfortable on stage in front of thousands or in an intimate jazz club.
She has spent years touring in Europe, Asia and the Middle East, and has appeared at major UK festivals including Glastonbury, BST Hyde Park, Isle of Wight Festival, Latitude, Boomtown, and Bestival with Bombay Bicycle Club and London Afrobeat Collective. Nichola has performed at packed arenas, concert halls and theatres such as The O2, ExCeL London, Royal Festival Hall, Brixton Academy; and in London’s West End with touring shows such as Paul Simon Gracelands LIVE!, The 80s Show, The Smooth Rock Show, A Beautiful Noise Show, Simply Dan, Typically Tina, The Magic of Motown and Divalution.
TV credits include BBC’s Top of the Pops, TFI Friday, MOBO Awards, Brit Awards and The X-Factor with acts like Olly Murs, Craig David, Daniel Beddingfield, Jamelia, Jamie Cullum, and Lemar.
Nichola has performed at the North Sea Jazz Festival, EFG London Jazz Festival, Galway Jazz Festival, Dauphine Jazz Festival, Funk Nord, Being a Man Festival, Women in Jazz Media Festival, and renowned jazz venues including Ronnie Scott’s, the 606 Club, the Jazz Cafe, and the Vortex Jazz Club.
A seasoned studio musician, she has recorded film, pop and library sessions at Abbey Road, Air Lyndhurst, Air Edel, RAK and Olympic, and has recorded remote sessions online for artists and producers worldwide in her purpose-built home studio, most recently on the critically acclaimed debut Delirio from Lokeba.
Nichola has performed with internationally acclaimed Marici Saxes and is also a founder member of contemporary chamber group Breathe and a new exciting saxophone quartet Krunch.
Nichola is a passionate educator and in-demand clinician with degrees from City University and Guildhall School of Music & Drama. Nichola Pope has an established teaching practice in London and is a pioneer in online education teaching students worldwide.
Nichola is proud to endorse Yanagisawa and is honoured to be a Yanagisawa Artist.
Main Image: Murray Clarke Photography
Nichola Pope is an in demand saxophonist, musical director, arranger, educator, and community-music project leader.
Nichola’s multifaceted career has earned her a reputation as one of the UK’s leading saxophonists, equally comfortable on stage in front of thousands or in an intimate jazz club.
Nichola regularly tours in Europe, and also performs internationally across Asia and the Middle East. Nichola has appeared at major UK festivals including Glastonbury, BST Hyde Park, Isle of Wight Festival, Latitude, Boomtown, and Bestival with Bombay Bicycle Club and London Afrobeat Collective. Nichola has performed at packed arenas, concert halls and theatres such as The O2, ExCeL London, Royal Festival Hall, Brixton Academy; and in London’s West End with touring shows such as Paul Simon Gracelands LIVE!, The 80s Show, The Smooth Rock Show, A Beautiful Noise Show, Simply Dan, Typically Tina, The Magic of Motown, Simply Us & Them, New York State of Mind the Music of Billy Joel, The Sting Operation and Divalution featuring Rachael Hawnt, Winner of ITV1s Starstruck series one.
TV credits include BBC’s Top of the Pops, TFI Friday, MOBO Awards, Brit Awards and The X-Factor with acts like Olly Murs and also worked with Jamie Cullum.
Nichola has performed at the North Sea Jazz Festival, EFG London Jazz Festival, Galway Jazz Festival, Dauphine Jazz Festival, Funk Nord, Being a Man Festival, Women in Jazz Media Festival, and renowned jazz venues including Ronnie Scott’s, the 606 Club, the Jazz Cafe, and the Vortex Jazz Club.
A seasoned studio musician, she has recorded film, pop and library sessions at Abbey Road, Air Lyndhurst, Air Edel, RAK and Olympic, and has recorded remote sessions online for artists and producers worldwide in her purpose-built home studio, most recently on the critically acclaimed debut Delirio from Lokeba.
Nichola has performed with internationally acclaimed Marici Saxes and is also a founder member of contemporary chamber group Breathe and a new exciting saxophone quartet Krunch.
Nichola is a passionate educator and in-demand clinician with degrees from City University and Guildhall School of Music & Drama. Nichola Pope has an established teaching practice in London and is a pioneer in online education teaching students worldwide.
Nichola is proud to endorse Yanagisawa and be a Yanagisawa Artist.
Nichola plays:
Yanagisawa S9030 Solid Silver Soprano
Yanagisawa WO30 Solid Silver Alto
Yanagisawa WO2 Bronze Soprano
Yanagisawa B992 Bronze Baritone
Image: Murray Clarke Photography
James grew up in Bournemouth on the South Coast of England playing the clarinet aged 9 and quickly progressing to the saxophone at 11. Taught by local music legend Alan Melly he then attended Homefield School on a music scholarship, followed by another saxophone scholarship at The Royal Academy of Music. James then began a journey down a path to his real love, Jazz.
James can be seen performing with his dance band “The Red Fez Orchestra” which aims to recreate the sound of the 1920s and 30s dance bands. He is also a founding member of the Swing Unlimited Group, The Boogie Bumpers, The Regular Joes and organises workshops and courses with JazzSmart which he set up in 2010. JazzSmart has seen him working alongside sax legends such as Derek Nash, Andy Scott, Dave O’Higgins, Jay Metcalf, and many more.
As a passionate educator James also is the head of woodwind at Durlston Court School, Walhampton School and runs his own teaching studio in Bournemouth.
James plays: Yanagisawa TWO20 Tenor Saxophone
This review was published in the summer 2021 issue of Clarinet & Saxophone, the quarterly magazine of the Clarinet & Saxophone Society of Great Britain. Find out more about at www.cassgb.org, or follow on Facebook and Twitter.
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The uniquely named Yany BooStar from Yanagisawa replaces the standard neck screw of a saxophone, which it does so with ease due to its very manageable size.
There are three finishes available (un-plated, gold-plated and pink gold-plated), each coming with three screws to enable three kinds of customisation. The two smaller screws add more mass to the initial large screw, which I assume changes the range of vibrations through the instrument.
I first tried the BooStar on my standard setup: an unlacquered Yanagisawa A901 alto saxophone with a gold Yany neck, Selmer Claude Delangle mouthpiece, Vandoren V21 3.5 reeds and Vandoren rose gold ligature. The initial response of the un-plated version was great; it opened the instrument in terms of clarity, making certain notes clearer in the lower register and freer in the altissimo.
Adding screws made all the difference, and choosing the larger of the screws made for a potentially bigger sound throughout the instrument. I felt increasing the added mass not only helped with the response of the instrument but also with staccato. I tried them in different acoustics too, having a similar effect on my projection. I also made my students try it, all varying standard from around Grade 6 to post-diploma. They all could hear a difference when they compared the stock neck screw with the BooStar.
I found the gold-plated version was a little more mellow, but that may just be due to my own setup. The pink gold-plated option was stunning, in terms of clarity and looks! I was also able to try the different versions on a Yanagisawa T901, S9930 soprano sax (solid silver) and an old version of a B901 baritone, all with very similar changes.
Sometimes you might want to mellow the soprano sound slightly or increase the clarity on a baritone; it really depends on the music you are playing and the outcome you want. Depending on the make of your instrument, get the right fit. The screws are available in two versions – Yanagisawa/ Selmer or Yamaha – with the added advantage of fitting soprano, alto, tenor and baritone saxophones. The only way to know if it works for you is to try them yourself. Go to a shop, get them on approval and make a personal decision. If you find it doesn’t work, don’t worry – but they do make tightening the neck screw very much easier!
Donny McKenzie
Yanagisawa Saxophones UK artist Jess Gillam has been awarded an MBE for Services to Music in the Queen’s Birthday Honours.
Jess states, “I feel extremely touched to receive this award, especially in a year where so many people have done such incredible and selfless things. It’s very unexpected and a complete surprise - I’m very grateful to all of those who have supported me and to have had the opportunity to learn an instrument in the first place. Music has changed my life and I‘m passionate about sharing its magic with other people!”
It is the latest in a long list of achievements for the multi award-winning saxophonist following her Classic BRIT Award win in 2018 and having become the first ever saxophonist to exclusively sign a record deal with Decca Classics. Both her first album ‘RISE’ and her second album ‘TIME’ have reached No.1 in the Official UK Classical Charts.
Jess’ award-winning weekly BBC Radio 3 show and podcast ‘This Classical Life’ is available to listen to online and she will be taking her second album ‘TIME’ on tour this June & July with The Jess Gillam Ensemble. https://www.jessgillamsax.co.uk/shows/
Jess plays Yanagisawa Custom Engraved AWO20 Alto and S901U Un-lacquered Soprano saxophones and uses Vandoren reeds, ligatures and saxophone slings.
Yanagisawa Saxophones UK have announced the launch of new additions to their ‘Yany BooStar’ series with Gold-Plated and Pink Gold-Plated models.
The Yany BooStar is an innovative neck screw accessory that adds mass to the crucial connection between the neck and the bore of saxophones, allowing players to customise their saxophone voice with flexible connection options. The BooStar increases instrument responsiveness and delivers an exciting new tonal palette, whilst also enhancing resonance.
Previously available in un-plated finishes only, the new Gold-Plated and Pink Gold-Plated Yany BooStar models open the door further to new tonal and playing experiences for saxophonists. The Gold-Plated BooStar offers richer tonal harmonics and depth while players seeking a mellower tone can look to the Pink Gold-Plated model.
When installed, the Yany BooStar also allows players to set just the right amount of resistance and achieve smoother breath control. Horns have more tonal focus and volume in all registers. Different combinations of the three screws in the BooStar set facilitate changes in tonal quality and the playing experience, enabling saxophonists to adjust accordingly for different musical genres and settings.
Jazz Saxophonist Matt Telfer states, “The high notes on my alto became thicker and rounder and the low note on my tenor became easier to play. I was able to achieve many variations with the different finishes. Definitely an investment for anyone wanting to fine tune their sound.”
Available to fit Yanagisawa / Selmer or Yamaha saxophones of all types from soprano to baritone, the new Yany BooStar Gold-Plated and Pink Gold-Plated models have a retail price of £98.50 and are available to buy now from authorised Yanagisawa dealers in the UK & Ireland. Find your nearest dealer HERE
Inspecting the damage on instrument materials & finishes
Following our recent saxophone disinfection advice – available to read here or below – outlining the safest methods for using disinfectants to clean saxophones, Yanagisawa – Japan have continued their research to test hand sanitisers containing different chemical components and the level of damage they can cause to saxophone finishes.
The results confirm the earlier advice (see article below) that ETHANOL-BASED DISINFECTANTS AND SANITISERS ARE THE SAFEST CHEMICAL with which to clean and handle saxophones and their parts.
The regular use of hand sanitiser has become part of our daily routine while living in a world with COVID-19. Initial investigations show that some hand sanitisers can cause tarnishing and/or corrosion when left on the surface of your instrument. Yanagisawa have tested the endurance of lacquer finish against sanitisers containing different chemical components and verified their findings.
Chemicals:
- Ethanol for disinfection: Light change on the surface after 24 hours from adherence.
- Approx 70% of ethanol + Glycerin-fatty acid ester 0.1% + Glycine 0.1% + Sodium emulsified 00.24% + others: Major colour change of the base metal.
- Chlorine bleach: Lacquer starts to come off after 21 days.
- Chlorine dioxide: Significant lacquer tarnishing 15 hours after adherence. Reacted the most compared to other chemicals.
Please note: Content rate and/or components in chemicals differ across manufacturer samples used. The results should therefore be used as a guideline.
Aim to use ETHANOL-BASED DISINFECTANTS AND SANITISERS AS THEY ARE THE SAFEST CHEMICAL with which to clean and handle saxophones and their parts. In fact, this experiment highlights that 100% ethanol chemicals result in almost no altering of saxophone finishes.
Ethanol-based disinfectants and sanitisers containing other chemical components showed some of the following results when not removed from lacquer after approximately three weeks: 1. Light change on the surface 2. Lacquer starts to loosen 3. Lacquer starts to come off.
It is therefore important to ensure the best practice of removing all residue of sanitiser and disinfectant after cleaning or handling your saxophone.
The results also confirm that CHLORINE-BASED DISINFECTANTS AND SANITISERS DO CAUSE CONSIDERABLE DAMAGE and should therefore be avoided when cleaning and handling saxophones and other woodwind instruments and accessories.
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Original article posted 2nd December 2020:
Disinfection Advice from Yanagisawa Saxophones – Japan.
Saxophone care and cleaning is – as it has been all year – an all-important factor in helping reduce the risk of virus transmission.
Here’s some advice from Yanagisawa about the most effective and safe methods of using disinfectants on saxophone instruments, components and accessories.
Yanagisawa’s research has found that applying antiseptics – especially chlorine-based disinfectants – can result in instrument discolouration and deterioration. The Japanese saxophone manufacturer therefore recommends the following advice and set of best practices to ensure your saxophone remains hygienic but does not become damaged or discoloured.
• DO NOT use chlorine-based disinfectants. Ingredients contained within chlorine-based disinfectants may lead to corrosion, deterioration, discoloration, lacquer staining, peeling, etc.
• DO NOT directly spray or apply any types of disinfectant directly onto your saxophones body or components.
• DO NOT soak any components (including mouthpieces). If disinfectant enters the key system, it may cause damage or deterioration. Pay particular attention not to apply disinfectant to pads and corks as these are particularly susceptible to damage.
• DO NOT use chlorine or ethanol-based antiseptics on Ebonite mouthpieces or Yany SIXS ligatures (features ebonite spacers). In addition, do not use heat, such as hot water, steam, microwave, oven, etc. for disinfection. There is a risk of discoloration and deformation.
• DO use ethanol-based disinfectants. Gently wipe your sax body and mouthpiece with ethanol-based disinfectant soaked in a SOFT, non-abrasive cloth. Immediately wipe off the instrument using a DRY, non-abrasive cloth – removing all residue.
• DO make sure your hands are thoroughly dried after disinfection and before touching your instrument. Disinfectant remaining on your fingers may cause corrosion or damage, especially around thumb rest, thumb hook and side key areas - these are at a higher risk of discolouration and deformation.
Saxophone care and cleaning is – as it has been all year – an all-important factor in helping reduce the risk of virus transmission.
Here’s some advice from Yanagisawa about the most effective and safe methods of using disinfectants on saxophone instruments, components and accessories.
Yanagisawa’s research has found that applying antiseptics – especially chlorine-based disinfectants – can result in instrument discolouration and deterioration. The Japanese saxophone manufacturer therefore recommends the following advice and set of best practices to ensure your saxophone remains hygienic but does not become damaged or discoloured.
• DO NOT use chlorine-based disinfectants. Ingredients contained within chlorine-based disinfectants may lead to corrosion, deterioration, discoloration, lacquer staining, peeling, etc.
• DO NOT directly spray or apply any types of disinfectant directly onto your saxophones body or components.
• DO NOT soak any components (including mouthpieces). If disinfectant enters the key system, it may cause damage or deterioration. Pay particular attention not to apply disinfectant to pads and corks as these are particularly susceptible to damage.
• DO NOT use chlorine or ethanol-based antiseptics on Ebonite mouthpieces or Yany SIXS ligatures (features ebonite spacers). In addition, do not use heat, such as hot water, steam, microwave, oven, etc. for disinfection. There is a risk of discoloration and deformation.
• DO use ethanol-based disinfectants. Gently wipe your sax body and mouthpiece with ethanol-based disinfectant soaked in a SOFT, non-abrasive cloth. Immediately wipe off the instrument using a DRY, non-abrasive cloth – removing all residue.
• DO make sure your hands are thoroughly dried after disinfection and before touching your instrument. Disinfectant remaining on your fingers may cause corrosion or damage, especially around thumb rest, thumb hook and side key areas - these are at a higher risk of discolouration and deformation.
Yanagisawa Saxophones UK are delighted to announce the launch of new WO Baritone and Curved Soprano saxophones in the UK.
Designed as upgraded replacements to the popular 90 Series Baritone range and previous Curved Soprano instruments, the new WO ‘Professional’ and ‘Elite’ saxophones offer a host of new features that vastly improve tone and increase playability.
New WO Series Baritone instruments comprise of ‘Professional’ and ‘Elite’ models suitable for both student and accomplished players – available in brass lacquered, bronze lacquered, brass silverplated and solid silver options. Improved compound materials, adjusted tone hole sizing and positioning and an added neck pipe plate all guarantee a cleaner tone, improved note intonation and ensure the new instruments are easier to play. The angle of the right pinky finger keys has been modified and the low A thumb key redesigned for smoother fingering while a repositioned strap ring allows for a more comfortable playing position. A wider right hand key guard exclusive to Baritone models, a redesigned bow brace and additional feet under the Bb and C levers complete the design improvements.
New WO Series Curved Soprano models are made up of ‘Elite’ models available in brass lacquered, brass unlacquered, bronze lacquered, brass silverplated and solid silver options. They also benefit from improved compound materials and adjusted tone hole sizing and positioning for improved note intonation. Modified right pinky finger key angles and left palm key angles ensure smoother fingering. Additional improvements come in the form of an adopted German silver rod to strengthen the G key, a redesigned G# key cup for adjustable pitch and a new body and bow detaching system.
Design changes also extend to WO Series cases with a new backpack style Baritone case that features an added exterior accessory compartment and wheels for easier transportation. An exterior accessory pocket and shoulder strap have been added to the new stylish Curved Soprano cases.
New Yanagisawa Baritone and Curved Soprano saxophones retail from £4109.
